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DVD decoders for Windows 7 starter

Anonymous
2010-12-17T05:45:56+00:00

I bought a LG Portable Super Multi Drive in order to play DVDs on my HP Mini 110 which runs on Windows 7 Starter.  When I load the LG software and try and play a DVD movie I get a diagnostic saying that I do not have a needed DVD decoder.  Does anyone have any suggestions as what and where I might get this needed decoder?  Thanks!

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Music, photos, and video

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  1. Anonymous
    2010-12-17T06:16:35+00:00

    I bought a LG Portable Super Multi Drive in order to play DVDs on my HP Mini 110 which runs on Windows 7 Starter.  When I load the LG software and try and play a DVD movie I get a diagnostic saying that I do not have a needed DVD decoder.  Does anyone have any suggestions as what and where I might get this needed decoder?  Thanks!

    ==============================================

    Info for Windows 7 Starter or Basic

    Win7 Home Basic does not incude a DVD Decoder.

    As you can see in the following article...MS recommends

    upgrading to Windows 7 Home Premium, Ultimate, or Enterprise.

    Info on DVD Decoders : Plug-ins for Windows Media Player

    http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/downloads/windows-media-player/plug-ins

    There's a long thread at the following link discussing the

    issue you are dealing with. Maybe it would be worth a look:

    Brand new netbook, Windows 7 won't play my DVDs

    http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/w7pictures/thread/2e0b0231-c530-4b37-ad72-f7613dc1ea6a

    There is a possibility that one of the following freeware

    media players would play your DVDs:

    (FWIW...it's always a good idea to create a System

    Restore point before installing software or updates)

    VLC Media Player

    http://www.videolan.org/

    GOM Media Player

    http://download.cnet.com/GOM-Media-Player/3000-13632_4-10551786.html?tag=mncol;2

    Good luck...

    Volunteer J - MS-MVP - Digital Media Experience - Notice_This is not tech support_I am a volunteer - Solutions that work for me may not work for you - ***Proceed at your own risk***

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  1. Anonymous
    2012-06-09T19:35:48+00:00

    Sorry but I don't speak computer.

    If I understand correctly, 7 Starter does not have the decoder to allow DVDs to play.

    One of the old threads on this problem says:

    Try checking the DVD Region setting of the drive. I had the same problem with Windows Media Player and a USB connected DVD drive.I noticed the DVD Drive's Region setting was showing "Not Selected". I set it to USA (Region 1). Then DVD's played just fine.

    but I have no idea where I find this DVD Region setting.  Do all netbooks have this hidden somewhere?  Please tell me how I find this so I can set to Region 1.

    Also, I do not understand this VLC Media Player mentioned above--is it a website where I would download something that replaces Windows Media Player or is it something that tells my netbook to decode the DVD?  If the former, I remember checking something that says Windows Media Player is my "go to" for all video and audio, but I have no idea where to go to change it so VLC could work.  Will it make a difference if I were to download VLC?

    Thanks.

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  2. Anonymous
    2011-02-18T09:38:24+00:00

    Thank J,

    Thanks for your reply,

    I realise that this is about W7 Starter,,,,, but as the M.S blurb is telling people to upgrade to Ultimate ("Ultimate has full DVD capabilities"), I thought that my words might help others to make their minds up.

    In my case, I havn't tried anything yet, as my system has just been rebuilt:

    Asus M4A78 M.B + Phenom IIx2 CPU + 4Gb RAM etc.

    Whilst I would prefer not to use third party stuff, I will if I can't get the M.S thing to work.

    If it dosn't then people need to know.

    If it does, how do I enable it ?

    all the best

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  3. Anonymous
    2011-02-18T02:54:05+00:00

    I have Windows 7 Ultimate,,,, but I get the same message.

    When I looked on M.S for help, it said to upgrade to Ultimate etc !?

    The downloads were only for XP & Vista.

    ====================================================

    Did you try using the freeware VLC Media Player?

    It will play just about anything.

    (FWIW...it's always a good idea to create a System

    Restore point before installing software or updates)

    VLC Media Player

    http://www.videolan.org/

    No guarantees but it may be worth a try to download

    and install 'one' of the following codec packs:

    (FWIW...it's always a good idea to create a System

    Restore point before installing software or updates)

    *Proceed At Your Own Risk*

    1. Windows 7 Codec Pack

    http://download.cnet.com/Windows-7-Codec-Pack/3000-13632_4-10965840.html

    (2000/XP/2003/Vista/Server 2008/7)

    1. K-Lite Codec Pack (Full)

    http://www.filehippo.com/download_klite_codec_pack/

    (Windows 2000 / XP / 2003 / Vista / Windows7 / XP64 / Vista64 / Windows7 64)

    1. Info about CCCP (Combined Community Codec Pack)

    http://www.cccp-project.net/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page

    (XP SP1 and above, Vista, Windows 7 - 32-bit - 64-bit)

    Good luck...

    Volunteer J - MS-MVP - Digital Media Experience - Notice_This is not tech support_I am a volunteer - Solutions that work for me may not work for you - ***Proceed at your own risk***

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  4. Anonymous
    2011-02-17T22:26:53+00:00

    I have Windows 7 Ultimate,,,, but I get the same message.

    When I looked on M.S for help, it said to upgrade to Ultimate etc !?

    The downloads were only for XP & Vista.

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