recovering a damaged DVD movie

[JohnnyBob]

RipIt4Me, DVD Decrypter, FixVTS, and DVD Shrink still work on 95% of movies. RipIt4Me unites them into one. If not you'll have to resort to more up to date programs such as DVDFab, AnyDVD, or Ideal DVD Copy.

Occasionally RipIt4Me can't detect a protection method and will incorrectly turn things over to DVDShrink. In that case DVDShrink either hangs or returns a cyclic redundancy error which can also indicate a damaged DVD, requiring further tests to distinguish. If there's difficulty playing the DVD with utilities such as PowerDVD or VLC Media Player, it's probably a damaged disc.

I had this happen recently where playing the movie always hung at chapter 14 out of 33 total. How then to recover the damaged DVD?

It was 20 years old, obviously worn, but only tiny scratches - so I had hopes. I tried the usual multiple washings and buffings to remove any water insoluble dirt stuck to the surface such as bits of adhesive. I also tried several different DVD drives because some work better than others in marginal cases. In perhaps 1 try out of 10, I could get it to analyze the disc, lending some hope of success - but it still wouldn't complete a rip.

I seldom use DVD Decrypter alone anymore, but it worked in this case. Surprisingly it didn't find any read errors on the entire disc, probably just a superlucky pass (maybe 1 in 100). It removed a few "useless" cells and the result was a movie which plays perfectly, insofar as I can tell. Just wanted to pass along the tip. Persistence sometimes succeeds.

[JohnnyBob]

Again, DVD Decrypter alone worked to recover most of a slightly damaged DVD (a few small scratches). The movie, menus, and most extras were fine but one of the extras VOBs was unreadable. Nevertheless I got a playable copy of the DVD, minus the damaged part.

As usual I went through multiple cleanings of the DVD and tried all 4 available DVD drives. One worked better than the others. Then I kept hitting the ReTry button until it seemed pointless.

Exactly how DVD Decrypter functions in such cases is beyond my understanding. But after many many tries I finally hit Abort, ready to throw in the towel. It then rendered a playable set of IFOs and VOBs, and opened same in DVD Shrink, much to my surprise!

Towards the end of that process it flashed through many changes quickly, too fast to follow, so I don't really know what was happening. The same thing occurred with my prior success - lots of quick operations at the end. If I didn't know better I would think that someone up there was watching and helping a little bit.

[CobraPilot]

Did you try any of the more-or-less "standard" polishing techniques? (Granted, some folks scream bloody murder at the thought of some of these "standard" techniques, and will likely chime in now, similarly.)

Since you've already got a usable copy, maybe there's no harm in trying the polishing techniques? You might finally get those troublesome Extras VOBs while you find a method that worked for you.

"Before I knew any better" (based on subsequent online comments), I bought a CD-polisher that came with some polishing "stuff" with which you could buff out the scratches. Had fair success with that "stuff." Have also tried the "white toothpaste" polishing method; again, fair results. For deep scratches, I've used auto polish of the kind that's supposed to do a deeper polish (i.e., more abrasive in the polish). That has also worked. In another moment of "ignorance," I purchased a CD/DVD repair liquid that claimed to fill in those scratches and increase the chance of readability. Seemed to work sometimes.

While none of the above techniques have proved to be 100% successful, I'm in at least the high 80's% range, especially when doing like you've done, trying the results in other players. (I have an external DVD burner that will play some damaged discs when nothing else will!) Doing before/after "quality of disc" scans, I've never seen any striking proof that I'd made things worse.

If you make any further forays into scratch repair, pleas share with us any successes you have! VideoHELP, dontchaknow!

[JohnnyBob]

No, I've never tried the abrasive polishers. I suppose they might be worth a try if all else fails (nothing to lose, in that case),

My standard disc cleaning techniques might go something like the following sequence. If one doesn't work, move on down. My main cleaning tool is my thumb. I happen to have a soft thumb without calluses so it doesn't scratch the disc. I've also used a new clean soft cotton ball instead of my thumb, but believe it's more likely to scratch the disc so use less pressure (be more gentle).

(1) Wet the disc then put on a few drops of 50:50 liquid dish washing soap. Go all around the disc slowly, rubbing in straight lines with my wet thumb from the center hub towards the outer rim (never in the other direction parallel to the rim). Then rinse under lukewarm water and blot dry between clean paper towels.

(2) Repeat #1, rubbing with more pressure from my thumb.

