DVD-ROM reading DVDs Erratically

[Foxx]

Hello, I've got a P3 500Mhz, 128MB SDRAM, 10GB Hard Drive, 4x Samsung DVD-ROM drive with the latest firmware upgrade which also region unlocks it (I know, cr*ppy drive, can't afford a new one, this one came with it.), Voodoo 5500 PCI Accelerator, MGI SoftDVDMax, and Raviscent DVD Player. I have used both DVD players to no avail. with this problem.

For some reason, the player will stop cold a few seconds into reading the DVD (note: BEFORE the menu, even) on some DVD's, but others of similar specifications read fine. The problem with the DVD's themselves is consistent (aka. some play fine all the time, others don't play at all). DVD's that do work are ones like The Matrix, The Crow:Salvation, Johnny Mneumonic, Titan A.E., Transformers:the Movie, the Long Kiss Goodnight, and The Sixth Day, Ghost in the Shell, Dirty Pair Flash, Fight Club, and Gunsmith Cats: Bulletproof. Ones that do NOT play are like The Crow (very pissed about this one not playing =) ), Gone in 60 Seconds, Iria, Slayers the Motion Picture, Armitage the Third, Heavy Metal 2000, etc.

I had heard that there's supposed to be a way to specifically allocate more memory to the operations involving reading DVD's, but have yet to find that. I have maxed out all the settings for reading and caching on the DVD-ROM and it is not region-locked, due to the firmware upgrade. Manufacturer, (Samsung or HP, either one) are not of any assistance.

Any help/tips/sympathy is appreciated. Thank you.

 

[netqc]

Foxx, I can offer both sympathy and a possible solution. I had exact same symptom trying to run Gladiator and Good Morning Vietnam on a Panasonic A105 DVD drive though an Elsa Gladiac MX video card using the DVD software supplied with the card (ELSA Movie). I had a trial copy of WINDVD which when installed in place of the old DVD s/w was able to play both movies fine. Problem began when I replaced my ATI Rage Fury with the Gladiac so in my case seems hardware related.

Hope this helps.

 

[tekola]

My DVD reported that it required Bus Mastering (assigned to the IDE controller) updates from the Motherboard manufacturer and then Enabling DMA. I was unable to find the update from the motherboard manufacturer but it may be the cause of your problems.