Getting a "No DVD Drive present"

[comptek]

Hi guys,

I got this laptop from user with a DVD rom drive. (By the way it is a Armada M700 with w2k sp3. When I try to play a DVD using "Inter Actual Inter Active??" DVD software it would say something like "Cannot play dvd no dvd decoder please install. I go to compaq's site and download Win DVD and try to install it I get the "No DVD drive present" Can anyone help. I tried uninstalling and reinstalling the DVD drive cd's play but no dvd. Please help.

Thanks

 

[jdunderhill]

Can the DVD drive read normal CD's for example:

- Music CD
- Computer Game

Can you browse the contents of a disc?

If you can its more likely a software issue, although im surprised that WinDVD won't accept the drive is there

If you can read content at least you know that the drive is up and running and just needs the final cog to make it work...

Software

Maybe WinDVD isn't configured properly, if you could let us know whether you can read in CD's then were onto something

Cheers

Jamie

 

[comptek]

the drive will read cd's and it will play music cds, the drive will notice DVD's but it will not play them, again "A valid DVD decoder could not be found. To correct this, go online (click "Help Online" button) to see if there is updated support for your DVD decoder. " and when I try and download the decoder and try to load it it says "No DVD drive present on the system"

Again the drive will recognize dvd's as far as exploring the contents of dvd's and cd's, and it will play music cds. Any ideas???????

 

[jdunderhill]

Its gotta be a problem with the software you are downloading, what software have you tried?

As far as I know DVD Decoders come in the form of programs such as:

WinDVD
PowerDVD

etc

You could try downloading a DVD Player from a site such as:

http://www.tucows.com

They have a software category with DVD players, you could try downloading one and then see if a DVD plays then

The aim really is to get a software DVD Player, this is what enables you to play the DVD

 

[comptek]

Jdunderhill,
Tried your suggestion and I downloaded a trial version of PowerDVD. Installed fine but when I tried to play a dvd it did not work, an error came up but no code or listing of the type of error. It just said that a log was created. Not sure where the log is though to find out what the problem is. I am almost ready to reinstall the os but that makes no sense, cause the drive works. Oh I downloaded windvd from compaq's site specially for the armada m700 laptop

 

[bcastner]

You need a package from Compaq called "DVD Express." You cannot download it, but you can order it for a small fee.

Check your stuff, as it does come with the notebook by default.