(3) Use the same procedure with 70% rubbing alcohol instead of dish washing soap. I've also used high proof vodka (ethanol). Acetone might be another possibility but I've never tried it, and don't know if it would harm the disc or label on the reverse side (try on a worthless disc first!).

(4) Put the disc on a flat surface and rub with my dry thumb in the same manner.

(5) Repeat #4, rubbing with more pressure from my thumb.

(6) Try the same rubbing technique with a high quality eyeglass cleaning cloth. This may scratch the disc slightly but probably won't harm it if the scratches are perpendicular to the rim. The most harmful scratches are those parallel to the rim, i.e. in the same direction as the disc spins.

Any advice or criticisms welcome. I'm not an expert.

[ConverterCrazy]

Hello,

I have a DVD with Windows reporting CRC error. A few scratches are visible and do not go by any method I can use at home.

After searching through VideoHelp forum and suggestions, I used HandBrake and SmartRipper 2.41 for chapter-wise extraction of the movie.

The problem with these tools is that they don't move to next Chapter if they fail to read a Chapter from DVD and continuously keep retrying for hours (I tried Handbrake for over 3 hours and SmartRipper for over 7 Hours!).

I then tried "Open DVD manually" mode of MakeMKV (latest trial version). This mode has the option of saving each chapter as a separate Title of any Title on the DVD ( Please check the details here http://www.makemkv.com/manualdvd/ ).

The reason I think MakeMKV can do the job faster – and more efficiently – is that it doesn't waste time in retrying and moves to next operation and saves all chapters as titles.

Unfortunately, I don't understand how to use that option (the exact text of command) to extract all chapters as Titles. One wishes that MakeMKV had made this easier.

My DVD has 4 Titles, the movie is Title 2 and it has 31 Chapters.

Please help.

Thanks

[hech54]

After searching through VideoHelp forum and suggestions, I used HandBrake and SmartRipper 2.41 for chapter-wise extraction of the movie.

Which decrypting programs have you've tried? These programs do not remove encryption/copy protections.

[ConverterCrazy]

After searching through VideoHelp forum and suggestions, I used HandBrake and SmartRipper 2.41 for chapter-wise extraction of the movie.

Which decrypting programs have you've tried? These programs do not remove encryption/copy protections.

Thanks for the reply.

The disk is not encrypted nor does it have a region code. It came free with the commercial DVD player.

Let me explain a bit more, when I used Handbrake and SmartRipper– for Chapter-wise ripping, it gets stuck at Chapter 8, 17, etc for hours in retrying to read disk.

With SmartRipper, I can tick chapters for ripping, however, SmartRip ignores my selection and starts with Chapter one again!

The MakeMKV, on the other hand, doesn't save entire Title/s, if it can't read AND doesn't waste time in retrying endlessly. That's why I think most of the movie can be saved if, I know the exact text for 'Open DVD manually' and save chapters as titles of the movie at Title 2 of the DVD.

[hech54]

After searching through VideoHelp forum and suggestions, I used HandBrake and SmartRipper 2.41 for chapter-wise extraction of the movie.

Which decrypting programs have you've tried? These programs do not remove encryption/copy protections.

Thanks for the reply.

The disk is not encrypted nor does it have a region code.

I've seen no proof of that.....however your disc is exhibiting signs of copy protection or deliberate "out of spec" authoring.
Even cheap DVD recorders created out of spec DVDs.
Without more information on this mystery disc, nobody is going to be able to help you further.

[ConverterCrazy]

"I've seen no proof of that.....however your disc is exhibiting signs of copy protection or deliberate "out of spec" authoring."

How can you say that? The disk came as a free gift with the player 10 years ago and was working. Now, it has got some scratches making disk partly unreadable; and Windows finding CRC errors.

[hech54]

"I've seen no proof of that.....however your disc is exhibiting signs of copy protection or deliberate "out of spec" authoring."

How can you say that? The disk came as a free gift with the player 10 years ago and was working. Now, it has got some scratches making disk partly unreadable; and Windows finding CRC errors.

I could say it again if you like.
Playing and copying are two different things.

[ConverterCrazy]

Thanks.

LOL, yes you can say again as you know more about this stuff.

As you can see, I've tried Handbrake, SmartRipper and MakeMKV for ripping.

But, the problem is scratches on the disk - which just wont go away! Only now, it has become partly unreadable with Windows reporting CRC errors.

(Unfortunately, I don't understand how to use that option (the exact text of command) to extract all chapters as Titles. One wishes that MakeMKV had made this easier.

