Help with DVD problem, please. (lemmy.dbzer0.com)

submitted 11 months ago by riley0@lemmy.dbzer0.com to c/piracy@lemmy.dbzer0.com

36 comments fedilink hide all child comments

I got a DVD, never used with cellophane intact, produced in 1993 on ebay. I thought maybe, since I didn't get a DRM warning, it predated DRM, and I could just copy it to my hard drive, so I did. Both the copy and the DVD are now corrupted and unplayable. I want to fix the DVD then rip it to my hard drive. Googling gives plenty of suggestions for ripping but none for fixing. Please help if you can. Thanks.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments

[-] ultratiem@lemmy.ca 4 points 11 months ago

That can be solved by opening the disc using VLC when makemkv is scanning. VLC will free up the lock.

I’ve been wrestling with something similar for a week lol.

There’s a thread about the error on the makemkv forums. And I’ve personally salvaged discs this way only yesterday.

Also, makemkv can open a DVD as a raw data file. Mine were old TV shows so I was able to pull the individual episodes avoiding the errors or at least getting some if one was corrupt. I saved an additional 3 discs this way.

One last method if you can set the speed of the drive to 1x; rip slow and set lots of retries (5) to maybe give it a slightly better chance. 1x was always the most reliable. Any speed over and you have mixed results.

Lastly, there’s a list on the net about best drives. If you really care and want to throw $100 at it, pick one up. The drives for $20 you find on Amazon won’t read anything a few years old. Theirs lasers are garbage compared to ones manufactured 10+ years ago.