MakeMKV hangs/freezes when attempting to read disc

[francocho]

I've ripped hundreds of DVDs with MakeMKV and I've seldom had any issues that weren't caused by the disc itself, but this case is seemingly MakeMKV being unable to read a DVD-R that was manufactured to order (MOD) with an old National Geographic episode. This isn't the first DVD-R from the same publisher I've tried, but in the other cases MakeMKV was able to read the disc and eventually save the file (in CellTrim mode; it failed using Auto). The contents of this disc show 99 titles, with 98 being fake and title 75 being the real one (both VLC and Handbrake loaded the right title pretty quickly. I let MakeMKV sit there for 30 minutes or so on the 'reading disc' status but the drive wasn't even spinning so I had to quit the application eventually.

Is there anything I can do to help MakeMKV read this disc? I saw some references to manual mode but I'm on Mac and don't even see that option anywhere. I've tried all the different protection modes but it still can't even get past the initial reading of the disc. I was able to transcode a copy with Handbrake but I'd really like to have the original file. Are there any other methods I could try or perhaps a different application? Any help or insight would be greatly appreciated.

[dcoke22]

Some details about manual mode, which you can do on a Mac.

https://forum.makemkv.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=88360#p88360

[francocho]

Thanks, that clears things up regarding manual mode, but unfortunately I can't get past the initial scanning disc portion to even get the choice of using manual mode. It just keeps trying to scan the disc and never goes to the next step of actually selecting the content. The drive just keeps spinning off and on until I'm eventually forced to force quit the program. I tried making a disc image with the disk utility to see if that would help but it also fails before any copying starts. Surely this has to be a pretty common protection scheme as the disc is at least 10-15 years old and comes from a major publisher.

[MartyMcNuts]

Thanks, that clears things up regarding manual mode, but unfortunately I can't get past the initial scanning disc portion to even get the choice of using manual mode. It just keeps trying to scan the disc and never goes to the next step of actually selecting the content. The drive just keeps spinning off and on until I'm eventually forced to force quit the program. I tried making a disc image with the disk utility to see if that would help but it also fails before any copying starts. Surely this has to be a pretty common protection scheme as the disc is at least 10-15 years old and comes from a major publisher.

The disc itself may be bad. Try cleaning it and see if that helps. They can suffer disc rot after about 10 years. Also, there has been an issue with DVD's from Warner Bros in the news lately.

[francocho]

Thanks, that clears things up regarding manual mode, but unfortunately I can't get past the initial scanning disc portion to even get the choice of using manual mode. It just keeps trying to scan the disc and never goes to the next step of actually selecting the content. The drive just keeps spinning off and on until I'm eventually forced to force quit the program. I tried making a disc image with the disk utility to see if that would help but it also fails before any copying starts. Surely this has to be a pretty common protection scheme as the disc is at least 10-15 years old and comes from a major publisher.

The disc itself may be bad. Try cleaning it and see if that helps. They can suffer disc rot after about 10 years. Also, there has been an issue with DVD's from Warner Bros in the news lately.

That was my first thought as well, but the disc plays just fine in the default macOS DVD player, VLC, and Handbrake was able to transcode a copy without issue. I did initially clean the disc to make sure but I'm fairly certain it's a DVD protection issue at this point.

[MartyMcNuts]

Thanks, that clears things up regarding manual mode, but unfortunately I can't get past the initial scanning disc portion to even get the choice of using manual mode. It just keeps trying to scan the disc and never goes to the next step of actually selecting the content. The drive just keeps spinning off and on until I'm eventually forced to force quit the program. I tried making a disc image with the disk utility to see if that would help but it also fails before any copying starts. Surely this has to be a pretty common protection scheme as the disc is at least 10-15 years old and comes from a major publisher.

The disc itself may be bad. Try cleaning it and see if that helps. They can suffer disc rot after about 10 years. Also, there has been an issue with DVD's from Warner Bros in the news lately.

That was my first thought as well, but the disc plays just fine in the default macOS DVD player, VLC, and Handbrake was able to transcode a copy without issue. I did initially clean the disc to make sure but I'm fairly certain it's a DVD protection issue at this point.

Although MakeMKV can rip DVD discs, it is not the best software for doing so. There are plenty of other software applications that are better at ripping DVD discs. MakeMKV is the best when it comes to BD/UHD ripping though!!

