I recently purchased a CD/DVD USB XD013 external drive, and it's a plug-and-play model that didn't come with any software. While it seems to be able to play most of my DVDs—some of which are from various regions—I'm experiencing issues with a specific region 1 DVD box set. Out of 24 discs, I've only tested 5, and none of them are playable. By 'not working,' I mean that I can see the files but can only open one successfully. Attempting to open any more files usually causes File Explorer to freeze or eject the disc altogether.
Here's some more info:
- I'm using Windows 11, and my DVD region is set to 2 (Europe).
- The drive was a gift, so returning it isn't an option.
- I've tried VLC media player and MPC HC to access the DVDs, but they either don't open at all or return errors stating they can't decrypt the disc.
- I attempted to use MakeMKV and HandBrake, but those programs also crash or give me various errors.
- I can change the region on the drive, but I get an error saying I need to insert appropriate media for region 1.
- The DVDs are brand new and not scratched, and I suspect the issue might stem either from the drive's laser strength or compatibility issues since I have USB 2.0.
I really don't want to buy a region 1 DVD player since I can't even plug one into my PC. Any suggestions on how to get this DVD to work?
3 Answers
I wonder if the DVD drive is locked to region 2, which could be causing these errors. You might want to try software like AnyDVD to see if that helps. It’s designed to bypass region restrictions, but you might need to find a key or a working trial since their site appears down now.
Have you tried playing those discs in any other DVD player? Just to be sure if it’s the drive or the discs themselves that are the problem.
It sounds like your DVD drive might have a weak laser or some other hardware issue if it’s unable to read those discs. Have you considered buying another external USB drive? Sometimes, just swapping out the hardware can solve the problem. You could also look into getting a USB 3.0 drive for improved performance—it might help!
Yeah, I'm definitely thinking about upgrading it to USB 3.0 since that seems like the most logical step. Thanks for the suggestion!
I suspect it might be locked too, but I thought VLC could handle it. I’ll try searching for AnyDVD; thanks for the tip!