I recently formatted PC & re-installed windows xp on my Dell Dimension 5100…..all thought to be fine til I’ve just discovered DVD’s wont play using the CD/DVD drive….(I’ve ruled out the disk as tried several I know that used to work on it)

I used windows media player v11 & that was telling me I needed a decoder, I dloaded XP codec pack & MANAGED to get WMP to play with the sound now, but still no picture & no error messages this time. I ALSO have installed the xvid codec

I searched the net & found it could be video card probs….so under device manager I found no tab for “display” but under other devices I have yellow “!” against:
Ethernet controller
PCI modem
SM bus controller
Video controller
Video controller (vga compatible)

If I double click any of them they say “driver not installed” but there manufacturer is listed as “unknown” so I’m lost!

I have no other disks left over that I’ve not installed after formatting.

I’ve tried the DirectX diagnostic tool & under display it has under device section:
Name: (blank)
Manufacturer: n/a
Chip type: n/a
…everything under this is ‘n/a’ apart from display mode,
monitor: (blank)
under the drivers section in display it says
Main driver: vga.dll
Version: 5.01.2600.0000 (English)
WHQL Logo’d:yes
Mini VDD: vga.sys
VDD: n/a
DDI version : unknown

Help!!!! Please!!!



What did you use to re-install XP? Discs provided by Dell or just a regular XP CD?

You have the "!" next to those items because the drivers have not been installed for them. You either need to find the CD they're on or visit Dell's website and download those drivers.

As for the DVD codec, I don't know what Dell included in their software package with the system, but it probably contains the codec you need. As far as I know, XP Codec Pack does not include a DVD codec.Sounds like you still need a real dvd decoder, but all the "real" ones cost money, like Power DVD's decoder or Nero's decoder...Dell normally supplies its own "media centre" which contains DVD codecs.

There is an application CALLED VLC Media Player that plays almost anything, straight out of the box

http://www.videolan.org/vlc/download-windows.html

Try that and reply back

Please note that even after installing VLC, it will still be the only player that will be able to play DVD's

KurtisAhh quaxo BEAT me to it...soz mate!

Also, about your unknown hardware, download and install this > http://www.zhangduo.com/udi.html

Its called Unknown Device Identifier and it will tell you whats in your computer, and you just have to note down what ur missing in ur device manager and theres the drivers you need to get

KurtisDownload, and install Everest: http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4181.html
Open it, click Computer, then Summary.
In upper menu, go Report>Quick Report-Summary
Save it in text file, and paste it in your next post.
Don't include anything under line Debug - PCI