Need to copy a DVD: not a movie!

fleurya · Jan 5, 2010

I have this training program that is, unfortunately, Windows only. I have the program software on my computer, but all of the training contents is on a bunch of DVDs that I don't want to carry around with me all the time. (I travel a lot for work. I have plenty of hard drive space, so I thought it would be nice to just copy the DVD files onto my computer and leave the DVDs at home. I've already scratched up the DVDs enough carrying them around and I'm afraid they'll soon be unusable. With a price tag of about $3,000 for the software, I really don't feel like buying it again!

I tried running some searches for how to do this, but all I get for results is how to copy DVD movies, not software/data files. It just seems like this should be very common and easy, but I'm just stuck and blocked by a world obsessed with bootlegging movies!

If anyone can clue me in on how to do this, I would appreciate it.

MYmacROX · Jan 5, 2010

Have you tried Disk Utility?

CrimsonRequiem · Jan 5, 2010

MYmacROX said:
Have you tried Disk Utility?

Best response yet. I think it's also the easiest way to go about doing it too.

punkrocker7117 · Jan 5, 2010

what type of files are you trying to get off the dvd? is it the sort that starts when you put it in? or do you have to go into the dvd and chose the separate files to play? both have completely different ways of doing this.

fleurya · Jan 5, 2010

I didn't know you could use Disk Utility for Windows related applications. I prefer to take care of it on the Windows side completely so I don't have to move files are after the fact.

Anyway, I eventually was able to cut through a bunch of the movie bootlegging search results to get a couple of programs that do what I want: turning the disk data into an ISO file and another one to mount it so my program can "see it" as a drive in Windows.

Thanks for the help though.

TattooedMac · Jan 5, 2010

fleurya said:
Anyway, I eventually was able to cut through a bunch of the movie bootlegging search results to get a couple of programs that do what I want

Mind sharing your results ????

bobtomay · Jan 5, 2010

A lot of apps out there on the windows side for that type of thing.

I primarily used Nero the last few years before moving to my Mac (and a couple of others) for creating the ISO.
Daemon Tools was "the app" for years for mounting a virtual disk. Using VirtualCloneDrive currently.

The wiki has a great list of apps for this and a great little chart of what each does and which platform they'll run on here. That is by no means a full list either.

fleurya · Jan 6, 2010

I ended up using the Daemon app that bobtomay mentioned after reading about it in a how to article. Seemed to work okay and no maleware/torjan issues afaik.

punkrocker7117 · Jan 6, 2010

ya, one freeware that i have found that works great with no errors is dvd decrypter. it's great for taking movies youve made or other dvd's and ripping them onto your device. like you said earlier youd prefer to use windows, well im pretty sure this is a windows application. definately one to be checked out, quite easy to use too.