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Playing CDs and DVDs

This document provides answers to frequently asked questions about Microsoft Windows Media Player for Windows. It focuses on questions about Windows Media Player 11 and Windows Media Player 10, but it also includes information relevant to earlier releases. See other Windows Media FAQs.

How can I stop audio from crackling, popping, or skipping when I play a CD?

To prevent these audio problems, try turning on error correction. The procedure varies depending upon which version of the Player you are running.

click to expand Windows Media Player for Windows XP or later

1.	On the Tools menu, click Options, and then click the Devices tab.
2.	Click the CD drive for which you want to turn on error correction, and then click Properties.
3.	In the Playback area of the Audio tab, select the Use error correction check box.

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1.	On the Tools menu, click Options, and then click the CD Audio tab.
2.	Select the Use error correction check box.

Note that turning on error correction with digital playback can cause skipping in some situations. If the problems continue, try switching to analog playback (available on the same tab as the Use error correction check box). Analog playback will make visualizations unavailable unless your computer is running Windows XP. You may also try turning off the graphic equalizer and SRS Wow Effects to improve the audio.

For more information about CD-ROM and CD-R drives that have known playback issues, in the Microsoft Knowledge Base, see article 274355, "CD-ROM and CD-R Drives That Have Known Issues with Playback."

Why does my computer stop responding or report an input/output (I/O) conflict when I try to play CDs?

Check for updated drivers for your CD drive. To get the update, see Windows Update. Also, your CD drive might not support digital playback; if this is the case you can switch to analog playback. The procedure varies depending upon which version of the Player you are running.

click to expand Windows Media Player for Windows XP or later

1.	On the Tools menu, click Options, and then click the Devices tab.
2.	Click the CD drive for which you want to switch to analog playback, and then click Properties.
3.	In the Playback area of the Audio tab, click Analog.

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1.	On the Tools menu, click Options, and then click the CD Audio tab.
2.	Clear the Digital playback check box.

Also, do the following:

1.	Open Device Manager. (For information about using Device Manager, see Windows Help and Support.)
2.	Right-click your CD drive, and then click Properties.
3.	Clear the Enable digital CD audio for this CD-ROM device check box.

Why won't the Player support digital playback and recording on my CD drive?

Older CD drives usually do not support digital playback and recording.

How do I make my CDs play automatically (or turn off this feature)?

If your computer is running Windows XP, you can use the AutoPlay feature to control whether your CDs play automatically or not. For information about AutoPlay, see Windows XP Help and Support. If your computer is running Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows Millennium Edition, for more information about playing CDs automatically, in the Microsoft Knowledge Base, see article 126025, "How to Disable the Feature That Allows CD-ROMs and Audio CDs to Run Automatically."

Why does the CD audio playlist refresh only when I restart the Player, rather than when I insert a new CD?

Turning on the AutoPlay feature in Windows XP should resolve this issue. For information about AutoPlay, see Windows XP Help and Support.

Why can't I play a DVD?

There are several reasons why you might not be able to use the Player to play a DVD. The following are the most common reasons.

•	A compatible DVD decoder is not installed on your computer. For information about DVD decoders, including how to obtain one, see DVD Decoder Plug-ins.
•	A DVD drive is not installed in your computer. (Most DVD drives have a DVD logo printed or embossed on the front of the drive.)
•	Windows XP is not installed on your computer.
•	Windows Media Player 9 Series or later is not installed on your computer.

How do I eliminate the loud humming sound coming from my speakers when I play DVDs?

Open Volume Control and then mute all audio inputs that you are not currently using by doing the following:

1.	Click Start, point to All Programs, point to Accessories, point to Entertainment, and then click Volume Control.
2.	Select the Mute check box for each audio input that you are not currently using, such as CD Audio, Mic In, and Line In.

Why don't I see captions when playing a CD or DVD?

