Restoring an old DVD-R?

[netmask56]

I have a few very old DVD-R's in my collection of family scenes originally transferred from a long defunct VHS player - tapes have gone to God as well...

The discs play ok in my Soniq BluRay/DVD QPB302B player ok. However on any of my computers they lock up the system so I can't copy them. I have tried MagicISO and ISOBuster but to no avail - still locks up requiring a reboot. Any suggestions? As a last option I will play them off in real time and capture them with my hardware MPEG2 device..... but

[AlanHK]

Try Isopuzzle.
Also, give the discs a gentle rinse and dry.

[lowellriggsiam]

Were these discs ever finalized? Are they scratched?

[Bjs]

When inserting them hold down the shift key till the drive stops ... then try recovery ... the lockup is a windows thing.

Or where windows might get in the way you should try a live cd ... ubuntu and use the package manager to install dvd dvdisater

[netmask56]

I seem to have missed a post where I said I had tried ISOPuzzle to no avail and yes I have gently washed them with a proper DVD cleaner kit I have. But the Linux suggestion is interesting - I'll give that a try

They were authored in Ulead version1 ( alomg long time ago!) I think and then burnt with Nero in the usual way and yes they were finalised - they were stock standard DVD's that were played in many standalone players and indeed copies made in both PC's and MAC. A microscopic examination doesn't reveal any scratches. So it is a mystery to me as they lock up all my PC's and my MAC G4.

[CSULB71]

DVD Decrypter or DVDFab HD Decrypter might work. Even though your DVD-R's aren't encrypted, sometimes these apps will let you copy files to the HDD when Windows won't.

[netmask56]

Tried both and also DVDShrink - it doesn't matter what software I run the moment I put the disk in the drive everything locks up. I need something that over rides the DVD firmware/mechanics or the interface to Windows and or OSX. My BluRay player has no problems with them but an old Pioneer standalone reacts the same way as a computer DVD player... I'm resigned to capturing them via my mpeg hardware usb device... unless there is some exotic solution...

[Cornucopia]

Ulead wasn't a good authoring app, and Nero wasn't a great DVD burning app (WAS great at one point with CDs, though), so I'm not too surprised.

Try somebody else's PC also. And do mind the SHIFT on insert, because that'll affect every app you try (damn Windows autoplay!!).

Scott