what does this error mean in DVD Decrypter

[techmaster-1]

W 14:39:17 Retry Failed - The semaphore timeout period has expired.

[Stormin Norman]

Sounds like a key that it cant decrypt. Try the newest version, DVDFab Decrypter, or AnyDVD.

[BSpielbauer]

From IBM:

Reasons for semaphore timeouts

When you receive semaphore timeout messages, the messages are usually the result of one of the following:

1. A heavy load on the server is causing processes to be delayed from releasing semaphores.

2. A process has crashed while holding a semaphore, causing other processes to block when trying to acquire the semaphore.

3. Deadly embrace, semaphore contention where two tasks are waiting on each other and neither task is able to break the loop. In the simplest case, thread A is trying to get a semaphore which is owned by B, while B is trying to get a different semaphore which is owned by A. More complex combinations are also possible: A wants a semaphore owned by B, who wants a semaphore owned by C, who wants a semaphore owned by A, etc.

4. If a process was to fail to set a semaphore during execution, another process dependent on the semaphore will be blocked awaiting the semaphore."

Usually, I have been told, it means two operations are both waiting on the OTHER to finish, before they will resume. This begins an endless loop.

It is much more common in PC networking, but it does happen with USB connections, and even with IDE based DVD burning.

I had a friend who had it because his DMA got switched to PIO, and the very slow speed was apparently causing time out errors, which resulted finally in this looping. Switching back to DMA solved his case. I hava also heard it is common if you try to multitask, while ripping, or while burning.

It CAN be caused by too many read errors due to bad media, but this is somewhat rare. Look to one of the other ideas above as more probable...

-Bruce

[GKar]

W 14:39:17 Retry Failed - The semaphore timeout period has expired.

Were you burning or ripping with decrypter?

[BSpielbauer]

Addendum to my post above... Before DVDdecrypter's support forum was shut down, the author (LightningUK) had an entire "sticky" thread devoted to this particular error in DVDDecrypter. The vast majority of the people afflicted were using an external DVD reader or an external DVD writer with a USB port. In every case discussed, switching that drive to a Firewire connection solved the problem. I recall LightningUK remarking that he had yet to see any of the "USB users" with the semaphore error who did not achieve success by making this simple switch.

============

IF you are not using USB connection... As I wrote above, if Windows switches your drive or drives to PIO mode (from the PIO mode), on occasion this can cause an IDE drive to time out to such a degree that some "crashing" occurs, and the semaphore "loop" discussed above can occur. So, you should also check and double-check that all DVD devices are actually using DMA mode.

I also recall one user who said his problem had to do with a configuration error in his two DVD drives ( Master vs. Slave). His drives were standard IDE internal drives.

The error occurs much more commonly during burning, but some users (including my friend) also saw it happen a few times while ripping. He experienced it on EVERY burn, but he saw it on a few rips, as well, until he resolved this issue.

-Bruce