First, make sure that the CD or DVD contains captions. If it does, make sure that captions are turned on in the Player. To do so, on the Play menu, point to Captions, Lyrics, and Subtitles, and then click On if Available. If the problem continues, the captions may be in Synchronized Accessible Media Interchange (SAMI) format, which the Player does not automatically display. To display SAMI captions, do the following:

1.	On the Tools menu, click Options, and then click the Security tab.
2.	Select the Show local captions when present check box.

Why does the Player stop playing in full-screen mode?

Make sure your screen saver doesn't move the Player out of full-screen mode when the screen saver turns on. Also, turning off the Enable full-screen mode switch feature might solve the problem. In Windows Media Player 9 Series or later, do the following:

1.	On the Tools menu, click Options, and then click the Performance tab.
2.	Click Advanced.
3.	Clear the Enable full-screen mode switch check box.

Note that for Windows XP, full-screen controls disappear if you stop moving the mouse and the cursor is not hovering over the controls. If you want the controls to disappear more quickly, you can clear the Display full-screen controls check box (also located on the Advanced dialog box). Or you can use the TweakMP Powertoy for Windows XP to adjust full-screen settings. To get the TweakMP Powertoy, see WMPlugins.com.

Does crossfading work with audio CDs?

No. For more information about crossfading, see Create Smooth Transitions Between Songs.

How do I make Windows Media Player the default player for my CDs or DVDs?

The procedure varies depending on which version of the Player you are running.

click to expand Windows Media Player for Windows XP or later

For Windows XP, your AutoPlay settings may affect your Windows Media Player file types settings. For more information about AutoPlay, see Windows XP Help and Support. You must be logged on as an administrator or a member of the Administrators group to change which files the Player automatically plays.

1.	On the Tools menu, click Options.
2.	Click the File Types tab, and then select the check box of the file types you want to play in the Player.

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You must be logged on as an administrator or a member of the Administrators group to change the list.

1.	On the Tools menu, click Options.
2.	Click the Format tab, and then select the check box of the file types you want to play in Windows Media Player.

If you install other players on your computer, they may interfere with your Windows Media Player file types settings. For more information about setting file type ownership in other players, see the documentation that came with those programs.

My question isn't answered in this FAQ. What can I do?

If you do not find an answer to your question in this FAQ, try the following resources:

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See Windows Media Player Help. To access Help, start Windows Media Player and then press F1.

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For other Windows Media FAQs, including other versions of the Player, see Frequently asked questions about Windows Media.

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To find additional support and troubleshooting resources, see Troubleshooting Windows Media Player.

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Submit a question to the Windows Media Player newsgroup. Please note that the newsgroup is maintained by a community of knowledgeable users offering peer-to-peer assistance. It is not an official Microsoft technical support resource. As such, Microsoft cannot guarantee that your question will be answered. When you ask a question on the newsgroup, be as specific as possible. For example, be sure to include the following basic information:

•	Windows Media Player version. (On the Help menu, click About Windows Media Player.) For example, the version might be 10.00.00.xxxx.
•	Windows operating system version. (Click Start, right-click My Computer, and then click Properties.) In your question, include the full version name (for example, Windows XP Professional with Service Pack 2).
•	The task that you were trying to accomplish prior to encountering the problem.
•	If an error message is displayed, note the error message text. (For example, it might say "Windows Media Player has encountered an unknown error.")
•	If an error message is displayed, note the error message ID number (for example, "C00D11CD"). You can determine the ID number by clicking the Web Help or More Information button when the error message is displayed.
•	If the problem only occurs when you use a particular file, Web link, or URL, provide details about that item.

How do I find information about error messages?

To find the error code identification number for a particular error message, on the error message, do one of the following:

•	Click the Web Help button. A Web page is displayed. The specific error code identification number is mentioned in the first sentence (for example, C00D1197).
•	Click the More Information button. A Help topic is displayed. The specific error code identification number is mentioned in the title or at the bottom of the topic (for example, C00D1197).

For information about Windows Media Player error messages, see Troubleshooting Windows Media Player Error Messages.

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