DVD Shrink I/O errors

[Gabriel]

I'm currently running windows xp home on my main computer with a pioneer 107 and an NEC3550. Until a couple of weeks ago, I could back up dvds with dvd shrink with no problems. Now I get error message saying disc is encrypted. By using dvd decrypter or dvd fab I can then shrink the files.

On my second computer which runs windows xp professional with no updates installed I can still use dvd shrink with no error problems.

As a trial I used the same disc in each computer and it works okay in the one and requires decrypting in the other. The only new software I've installed on the main machine is McAfee anti virus and firewall from comcast. I tried uninstalling them and still need to decrypt. Does this make sense to anybody? It's really got me stumped.

[budz]

Use DVDFAB DECRYPTER to rip your files to your hard drive.

[Gabriel]

Budz,

Maybe you didnt read my question. I know that I can copy using dvd decrypter and DvdFab. What I want to know is why I suddenly have to do it, when in the past I didn't and why I need to do it on one computer but not on the other.

[wayne421]

If you're talking about DIFFERENT DVDs on DIFFERENT computers, then my first guess is that it's the DVD. Newer DVDs, especially Sony movies that have that crappy ARCoSS protection on them, cannot be ripped by DVDshrink or DVDDecrypter - both of these have been discontinued for some time now and do not handle the newer protection shemes. That's why Budz recommended DVDFab Decrypter, which is still in production and handles these newer protections.

If you are talking about the SAME DVD on DIFFERENT computers (which you appear to have tried), and it rips in Shrink on one and not the other, my first guess would be the DVD drive. Are they the same? Some drives read DVDs better than others and one may give errors when the other does not (for example, my Pioneer 110D sometimes can't read DVDs that my older Lite-on 812S can).

The more specific the situation you can explain the better we can help out.

Hope this helps, at least.

[Gabriel]

Wayne,

Thanks for your reply. Two weeks ago I could pop any dvd into either computer and use dvdshrink to back it up. Suddenly, with no explanation that I can find, on my main computer I get the I/O error saying dvd is encrypted. I took the same dvd "goodnight and goodluck" downstairs to my older machine and it copied with no problems. I have a pioneer 105 in it and a generic dvd rom.

What I cannot understand is why I suddenly need to decrypt before shrinking when this NEVER happened in the past with these drives on this machine. The only programs I've added are McAfee Virus and firewall from comcast; however, I have these on the other machine as well. I'm not a computer novice; this just doesnt make any sense to me. I've exhausted every check I can think of and am hoping somebody out there will know something I dont in this area and can suggest a solution.

[wayne421]

Hmm... that is a strange one. When you put 'Goodnight Goodluck' in the computer that doesn't give you the 'needs decrypting' error, what's your procedure for making the backup? Just DVDShrink from start to finish? Anything else?

Have you played any audio CDs on those 'error' machines? I'm grasping here, but maybe there's some weird Rootkit issue happening? You said you didn't install any games or anything so it shouldn't be some weird game protection that messes with the system either. Did you try running a virus and spyware scan to be sure everything is clean? Again, I'm grasping, but if you can use DVDShrink from start to finish on one PC, it should work on another, assuming the disc is not damaged or having read issues on certain drives per my previous post.

I guess the ultimate test is this: use one of the 'error' machines to rip a DVD that you've SUCCESSFULLY RIPPED on that machine previously. Use the exact same physical disc and procedure as before to be sure it isn't a read issue. If you get that error, then you know for a fact that something fishy is going on software wise.

I admit this is a bit of a stumper.

Keep me posted - you have my curiousity peaked.

[bevills1]

Have you tried uninstalling and then reinstall DVDShrink and DVDDecrypter? I've had success doing that with other programs that began acting abnormally, and I suspect it's due to files that have become corrupt.

[Gabriel]

I tried shrinking a disc that I was previously able to shrink and received the same I/o device error. I have deleted and reinstalled all the programs and still get the error. I have dual drives on my computer so I booted up the Windows 98 drive, installed Shrink 3.2 and tried it and it works great! Of course the problem here is file size.

This one has really got me stumped. Was going to swap out the dvd drives with my second machine but since current drives work on win 98 I cant see anypoint in that.

[wayne421]

The only thing I can think of to eliminate the possibility of software failure is to wipe the harddrive and reinstall the OS and the DVD utils FIRST, and then test again before you install anything else. If you get the error again, it's gonna be a hardware problem.

[Gabriel]

Wayne,

I reformatted drive and reinstalled everything and dvdshrink works the way it's supposed to now without requireing decrypting first. A real pain when you have a big drive and a lot of programs AND internet access goes out at the same time.

Still would like to know what caused the problem; but I guess you can't have everything.

[wayne421]

Well it seemed to be a software issue, albiet a strange and as-yet-to-be-cataloged issue.

Glad it's working now at least!

Thanks for letting me know!

[Gabriel]

I inadvertantly allowed windows to load updates without viewing them first after reinstalling my system. One of the 37 that it installed at the same time is the culprit. Now back to the way it was using decrypter first then shrink. Found out my internet problem was bad cable in the wall. It's worked great for two years and suddenly quit. Never heard of this before.