scratched dvd plays fine but wont copy

[mmoalem]

hi there all and merry xmass!
have a scratched dvd that plays fine on a standalone (except for one hickup towards the end of the movie) - trying to back it up gives me headache as no programme i tried (inc clonedvd, dvdshrink, dvddecrypter and even isobuster through anydvd) would copy the disk - any ideas?
cheers
MM

[m99]

Merry Xmas to you to, and all other.

I have the same problem. I don't think the program matter, it's the dvd-rom/dvdr that can't read the disk. You can try to read the disk on lower speeds (Nero DriveSpeed), but it didn't help me.

[Arianos]

Season Greetings to all!!!
I am lucky enough to have 5 DVD-ROM, +RW, -RW on a LAN. Usually when a scratched DVD comes this way, I rotate it and if I'm lucky, one of them reads through it. Experience shows that my Pioneer A05 is the best on reading such DVDs. If all fail, I simply move to the next backup. Nothing to be done there...

[jippiejajee]

DVDdecryptor has a setting to ignore read error in menu tools, settings tab I/O, you can check the box ignore read errors and in most case DVDdecrypter will read over the scratch. Alternatively you also set the software read errors retry to 1. If you don't it will try for 20 times (I believe thats the default) to read each damage sector at the scratch points which can take quite a whulie depending in size and direction of the scratch.
I always use the sofware read errors retry = 1 setting for copyinh scratch DVD's although it can be still quite time consuming.

Another thing what you could try is to polish the surface of DVD to minimize the scratc, I normally use car polish for that and in many cases the DVD can be read again without stuttering, of course you should be carefull with this as protection layer is rather thin, if you polish trhough it you will damage your DVD permanetly.

On this board I poste a while a go a method to 'repair'a scratch DVD and burning a fresh on which will play without stuttering (after cutting out damged parts, so you will loose some seconds of video)
here is te link http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=63814&highlight=damage

[candsh]

I have been using a product called simply CD Scratch Remover, that works amazingly well. Locally costs about $7.99 for a small bottle, but have saved some DVD's that would not play, decrypt at all. Went over them as directed and backed up the disks without a hitch. Also works well on my backup disks when fingerprints get on them. Hope it helps. Incidentally, the "small bottle" lasts a long time.

[writersblock29]

@mmoalem

I use guitar polish on mine. Works like a charm! Most of the time, it's the dirt and grime that collects inside of a scratch that seems to trip 'em up. Although, it sounds like a lot of good information has been given here. Post us back when you find a method that worked; it may help someone else who has kiddies that try and use DVDs for sandpaper.

Happy Holidays!

[m99]

Toothpaste also works.

[2COOL]

Originally posted by m99
Toothpaste also works. I did that once and it made it worse. :angry: I'll never do it again. Tootpaste has porcelain, smashed coral, or cuttlefish in it. Their sole purpose was to serve as an abrasive to scrub the foreign particles from your teeth.

[m99]

OK. Be careful if you try, it has worked twice for me. But it was CD's not DVD's.

[JustinH]

toothpaste has worked for me several times on cd's, never on dvd's for some reason.

JH

[oddwunn]

have a scratched dvd that plays fine on a standalone (except for one hickup towards the end of the movie) - trying to back it up gives me headache as no programme i tried (inc clonedvd, dvdshrink, dvddecrypter and even isobuster through anydvd) would copy the disk - any ideas?

First of all, make sure that you clean the disc as well as possible first, wiping only from the spindle hole outward towards the edge, NEVER in a circular motion. Try using just water first, but if that doesn't work, then try only a very mild window cleaning solution. Anything stronger than that can and will damage the disc further. Then, as Arianos has already suggested, try different DVD ROM readers, if you have more than one.

Another good way to read the bad disc is to do a direct file copy of the disc contents directly to your hard drive. Put the files in a diectory called "VIDEO_TS" (all caps) in the root of the hard drive and use your best Windows shell to do the copying, hopefully something better than Explorer. Windows shells are notoriously better at being tenacious when it comes to reading bad data, and they will continue to try when DVD ripping programs have long quit.

If you are successful copying the files to the hard drive, then you can use SmartRipper to now remove the encryption, as SR is capable of ripping from the hard drive, a feature that is sorely missed in DVD Decrypter. I have successfully ripped several badly scratched DVDs using this method.

Oh, and by the way, don't bother with DVDDecrypter's "ignore read errors" feature. It only works on very mildly scratched DVDs, and also leaves you with errors in your rip. SmartRipper does a much better job on problem discs.