RETAIL DVD plays in standalone - "No Disc Inserted" message in PC

[prattitude]

I just received a DVD from Netflix.

When I put it in my PC, windows says that there is no disc inserted. I get the same error in Nero, Ashampoo, DVD Decrypter, UltraISO and DVDShrink

However, if I put the disc in my standalone, it plays perfectly.

Examining the disc, there are no noticable scratches or anything. Actually, the disc appears to be brand new.

I have also played several other DVDs on my PC to make sure that it was not a hardware problem.

I'm stumped.

does anyone have any idea what could cause this?

[Baldrick]

have you tried the disc on another computer?

[aedipuss]

you probably need something like slysoft's anydvd running before inserting the dvd or at least have autorun turned off. it may have self-installed an anticopying program with autorun. with anydvd running you should be able to open the dvd with explorer.

[prattitude]

anydvd does not solve the problem..

no.. I haven't tried to play it on any other computers because I wasn't planning on leaving the house today.

I have also updated the firmware of my dvd drive

[Krispy Kritter]

Sounds like copy protection software. Likely this is a new movie. Try the latest DVDFabDecrypter. Open the software before installing the disc.

[JohnnyBob]

I used to get that occasionally with my LG GSA-4167B computer drive and Netflix movie DVDs. In such cases, about 90% of the time they would work OK after cleaning the disc, or after multiple tries to load them. Often they would eventually read OK after 25-50 tries. So don't give up too soon! Also you can try holding down the SHIFT key when inserting the disc which may prevent any auto-run activity.

I now have a new Lite-On model and a later model LG drive installed in my computer, and don't encounter that particular problem anymore. Occasionally the Lite-On drive gives a cyclic redundancy error when trying to analyze the disc, but then the LG drive always works OK. So I believe these kinds of problems are caused mostly by a compatibility problem between certain kinds of pressed discs and certain models of computer drives.

The best solution is probably to do as I have done and install 2 optical drives in your computer, of different manufacturers/brands. If one doesn't work, the other one probably will!

[oldandinthe way]

The disk is marginal or your drive is marginal.

If everything else you read seems to work, its probably the DVD. If this recurrs frequently chuck the drive.

I did see behavior like this on a failing drive, reading a CD prior to attempting the DVD made the DVD read. I assumed it to be mechanical binding on the drive which interfered with reading DVDs. A long, long shot to say the least.