I have tried to play a dvd on my lap top and got an error message saying no decoder present. I installed a dvd decoder [sonic cine player] and now each time I insert a dvd the computer hangs. I have tried with both Windows media player and real player. I have downloaded the latest drivers from Toshiba web site, tried uninstalling the dvd player, tried lowering the screen resolution and reducing the colour but still it hangs. I have uninstalled and reinstalled sonic cine player .I have even tried inserting a laser lens cleaning disc.

I am running win xp home sp2 and the dvd player is a Toshiba DVD-Rom SD-R2512 and the laptop has an Athlon[m]2600+

What else can I try?

..this is going to sound really silly, but will it work with power adaptor plugged in instead of from battery?

..this is going to sound really silly, but will it work with power adaptor plugged in instead of from battery?

It hangs even if the power adaptor is plugged in

Thanks for the suggestion, I have downloaded 'power dvd' but it still makes the computer hang. I then tried it again after uninstalling cineplayer as I thought there may be a conflict, but it still made the computer hang

Hi

Thanks for the reply. How much memory do you have on the Laptop ....RAM ??


Darren

have you been doing your windows updates?
older versions of XP have dvd issues

Member Avatar for san_fran_crisko

Is any of that software using hardware decoding (i.e. your graphics card)? If it is, then try disabling that, but if it isn't, try enabling it. It may be one of those methods of decoding isn't working well for you. I'd recommend hardware decoding if at all possible.

Win xp is up to date as it is set to update automatically but I will try a manual update just in case

Darren,

448mb of ram according to 'System properties'

Is any of that software using hardware decoding (i.e. your graphics card)? If it is, then try disabling that, but if it isn't, try enabling it. It may be one of those methods of decoding isn't working well for you. I'd recommend hardware decoding if at all possible.

As far as I can tell my graphics card is a Radeon IGP 320M and I .cannot see any options for enabling or disabling hardware decoding. It maybe that I am looking at the wrong thing - please advise if this is so.

Member Avatar for san_fran_crisko

Hardware/software decoding should be in the settings menu of your DVD playback software (PowerDVD, Cinemagic etc...). It might even be an option called "Use hardware acceleration" or something along those lines.

Uninstall your burning software and see what happens... sonic cine should be ok with your setup.

Hardware/software decoding should be in the settings menu of your DVD playback software (PowerDVD, Cinemagic etc...). It might even be an option called "Use hardware acceleration" or something along those lines.

I have enabled hardware acceleration in 'powerdvd' and I do now get sound and the occasional picture without it making the computer hang, so this is real progress.

I then tried to play a dvd in Windows media player, [could not find a way to enable hardware acceleration here] and the computer just hung again. Not sure what to try next. At least I can fiddle around now without having to reboot as long as I use powerdvd.

Uninstall your burning software and see what happens... sonic cine should be ok with your setup.

I have uninstalled nero, this has not made any difference.

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