[francocho]

The disc itself may be bad. Try cleaning it and see if that helps. They can suffer disc rot after about 10 years. Also, there has been an issue with DVD's from Warner Bros in the news lately.

That was my first thought as well, but the disc plays just fine in the default macOS DVD player, VLC, and Handbrake was able to transcode a copy without issue. I did initially clean the disc to make sure but I'm fairly certain it's a DVD protection issue at this point.

Although MakeMKV can rip DVD discs, it is not the best software for doing so. There are plenty of other software applications that are better at ripping DVD discs. MakeMKV is the best when it comes to BD/UHD ripping though!!

Do you have any suggestions for which other programs I should look at (for macOS)? I'm open to both paid or free solutions. Thanks!

[MartyMcNuts]

That was my first thought as well, but the disc plays just fine in the default macOS DVD player, VLC, and Handbrake was able to transcode a copy without issue. I did initially clean the disc to make sure but I'm fairly certain it's a DVD protection issue at this point.

Although MakeMKV can rip DVD discs, it is not the best software for doing so. There are plenty of other software applications that are better at ripping DVD discs. MakeMKV is the best when it comes to BD/UHD ripping though!!

Do you have any suggestions for which other programs I should look at (for macOS)? I'm open to both paid or free solutions. Thanks!

Nah, don't do Mac. Wouldn't have a clue about Mac compatible software. Apple sux. Maybe try DVDFab??

[francocho]

Although MakeMKV can rip DVD discs, it is not the best software for doing so. There are plenty of other software applications that are better at ripping DVD discs. MakeMKV is the best when it comes to BD/UHD ripping though!!

Do you have any suggestions for which other programs I should look at (for macOS)? I'm open to both paid or free solutions. Thanks!

Nah, don't do Mac. Wouldn't have a clue about Mac compatible software. Apple sux. Maybe try DVDFab??

You couldn't pay me enough to use a Windows machine and I grew up with 4 PCs in my household and starting using a 286 in the 80s. Oddly enough it's only the small-scale, kind of hacked together community-driven video editing apps where Windows has a big advantage. I suspect this stems from the overwhelming market share Windows had in Eastern Europe and other piracy-heavy areas when online video first started getting a foothold and it's been self-perpetuating since, though most of these programs are starting to show their age and only appeal to a very niche user base. Either way saying 'Apple sux' is laughable on every conceivable level.

[dcoke22]

Do you have a different drive you can try? Since it is a DVD, just about any drive will work, even an old Apple SuperDrive if you've got one collecting dust in a closet.

I wonder since it is a manufacture on demand disc if it has DVD encryption at all?

[francocho]

Do you have a different drive you can try? Since it is a DVD, just about any drive will work, even an old Apple SuperDrive if you've got one collecting dust in a closet.

I wonder since it is a manufacture on demand disc if it has DVD encryption at all?

In my experience MOD DVDs have more anti-copying protections in place than their factory-pressed counterparts. In fact the only issues I've ever had with MakeMKV have all been on MOD discs. This particular disc was taking up too much time and effort so I just chalked it up as a loss and bought a slightly different factory-pressed version.

[MartyMcNuts]

Do you have any suggestions for which other programs I should look at (for macOS)? I'm open to both paid or free solutions. Thanks!

Nah, don't do Mac. Wouldn't have a clue about Mac compatible software. Apple sux. Maybe try DVDFab??

You couldn't pay me enough to use a Windows machine and I grew up with 4 PCs in my household and starting using a 286 in the 80s. Oddly enough it's only the small-scale, kind of hacked together community-driven video editing apps where Windows has a big advantage. I suspect this stems from the overwhelming market share Windows had in Eastern Europe and other piracy-heavy areas when online video first started getting a foothold and it's been self-perpetuating since, though most of these programs are starting to show their age and only appeal to a very niche user base. Either way saying 'Apple sux' is laughable on every conceivable level.

Not really. From a builder, modder and developer point of view, Apple does indeed suck! My first computer back in the early 80's was a Commodore 64. In the late 80's/early 90's at school we used the Apple IIe.

These days, for the cost of a mac pro, I can build a far superior windows PC or build the same spec PC for far less, then have a far wider range of software to use on it. Apple's OS and software ecosystem is absolutely terrible and far too restrictive. Mac/Windows is becoming similar to IOS and Android. IOS sux!! Android is great as you can do pretty much anything on it.

