Fix NS_E_DVD_REQUIRED_PROPERTY_NOT_SET (0xC00D1173) in Windows

You pop a DVD into the drive, click play, and instead of the movie you get a message: "One or more of the required properties has not been set. The exact error code is: 0xC00D1173."

This error is common in Windows 7, 8, and 10 – especially after reinstalling the OS or swapping DVD drives. It's not a broken drive, and it's not a scratched disc. It's a missing region code. The DVD drive needs to know which region you're in before it'll play the disc. Let me show you how to set it.

Cause #1: DVD Drive Region Code Not Set

This is the fix that works nine times out of ten. Windows requires the DVD drive to have a DVD region code assigned. If it's blank – for instance, after a fresh Windows install – you get error 0xC00D1173.

Here's how to set the region code in Windows 10:

1. Press Windows Key + R on your keyboard. The Run box opens.
2. Type devmgmt.msc and hit Enter. Device Manager opens.
3. Scroll down and expand DVD/CD-ROM drives. You'll see your DVD drive listed there, something like HL-DT-ST DVDRAM GH24NSC0.
4. Right-click your DVD drive and select Properties.
5. Click the DVD Region tab at the top.
6. Look at the Region Code dropdown. If it says "Not Set" or is blank, you've found the problem.
7. Select your region from the list. For the United States and Canada, choose Region 1. For Europe, choose Region 2. For standard DVDs, use this region reference.
8. Click OK or Apply. Windows will warn you that you can change the region only a limited number of times (usually 5). That's fine – you're setting it now, not changing it repeatedly.
9. Close Device Manager.
10. Try playing the DVD again. The error should be gone.

After you click Apply, you might see a brief progress bar as Windows writes the region to the drive's firmware. That's normal. Once it's done, the error won't come back for that region.

Cause #2: Missing or Corrupted DVD Codec

Sometimes the error appears even after setting the region code. This happens when Windows Media Player or Windows Media Center can't find the codec needed to decode the DVD video. This is common in Windows 10 N editions or after removing codec packs.

The quickest fix is to install a free third-party DVD player that bundles its own codecs. VLC Media Player is my go-to here:

1. Go to the VLC download page.
2. Download the Windows 64-bit installer (or 32-bit if you're on an older machine).
3. Run the installer. Leave all defaults – the installer includes everything VLC needs to play DVDs, including the libdvdcss library.
4. Open VLC, click Media > Open Disc.
5. Make sure Disc type is set to DVD.
6. Select the correct drive letter under Disc device.
7. Click Play.

If VLC plays the disc fine, the issue was a missing codec in your original player. VLC doesn't rely on Windows built-in codecs – it brings its own. That's why it's so reliable for this.

If you want to stick with Windows Media Player, you can install the Media Feature Pack for Windows 10 N editions. That adds back the missing codecs. Go to Settings > Apps > Optional features > Add a feature, and search for "Media Feature Pack." Install it, restart your PC, then try again.

Cause #3: Drive Letter Conflict or Missing Drive

This one's rare but I've seen it. The DVD drive might be there physically but Windows doesn't assign it a drive letter. Or the drive letter conflicts with a network drive or virtual drive. When that happens, the DVD app can't find the disc, so it throws 0xC00D1173.

Check the drive letter assignment:

1. Open File Explorer. Look under This PC for your DVD drive. If it's not there, proceed.
2. Right-click the Start button and select Disk Management.
3. Find your DVD drive in the list. It's usually listed as CD-ROM 0 or similar, with no drive letter in the top section.
4. Right-click that drive and choose Change Drive Letter and Paths.
5. Click Add, then assign a drive letter. Choose something like D: or E: – avoid letters used by your hard drives (usually C:).
6. Click OK.

After adding the drive letter, open File Explorer again. You should now see the DVD drive. Try playing the disc.

If the drive letter was already assigned but you still get the error, try changing it. For example, if it's D:, change it to E:. Sometimes a conflict with a mounted ISO or a network drive causes the DVD app to lose track.

Quick-Reference Summary Table

Cause	Symptom	Fix	Takes 5 minutes?
Region code not set	Error appears immediately after inserting disc	Set region in Device Manager > DVD drive > DVD Region tab	Yes
Missing DVD codec	Error with Windows Media Player but VLC works	Install VLC or Media Feature Pack	Yes
Drive letter missing/conflict	Drive not shown in File Explorer	Add/change drive letter in Disk Management	Yes