topic Re: DVD's not playing in PCs & Accessories

DVD's not playing

Daedalus — Wed, 24 May 2006 13:11:26 GMT

Hi... I have a vaio laptop VGN-FS115Z for a year, and never had any major problems untill now. (curiously they always start with the end of the warranty)
Since a couple of days I am unable to play any DVDs in my computer, and don't know what to do.
The drive seems to work fine, and I can reproduce normal music or data CDs like before. But when I put a movie DVD nothing happens at all, and I can hear the computer trying to read it but it never manages to. It simply doesn't recognise the DVDs anymore.

I would only like to add, that also recently a weird thing happened to my computer when I tried to reproduce this music CD from EMI. In order to play it said that he had to "update some files in the computer". It looked kind of weird, and I think the thing never installed itself properly. Anyways, before that the DVD's were working fine, so I thought that perhaps the problem could be related to this event. Just a wild guess.

I would apreciate any kind of help, since I don't have TV and my DVD player is most needed.

Best regards,

Joao.

Re: DVD's not playing

davidbridgeman — Wed, 24 May 2006 13:56:48 GMT

Hi

It sounds like that mystery software is the problem. If you don’t know what it was, or where it is, try to make it install again but this time make sure you know what and where, this will give you a fighting chance to removing it and hopefully restore you DVD privileges.

Have fun, and let me know how you get on

Atticmaster

Re: DVD's not playing

kee-lo_ — Wed, 24 May 2006 18:09:26 GMT

Sounds like that horrible rootkit thing Sony made - and were told to stop using too.

Re: DVD's not playing

Daedalus — Wed, 24 May 2006 18:45:07 GMT

Hello...

I explored the CD again, and it had a unistall that I tried, said everything was uninstalled, but nothing more happened.
My DVD is still not working, and now I can't even read this particular music CD anymore.
The programs he tried to install are something like wmmp.exe, audio.exe or player.exe. I ran a search in my hd and found this records:

C:\WINDOWS\Prefetch\ PLAYER.EXE-2F2ECA2F.pf (the date matches with the day when I first tried the CD in my computer)

C:\WINDOWS\Prefetch\ UNINSTALLPLAYER.EXE-375BCBF8.pf (the date matches today's date when I tried the unistall program)

What should I do next??

Thank you for the attention,
best regards,

Joao.

Re: DVD's not playing

tonybeard — Wed, 24 May 2006 18:54:33 GMT

do a system restore matey

Re: DVD's not playing

Daedalus — Thu, 25 May 2006 09:53:45 GMT

I tried that last night but unfortunately it didn't work.

Maybe the problem is not related with this copy protection program after all... I don't know.
What is strange is the randomness of it all: there are still some data DVD's that that computer is able to read, others no, and it doesn't have to do with the + or -.
Anyways, the movie DVDs don't work at all.

damn...

joao.

Re: DVD's not playing

kee-lo_ — Thu, 25 May 2006 14:15:50 GMT

Which CD was it?

Re: DVD's not playing

Daedalus — Thu, 25 May 2006 15:57:57 GMT

The CD was released by EMI.

artist: Jacinta
title: "Day Dream"
record: 2006 Blue Note Records.

here it is.
thanks,

Joao.

Re: DVD's not playing

kee-lo_ — Fri, 26 May 2006 17:43:24 GMT

Hmm does it have a CopyControl symbol?

Re: DVD's not playing

Daedalus — Sat, 27 May 2006 16:47:15 GMT

Yes, it has. That circle thing with the triangle.

Anyways, I tried the CD again, it worked this time, I instaled the player program, worked fine, unistalled it, everything OK, but still... Dvd is dead.

And those strange records in the Windows\Prefetch folder have disappeared as well, by the way.

Starting to get worried since i can't possibly afford a new reader.
Isn't it strange that it still reads some data DVD's and other no?

Please advice,

regards,

Joao.

Re: DVD's not playing

kee-lo_ — Sun, 28 May 2006 14:00:42 GMT

I'm not sure how to remove this software completly as there is no specific guide.