[francocho]

Nah, don't do Mac. Wouldn't have a clue about Mac compatible software. Apple sux. Maybe try DVDFab??

You couldn't pay me enough to use a Windows machine and I grew up with 4 PCs in my household and starting using a 286 in the 80s. Oddly enough it's only the small-scale, kind of hacked together community-driven video editing apps where Windows has a big advantage. I suspect this stems from the overwhelming market share Windows had in Eastern Europe and other piracy-heavy areas when online video first started getting a foothold and it's been self-perpetuating since, though most of these programs are starting to show their age and only appeal to a very niche user base. Either way saying 'Apple sux' is laughable on every conceivable level.

Not really. From a builder, modder and developer point of view, Apple does indeed suck! My first computer back in the early 80's was a Commodore 64. In the late 80's/early 90's at school we used the Apple IIe.

These days, for the cost of a mac pro, I can build a far superior windows PC or build the same spec PC for far less, then have a far wider range of software to use on it. Apple's OS and software ecosystem is absolutely terrible and far too restrictive. Mac/Windows is becoming similar to IOS and Android. IOS sux!! Android is great as you can do pretty much anything on it.

I also owned a Commodore 64 and an Amiga 500 but both were used more as gaming consoles than PCs. And I don't know what developers you're seeing prefer PCs but I've spent my entire adult life working at tech companies of all sizes, both in SF and NYC and a stint in Seattle, and the only people who used PCs were the non-technical finance teams and some analytics people. Every single engineer and everyone involved with the product worked on a Mac. I really don't care about comparing costs as my computer isn't something that I look to obtain on the cheap and Apple's build quality is unmatched. It honestly sounds like you don't know much about Macs and are just arguing points you think make sense.

[MartyMcNuts]

You couldn't pay me enough to use a Windows machine and I grew up with 4 PCs in my household and starting using a 286 in the 80s. Oddly enough it's only the small-scale, kind of hacked together community-driven video editing apps where Windows has a big advantage. I suspect this stems from the overwhelming market share Windows had in Eastern Europe and other piracy-heavy areas when online video first started getting a foothold and it's been self-perpetuating since, though most of these programs are starting to show their age and only appeal to a very niche user base. Either way saying 'Apple sux' is laughable on every conceivable level.

Not really. From a builder, modder and developer point of view, Apple does indeed suck! My first computer back in the early 80's was a Commodore 64. In the late 80's/early 90's at school we used the Apple IIe.

These days, for the cost of a mac pro, I can build a far superior windows PC or build the same spec PC for far less, then have a far wider range of software to use on it. Apple's OS and software ecosystem is absolutely terrible and far too restrictive. Mac/Windows is becoming similar to IOS and Android. IOS sux!! Android is great as you can do pretty much anything on it.

I also owned a Commodore 64 and an Amiga 500 but both were used more as gaming consoles than PCs. And I don't know what developers you're seeing prefer PCs but I've spent my entire adult life working at tech companies of all sizes, both in SF and NYC and a stint in Seattle, and the only people who used PCs were the non-technical finance teams and some analytics people. Every single engineer and everyone involved with the product worked on a Mac. I really don't care about comparing costs as my computer isn't something that I look to obtain on the cheap and Apple's build quality is unmatched. It honestly sounds like you don't know much about Macs and are just arguing points you think make sense.

I've had a couple of Macbooks over the years and I currently have a Mac Mini sitting on my desk gathering dust as it's simply not as user friendly as a Windows PC. I am a developer and I much prefer a Windows PC and an Android phone. It's night and day IMO. The only Apple product I actually use is my ipad, and that's only for web surfing, watching video's in bed and basic games when I am bored.

[dcoke22]

One thing we can all agree on is living in the Windows PC & Android universe is night & day different than living in the Apple universe.

The last time I used Windows in anger was in the Windows XP era. It drove me crazy, to the point where I was constantly cursing under my breath whenever I had to interact with the operating system. When I finally got a Mac, it was like a huge weight had been lifted up off me. It required extra work, since I was one of the only programmers in my department using a Mac, but I was so much happier as a human being that I didn't even notice the extra work to cobble together a build system and figure out how to make the IDE work.

Since then, I've been all Mac all the time and have never looked back. Last week I helped a friend shop for a Windows laptop for their kid going off to college in the fall. It was disheartening to wade through the huge numbers of laptops each company makes to try to discern which ones were good machines.