As I wrote earlier, I am looking for exact command to use in MakeMKV (details here http://www.makemkv.com/manualdvd/) to save Chapters as Titles; and, depending on experienced users of this forum to help.

[Mrx15]

DVD Decrypter and RipIt4Me work sometimes when nothing else will. Also sometimes a different drive will work better.

[ConverterCrazy]

Thanks @Mrx15 and @hech54 for your replies.

To share my experience with VideoHelp Forum, this is how I went about recovering almost entire movie (lost about 3 minutes — insignificant in my case) from the DVD with CRC error:

1- Out of a total of 6 VOB files from the Title 02 — the movie itself — on DVD, numbered 2 and 4 had read errors on the three DVD drives I tried to read the disk

2- In MakeMKV, I used option 'Open DVD manually' and saved chapters as titles of the movie using the following text in Command window:

02:1-7;8;9;10-16;17;18;19;20-26;27;28;29;30;31

(02 is the Title number of the movie on the DVD, and other numbers are of chapters within that Title)

3- I recovered all chapters except 8,29,30 and 31 as vob files

4- I recovered chapters 29,30 and 31 using SmartRipper

5- Chapter 8 could not be recovered (duration shorter than 3 minutes and insignificant in my case)

6- Using Vidcoder, not Handbrake, I converted all videos to MKV files with settings — QF=18, Slow, Audio tracks 1 and 2 on 'as is' basis and subtitles, and

7- Using MKVMerge, joined all videos with corrected AR to 16:9.

Don't know if that is the right approach/solution


Thanks to VideoHelp Forum and the people who have helped me to take that approach.

[ConverterCrazy]

@hech54

Sorry, didn't mean to be rude.

Playing and copying are two different things.

Yes, playing and copying are different things. The commercial DVD player plays the movie on a disk with errors while the same is unplayable on any player on PC. It is a mystery to me!

I wonder why there isn't such a player for PC!

[Mrx15]

FWIW
I just recovered one with my thumbnail...

I could feel 2-3 tiny hard bumps on the surface with my thumb, which I pushed loose with my thumbnail. Whatever it was... was not water/soap soluble, was tightly bound to the surface, and didn't want to come loose, so it took quite a bit of force with my thumbnail to dislodge them. Naturally the disk and my thumb were liberally doused in dish washing liquid to prevent scratching.

Then it still wouldn't play until I doused it in rubbing alcohol and wiped off with toilet paper in sloppy fashion. Just left it slightly damp with the rubbing alcohol, didn't try to polish away the lint, etc.

Weird.

[bongoman31]

I've recovered dozens of "problem discs" with the following technique(s) for repair:

Clean disc with Windex and soft paper towel
Visually id scratches and/ or suspect areas
Lightly buff with soft cloth and white Crest tootpaste
Re-clean with Windex
Lightly buff same areas with Rain-X windshield liquid

RIP!

[Mrx15]

Thanks for the tip bongoman31. I've never tried to buff with toothpaste but will keep in mind.

My real reason for posting again is a possible insight based on my prior post above...

Dousing a disk with rubbing alcohol then leaving it somewhat wet (not dripping wet, but a few drops remaining on the surface) when inserting in a DVD drive might be a sneaky way of cleaning a stubborn speck of dust off the laser lens. 70% rubbing alcohol evaporates fairly quickly so there shouldn't be any residual within a minute or two. I doubt that small amount would harm the electronics. I've got a boxful of old optical drives that I'm going to try this trick on. Seems that just blowing with a can of compressed air doesn't always get the job done, and taking the drive apart is a fair amount of trouble.

[Cornucopia]

I'd use ISOBuster (with AnyDVD for the decryption), using multiple passes on multiple drives, ripping to a full disc image. Then use DVDDecrypter to rip the title (IFO mode).

Physically, a non-radial washing using hand soap & wiping with a lint-free cloth/chamois does the job most of the time.

Scott

[aedipuss]

70% rubbing alcohol is 30% water. not what anyone should be inserting into a dvd drive. even 99% is risky. don't insert wet discs into any drive. when electronics are powered on any water will short them.

[Mrx15]

70% rubbing alcohol is 30% water. not what anyone should be inserting into a dvd drive. even 99% is risky. don't insert wet discs into any drive. when electronics are powered on any water will short them.

Worked for me. Since then I've recovered a formerly malfunctioning DVD player in the same manner. The usual blowing with compressed air didn't work. A DVD inserted with a few drops of 70% alcohol on the bottomside cleared it immediately. Works like new again. If the DVD player is headed for the junkpile anyway, there's nothing to lose.