Windows-7 Replacements for DVD Software used in Win XP

[Frank-0-Video]

Greetings ....

Recently, I upgraded my home desktop PC from Windows XP 32-bit to Windows 7 Professional 64-bit. I have discovered that as a result several DVD manipulation programs that I have used in Win-XP won't work in Win-7, mainly DVD Decrypter and DVD Shrink. I have retained my original XP hard drive so that when necessary I can still use my DVD software (plus some other things). Eventually, I will bid Win-XP a final farewell.

What I wish to know is what is the desirable replacement software to use in Windows-7 -- be it freeware, shareware or reasonably priced (and consistently reliable) paid software. Your comments and suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Thanx-A-Lot, Frank-0-Video

[jman98]

DVD Decrypter works fine in Windows 7 Ultimate 64 bit. I haven't used DVD Shrink since I moved to Win 7 as I prefer to use DVD-RB if I am going to shrink DVDs and I never used Shrink for ripping, so I have not tested it.

AnyDVD works fine in Win 7 64 bit, but it's not free. It can be used for ripping and you could use DVD-RB (it's free) for shrinking to single layer DVD size if you wish.

[El Heggunte]

Also, you can find old builds of DVDFab HD Decrypter @ oldapps.com OR oldversion.com

EDIT: No, apparently oldversion.com is not an option this time

[johns0]

With dvdshrink you need to set the shortcut compatibility to window xp,then it will work.

[nic2k4]

DVDShrink just won't work in Win 7 x64 for me no matter what compatibility setting I try. I got the Nero suite and use Recode, it's the same thing as DVDShrink, but with a different interface and bugs fixed, you can get it cheap on sale ($20-50).

Oddly DVDdecrypter works fine with no compatibility settings, the only issue is it errors on exit. I mostly use DVDFab HD Decrypter to rip.

[johns0]

I just installed dvdshrink just to test it and it works for me without any compatibility setting,used to get error messages when first trying on amd systems on windows 7 64 a few years ago.

[Frank-0-Video]

Greetings ...

Did an install of both DVD Decrypter and DVD Shrink on my Win-7 drive, applied the Win-XP compatibility mode in the desktop shortcuts -AND- EUREKA!! They Both Worked !!!!

Tried both DVD FAB and Nero Recode, but found their user interfaces to be user-unfriendly. Software creation geeks need to understand that ordinary mortals like me have a certain type of learning curve that understands app navigation in a particular way.
In the case of Nero Recoder, it's a shame because the Nero Burning Rom app is very straightforward and easy to work with.

Thanx-A-Lot, Frank-0-Video

[nic2k4]

Is your PC AMD or Intel based? Johns0's comment got me wondering if there's an issue with the Win 7+AMD+DVDShrink combo, mine is AMD+ATI graphics.

[Frank-0-Video]

Greetings ....

Is your PC AMD or Intel based? Johns0's comment got me wondering if there's an issue with the Win 7+AMD+DVDShrink combo, mine is AMD+ATI graphics.

It's a 2.50-mhz AMD Athlon 64 x2 Dual Core processor, and it sits on a BIOSTAR Group TA790GXE MotherBoard with 3.84 GB usable memory. My OS is Win-7 Professional.

Thanx-A-Lot, Frank-0-Video

[Noahtuck]

No offense but i was wondering why you would spend so much time asking when it would have taken a fraction of the time to just install them and TRY them!!
LOL!!

I have been using all those old programs and many more since the first day I installed W7 Ultimate 64bit with zero problems on my current & previous system, specs are where they should be.

And I am betting you do NOT have a 500mb HDD

[Frank-0-Video]

Greetings,

For Win-7, I have a 1-TB (minus some reserve, a net 970-gb) drive. Actually, I had installed the DVD Decrypter and Shrink programs before, but didn't think about the XP compatibility option. Now, I'm much wiser, and a lot happier.

Sadly, the XP compatibility function doesn't extend to certain other things. I have tried the Windows XP Virtual Machine, but with erratic results. What's the word on the VMWare Player? What can you run under that, and how well will it run?

Thanx-A-Lot, Frank-0-Video

[pepegot1]

No problem with DVD Shrink on my Win 7, 64 bit machine.

[jman98]

For Win-7, I have a 1-TB (minus some reserve, a net 970-gb) drive. Actually, I had installed the DVD Decrypter and Shrink programs before, but didn't think about the XP compatibility option. Now, I'm much wiser, and a lot happier.

Sadly, the XP compatibility function doesn't extend to certain other things. I have tried the Windows XP Virtual Machine, but with erratic results. What's the word on the VMWare Player? What can you run under that, and how well will it run?

I didn't have to run DVD Decrypter (never tried DVD Shrink - have no use for it since I moved to Win 7) in XP compatibility mode on Win 7 64 bit Ultimate. Whether you REALLY have to do this with your version of Windows or not is something I can't answer. It's possible I guess. But in any event you found an easy enough solution to your problems.

The Windows XP VM that you get with certain Win 7 versions, including mine, has worked well enough that I have no tried to use VMware. I am familiar with VMWare and have used it before. I current use their Mac product, Fusion. A couple of old programs like VCDEasy, the old Teco BitRateViewer and an old subtitles program (I don't remember the name of it) worked fine for me under that VM. Note that firewire does NOT work in any VM - period. So if you are hoping to use that old 32 bit firewire driver to capture videos directly from some cable boxes, that won't work. Not that you care at all about that, but I did at the time and I looked into it. I don't remember if VMWare Player lets you install new VMs with XP in them or if you need a different product for that. I know it can play existing VMs with XP. Honestly, I'm not seeing how VMPlayer would offer you any advantages over the Windows XP VM you get for free.

[usually_quiet]

Using an XP compatibility setting for some programs running on a Windows 7/Windows 8.x machine is fine. However when using the Windows XP mode virtualization available with Windows 7 Pro and Windows 7 Ultimate, the PC should be taken offline just as if it was running Windows XP. Using Windows XP mode virtualization is not recommended by Microsoft now that Windows XP support has officially ended. Apparently even virtualized XP is too insecure.