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creates iso but not mkv
Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2024 12:17 am
by webmdb531
This seems weird. I can create an iso from a disk but not individual mkvs. The iso plays perfectly (with VLC), no problems.
I can also use DVDShrink to extract the titles into individual DVD folders from the disk or the iso created by MakeMKV which also play perfectly. DVDShrink reports no protection.
The messages indicate some corruption at a given offset despite the above facts i.e.
1. MakeMKV creates an iso which can be played by VLC or broken up into individual titles by DVDShrink.
2. DVDShrink an extract either an iso or individual titles from the same disk or the iso created by MakeMKV.
A log would be nice. Does MakeMKV create one? I've looked in the hidden folder in my user folder but found nothing obvious.
Any ideas? Anyone?
Re: creates iso but not mkv
Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2024 12:40 am
by Woodstock
Are you asking MakeMKV to "Open" the disk, or "Backup" the disk? Which icon are you clicking on?
Your question seems like you're running the "Backup" option, instead of the LARGE button that opens the disk for individual track extraction.
Re: creates iso but not mkv
Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2024 1:39 am
by dcoke22
When you launch MakeMKV, the second line of the lower window should be where the log for MakeMKV is going to be saved.
Re: creates iso but not mkv
Posted: Fri Feb 02, 2024 10:59 pm
by webmdb531
Woodstock the backup creates the iso and open creates the mkv. I know that. I can even open the iso created by kmv or DVDShrink and can create individual mkvs from it, sometimes. There's nothing to indicate to me what will fail.
I don't want to get hung up on open vs backup because that doesn't seem to be the problem. If it was then mkv creation from disk or iso should always fail. It doesn't. Sometimes it works, the mkv plays perfectly.
Let me restate:
- iso creation always succeeds. I've never had one fail.
- mkv creation doesn't always succeed except for blu-rays where it always succeeds. For DVDs it might succeed but usually fails.
dcoke22 the lower window lacks any information about log location. I'm using 1.17.6 v64.
Re: creates iso but not mkv
Posted: Sat Feb 03, 2024 12:18 pm
by Navvie
There are various ways MakeMKV deals with a DVD.
Creating an ISO of a DVD, MakeMKV just removes the encryption.
Creating MKVs of the titles on the DVD requires MakeMKV to process the DVD, using either CellWalk or CellTrim. Some DVDs are difficult.
More information here from mike -
viewtopic.php?t=28541
Re: creates iso but not mkv
Posted: Sat Feb 03, 2024 8:13 pm
by dcoke22
webmdb531 wrote: ↑Fri Feb 02, 2024 10:59 pm
dcoke22 the lower window lacks any information about log location. I'm using 1.17.6 v64.
In MakeMKV's preferences, on the General tab, if the 'Log debug messages' option is checked, then you get line about where the log is. I've had that turned on so long I got it was even an option!

Re: creates iso but not mkv
Posted: Sat Mar 08, 2025 7:13 pm
by webmdb531
I recently had a conversation about this issue with someone who suggested that mkemkv only works with original disks, something I find surprising given it has worked flawlessly (sometimes) with video folders on a hard diks, blu-ray or dvd, converting to either iso or mkv. Maybe he meant something else but if anyone can comment on that please do.
I've attached two logs. Both disks are commercial realeases, i.e. "original disks" which in my mind invalidates that person's suggestion. I'm now on v1.17.9. 64bit.
The first, MakeMKV_log_6.txt is for successfully converting the disk's main title, "Tales of Terror" to my server. The disk was the commercial release of that 1963 movie with UPC 738329159528.
The second, MakeMKV_log_9.txt is the log where makemkv failed to convert the main title of the commercial release of "The Tingler", a movie from 1959, UPC 0767827848. What jumps out is that here makemkv invokes makemkvcon64.exe with an "unrecognized option: i" (line 58). What's that about and why doesn't the other log have a line like that? What's this "unrecognized option: i"? Why does the conversion fail at that point? Shouldn't the author want to know and fix it? Does he know or care that a prog last released in 2004 worked where his didn't?
I can create perfectly palyable dvd folders with dvdshrink for either movie. The entire disk or individual titles, it doesn't matter. But I prefer mkvs. One file vs. dvd folders. Seems cleaner.
Re: creates iso but not mkv
Posted: Sat Mar 08, 2025 9:21 pm
by dcoke22
I guess that the reason log6 does NOT have a line about makemkvcon64.exe is because the call to it works successfully. And the reason log9 does have that line is because the call did not work.
I don't use MakeMKV on Windows, but I'm pretty sure makemkvcon64.exe is just the Windows command line executable of MakeMKV. On MacOS it is just called makemkvcon. In any case, 'i' is not a valid option.
Code: Select all
user@iMac MacOS % ./makemkvcon --help
makemkvcon: unrecognized option `--help'
Use: makemkvcon [switches] Command [Parameters]
Commands:
info <source>
prints info about disc
mkv <source> <title id> <destination folder>
saves a single title to mkv file
backup <source> <destination folder>
backs up disc to a hard drive
f <args>
run universal firmware tool
reg <key string or file name>
enter registration key into program
Source specification:
iso:<FileName> - open iso image <FileName>
file:<FolderName> - open files in folder <FolderName>
disc:<DiscId> - open disc with id <DiscId> (see list Command)
dev:<DeviceName> - open disc with OS device name <DeviceName>
Switches:
-r --robot - turn on "robot" mode, see http://www.makemkv.com/developers
I have no idea what's going on with The Tingler in log9, but it seems like maybe MakeMKV has a bug. There are, however, other things you can try. MakeMKV has different
DVD Opening Modes. Maybe one of them will work.
Additionally, the 1.17.x versions of MakeMKV use a new, rewritten DVD engine. If you go back to version 1.16.7 or older, you can use the older DVD engine. In lots of ways the new DVD stuff is better, but the world is full of weird DVDs and some of them might work better with the old DVD code.
https://makemkv.com/download/old/
Re: creates iso but not mkv
Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2025 1:44 am
by christopher2222
You don't need the original disc. With an encrypted iso it can be done but you'd need anydvd.
Alternatively with the backup folder In makemkv, if you open the index.bdmv in the bdmv folder of the backup you can make the mkv from there.