MakeMKV failed to save files from 3 DVDs

[Elephen]

Hi, All,

I purchased "Route 66 The Complete Series." Three of the discs did not rip. Because these three discs had scratches, I ordered a replacement set. Unfortunately, the same three discs will not rip, and these discs are not scratched. I tried using Auto, Cell Walk, Cell Trim, and Cell Full. I was able to get to the point where I selected the episode files to be ripped, but MakeMKV did not save any of the selected files even though it reported that it was saving files. The saving process just froze, while the timer kept increasing the amount of time needed to rip the file. The destination file reported Zero Bytes saved.

I will appreciate any help you can offer. FYI, my external drive is turned off except when I'm using it.

[dcoke22]

Can you try making a decrypted backup of the DVDs?

On the first screen of MakeMKV, there's a row of icons across the top. The second icon, with a green arrow pointing into a yellow folder, is the backup button.

The backup process will copy everything on the disc to an .iso file on your computer. If that works, you can then open that .iso file in MakeMKV and create .mkv files from there.

This separates the process of copying the bits on the optical disc from the process of interpreting those bits to sort out which title is which. Sometimes this allows MakeMKV to be successful with marginal discs when it fails doing things in the usual way. It might not work.

If it doesn't, copy can paste the MakeMKV log into a post here on the forum.

[Elephen]

After MakeMKV decrypts the disc, the icon with the green arrow pointing to the yellow folder is inoperable. Here is the MakeMKV log to that point:

MakeMKV_log 5.txt.zip

By the way, I was asked to use the *testdump* function, which I tried on all three discs. Each time, the function failed to complete.

[dcoke22]

You have to do the backup as the first thing, on the first screen. Once you click into the disc, the backup function is disabled.

[Elephen]

As the result of your help, I have been able to create the MKV files for those three discs. I don't pretend to understand how this was accomplished, but am grateful. Thanks again.

[Elephen]

Because I have a couple of problem Blu-ray Discs, I tried to create an iso file but discovered that the green arrow creates a folder rather than an iso file. Can I use one of the utilities on my Mac mini to create an iso file? If not, can you recommend additional software? Thank you.

[dcoke22]

MakeMKV can open a MakeMKV backup folder from a blu-ray or UHD. Select the BDMV item inside the folder you want to open.

To answer your question, no, you can not use macOS system utilities to create an .iso file of a blu-ray backup. There is a Windows program called ImgBurn that can create an .iso file or a blu-ray. I've never used it though.

The reason macOS Disk Utility can't be used it because it won't create the .iso file with the correct version of the file system. Blu-rays and UHDs use a file system called UDF (Universal Disk Format). Blu-rays use version 2.5 of UDF. Disk Utility on macOS can only create .iso file with up to version 1.5 of UDF (which is the version of UDF used on burnable media). Regular DVDs use UDF version 1.02, which macOS can create.

[Elephen]

I really appreciate your quick reply. Thanks again.