This is an informational post to anyone having trouble playing back BD titles over the past couple of weeks. (I cannot be alone, can I?) First, here is a description of the problem (afflicting PowerDVD it seems) that I posted on the slysoft forums yesterday:

Within the past 2 weeks or so I've been having problems playing BD titles consistently. Before I describe the problem, let me list some of my system's specs:

Hardware:
Asus P5W DH Deluxe w/2GB RAM & E6600 dual core
BFG Tech 8800GT video card
Lite-on SATA BD-ROM drive
Hauppauge PVR-500
Diamond DVR-560

S/W, all of which have the latest patches and updates:
XP Home SP3
PowerDVD8 (PDVD)
Daemon Tools Pro
AnyDVD HD 6.6.0.3
GBPVR 1.4.7
Paragon Drive Backup Pro v9
Comodo Internet Security

Let me reiterate that the system was perfectly fine until a a fewf weeks ago, when I watched the BD version of "Transformers RotF"--once from the physical disc, then from a ripped image.

Soon thereafter I began to have issues, which I think are related to a Windows or driver update. While I was able to play recent titles such as "Aliens in the Attic", "G.I. Joe: RoC", and "Ice Age: DoD" directly from the BD drive and/or from a mounted iso image (copied with AnyDVD HD), it was hit-or-miss as to whether the system or PDVD recognized that either the iso was mounted or the disc was inserted. It would take multiple attempts: either ejecting and re-inserting the disc or un- and re-mounting an iso image with Daemon Tools. Then, this past Sunday night, I couldn't play either a BD disc nor an iso image--recent or older titles. Standard DVDs and iso images continue to work fine.

Yesterday I purchased Star Trek (BD). You guessed it: when I popped in the BD, PDVD did not recognize that there was a disc in the drive. Also, "My Computer" showed only a "CD" with 0 bytes used/available for the drive. (UDF 2.5 issue?) Interestingly enough, AnyDVD HD recognizes an inserted disc & mounted images, so I created an iso image of Trek.

I then mounted the Star Trek BD image on a virtual drive. Neither PDVD nor "My Computer" recognized it, while AnyDVD has no problem seeing both the the physical and virtual drives having the media loaded. I also tried an older BD disc, “Polar Express”, with no luck.

Then, according to a sticky, I uninstalled AnyDVD HD and exited Comodo and restarted the system: PDVD & My Confuser still did not recognize the BD nor a mounted image.

What to do?

I grabbed a backup CD which was a clean and working install dated in late July 2009. (I also have a clean installation backup, which has only the clean system install without any applications, from the same date.) Obviously, this didn't have the latest patches/updates. I restored the system drive with the July backup and then--perhaps foolishly--ran a Windows Update, and patched all drivers and both PowerDVD and AnyDVD.

You got it: only AnyDVD HD recognizes a BD disc or image. Daemon Tools Pro will mount an iso, but PDVD and My Confuser just don't see either. (Comodo Internet Security was not installed on this July backup.)

Obviously, next I will try a clean (July) restore point, install only PDVD, then AnyDVD HD and see whether an older BD title will play.

But has anyone noticed problems subsequent to a Windows Update (security patch) over the past couple of weeks (post 1 Nov 2009?), and can clearly identify which Windows patch or security update may be the issue? Could it be the new nvidia driver? I'll keep at this, and post here.

----now my follow-up---
last night i did another system restore with the July 2009 backup. Older BDs played without a hitch. I then applied up to date patches for PowerDVD8 and anydvd and updated the nvidia driver: Star Trek played! I then installed Daemon Tools and successfully tested the Trek image file. Installed Comodo and all went well......So I am convinced, since windows was not updated, that there something in a recent Windows Update that caused the problems.

regards,
greg
http://kimnach.org