Advice please...How do I copy and burn a DVD to a second disc? Additional info...

[truth2power]

I am running Windows Vista on my laptop. The DVD that I have is NOT copy protected.

The producers of the DVD encourage users to make copies and distribute them.

I have a Windows Vista manual, but it does not give instructions for copying DVDs. There is some passing mention, but I think they don't want to seem to be encouraging copyright infringement.

I would appreciate some direction on this. Thanks.

[Dan Ken]

1. I think the instructions in the following link will word for you

http://www.ehow.com/how_4809420_copy-dvd-vista.html

[truth2power]

3. Thanks. I clicked on the link and read through the options. What's the difference between

copy/paste, copy, burn, duplicate etc. in terms of the final product?

In your opinion, is it better to download some additional software or just use media player?

I'd rather not download additional software if I can avoid it, because some is more trouble than it's worth.

Thanks.

[gvstn]

2. I use imgburn

To copy Cd/DVD from time to time and have had good luck.

Although the software if very good it does come bundled with some type of adware to help cover costs. Just pay attention during the installation and opt out of any toolbar offer which isn't needed. http://www.majorgeeks.com/ImgBurn_d4870.html

Then you use the "Create Image File from Disc" option to make a copy of the disc as one ISO file on your HD. Then use the "Write Image File to Disc" option to burn the newly created ISO file to the blank DVD. Be sure to use the IMAGE file option in both cases.
That is it. Test your disc after burning.

You would skip step 2b in both these guides and go from 2a to step 3.

http://forum.imgburn.com/index.php?showtopic=6379
http://forum.imgburn.com/index.php?showtopic=61#

[truth2power]

4. I clicked on the link. I don't think I understand half of what they're saying, but

one concern is, they talk about creating an "image" file. Does this mean that there would be no chapters like there are on the original disc?

Sorry to be so ignorant about all this. Sometimes the simplest thing turns out to be really complicated.

[gvstn]

5. Image

Image files just means one big file that contains an exact copy of all the files on the disc in their correct places. It makes it simpler because you only have to tell the program to burn the single file and it then lays it all out on the blank DVD correctly same as the original.

So basically an image file just means a copy of all the files on the original DVD contained in a single file.

I've never used the method in the ehow article but that is because I had started using imgburn back with XP when you needed a third party program. Vista/Win7's built in authoring is supposed to be pretty good but imgburn might be an option if you have trouble. It is a solid burning program and creates good discs from my experience.

You are starting with the DVD you want to copy in the drive and opening the program and clicking Create Image File from Disc. Then click the double icon at the bottom of the window to create the file. It will be stored in the folder listed as designation.
Then when complete <5min. you close the program, reopen it and this time select "Write Image file to disc". You select the file you just created and with a blank DVD in the drive click the double icon to burn the new disc.

[truth2power]

6. Thank you for taking the time to explain this to me....

I note that you said XP needed a third party program for these tasks. I'm running XP on my desktop, which I use most of the time. It's 8 years old, but just keeps chugging along, and I like XP, but it's no longer supported.

When i tried to upgrade to IE9 because it kept yelling at me that my browser was out of date I found that IE 9 can't be installed in XP. In any case, I have to open the drive with a bent paper clip because something's messed up inside. I know. It's a boat anchor but I'm rather attached to it.

[gvstn]

7. I had a couple of P4 XP machines up until

This last year and they both finally bit the dust. Those cheap motherboards apparently only last so long before something leaks from the capacitors. I got my money out of those machines that is for sure.

A new DVD drive was fairly cheap up until last year when they stopped making new ones with the IDE interface. My guess is an 8 year old machine is right at that line when SATA interface was becoming the standard. I'm also guessing that an 8 year old DVD drive can't burn DVDs, possibly CDs but probably not DVD.

I'd just be sure to have an extra blank DVD available and see how you do using either method. Worst case you lose ~$1 for a bad burn.

The only thought I had was that if this is an actual DVD movie which would involve chapters as you mentioned, is that some DVD's exceed the 4.3gb of a standard DVD5 disc. You may want to see how big the image file is when you create to be sure it will fit on a normal DVD5 disc.

Oh and one other point I keep forgetting to mention is that if you use imgburn-I just wanted to point out that in those guides steps 2a and 2b do exactly the same thing which is why if you use step 2a (easier OMO) then it is not necessary to also do 2b.

[Mnpaul]

8. Just use CDBurner XP

http://cdburnerxp.se/en/home

Click on the program and select "copy disc"

[gvstn]

9. This is another very good choice.

I used to use this but it wasn't compatible with Win7 for the first 2 months and I had a lot of bad burns. So I took it off my list and tend to forget about it.

It works fine now and one button copying sounds good to me.