DVD movie file association broken

Photoplane

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Sep 19, 2008
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When I put a DVD movie in my computer, right-click it and choose 'Play', I get the message: "This file does not have a program associated with it for performing this action."

Until recently, Windows Media Player would play the movie. I suspect the problem has arisen since I installed RealPlayer SP. However, doing a system restore isn't practical.

I can't see how to restore the relevant file association - it's a DVD, so isn't really a file with a suffix. I'm guessing the message is a bit of a red herring.

Any help welcomed. Thanks.
 

Photoplane

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Thanks for the advice. I had a look, but when I right-click my E: drive (the DVD), there is a 'Play' but no 'Open' or 'Open with' option.

If I go into the Default Programs control panel and select Windows Media Player, it is already set as the default program for all file types it can open.

What I find a bit odd though, is that a DVD drive doesn't have a file extension as such, so I'm not sure I'm looking in the right place by associating programs with file extensions.
 

claykin

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Nov 13, 2009
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I'm having the same issue with Win 7 x64. Right click and PLAY on DVD movie and I get the "this file does not have a program associated with it for performing this action......." I get the same error when double clicking the DVD movie. Tried two DVD drives, same issue.

DVD movies play fine if I right click and select Autoplay menu. All associations are set correctly. Can't figure this one out. HELP.
 

Photoplane

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Thanks Claykin, that fix worked for me as well. Not sure what caused the problem; I did install RealPlayer relatively recently, but I don't know if that might have affected the registry in some way.

Thanks everyone for your suggestions.
 

Pinpatt

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Nov 9, 2011
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Thanks claykin.

For other people who has problem with opening Audio CD. Follow GrantDavis advice with the path of AudioCD instead of DVD.

For DVDfix, there is an easy way in http://www.winhelponline.com/blog/fix-dvd-play-error-windows-cannot-access-the-specified-device-windows-7/ .