Re: DVD's not playing

Blencogo — Sun, 28 May 2006 20:31:32 GMT

Not sure what the latest is on this. Has anyone got an update - it's gone very quiet!

Here is a little bit of BACKGROUND.

The software itself is pretty harmless to legitimate users but there have been concerns that it leaves a backdoor open to malicious hackers.

You can find the Sony BMD Removal Tool HERE

and the Symantec Removal Tool HERE

Re: DVD's not playing

Blencogo — Sun, 28 May 2006 22:40:20 GMT

Sounds like that horrible rootkit thing Sony made - and were told to stop using too.

Kee-Lo, hope this topic is not considered inappropriate in this forum?

Re: DVD's not playing

kee-lo_ — Mon, 29 May 2006 13:24:01 GMT

I don't see why not really, it was them who started it, and I'll critique it

Re: DVD's not playing

Daedalus — Mon, 29 May 2006 17:50:23 GMT

I ran the programs, and everything is the same.
Do you think I should try to remove and reinstall the DVD-rom drive?

In that case, how do I reinstall it, since I my Vaio didn't came with any installation discs?

Thank you for your help,
laser sucks,
1 year only machine,
it's criminal!

João.

Re: DVD's not playing

Blencogo — Mon, 29 May 2006 18:51:40 GMT

Hi João.

It doesn't sound too hopeful! All you can do is to go through the standard list of 'Tricks' for faulty DVD drives:

1. Try a lens cleaner in your drive.
2, Check in Device Manager to see if there are any warnings against your drive or any conflicts. If there is a warning, there may be a Registry Fix or a IRQ Fix.
3. Uninstall the drive in Device Manager and Re-boot to force Windows to reinstall the drivers.
4. Look for any firmware updates for the drive.
5. Use System Restore to a point before you had any problems.
6. Uninstall any 'packet' software like Nero's 'InCD' or Roxio's 'Drag to DVD'.
7, Disable IMAPI

What other DVD burning software do you have on your Vaio? Sometimes these programs conflict.

Try going to Device Manager first:

Start>>Right-Click on My Computer>>Properties>>Hardware>>Device Manager

Find your DVD Drive in DVD/CD ROM Drives. Is there a Yellow ! or ? against the drive?

Right-Click on it and choose Uninstall. Reboot your computer to reload the drivers (these are held on your Vaio so you don't need to download them).

If this does not work, I would try a System Restore next.

Start>>Run and type in msinfo32. In the System Information Window, click on Tools>>System Restore. Choose "Restore My Computer to an Earlier Time". The dates in the Calender in BOLD are dates you can choose to restore to. Choose one when you knew your DVD drive was working OK.

As I said, it does not sound too hopeful but let us know if these do any good.

Good Luck

Re: DVD's not playing

Blencogo — Mon, 29 May 2006 20:01:27 GMT

João,

I have just noticed that your Vaio has the infamous DW-D56A optical drive.

These forums are full of instances of this particular drive failing in the way you describe.

Now I know this, it is almost certain that you will need a replacement. Sorry it's bad news.

There is a firmware update on Vaio-Link dated 28 June 2005 - have you already downloaded this? You will find this and other updates for your Vaio HERE

EDIT: I would leave the System Restore - the Prefetch files you mention are definitely a Trojan (part of the Sony XCP Rootkit) and you may reactivate it by restoring your system. Have a look here PLAYER.EXE

Re: DVD's not playing

kee-lo_ — Tue, 30 May 2006 13:19:36 GMT

EDIT: I would leave the System Restore - the Prefetch files you mention are definitely a Trojan (part of the Sony XCP Rootkit) and you may reactivate it by restoring your system.  Have a look here PLAYER.EXE

See told you they were nasty bar stewerds!

Re: DVD's not playing

Blencogo — Tue, 30 May 2006 23:45:33 GMT

I wonder how many people have this rootkit in its cloaked form on their PCs?

Quite a few hundreds of thousands I bet !!

Re: DVD's not playing

kee-lo_ — Wed, 31 May 2006 13:08:04 GMT

I bet, with people like Alicia Keys and Dave Matthews having it on their CDs

I doubt many have it from Celine Dion!