text: If you got the machine from Dell, you should have gotten either WinDVD or Power DVD software pre-installed on it.  There's no reason that you have to use Microsoft Media Center to play DVDs.  There are other programs out there...\n\nMedia Player Classic, for example...\nhttp://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=82303&package_id=84358\n\nIt's an open source version of Windows Media Player that will handle playback...