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copying personal DVDs to an external hard drive

I have multiple DVDs I created years ago with home videos on them - id like to transfer them all to on external hard drive to store them more easily and to be able to replay them on my MacBook if I want to. the videos on the dvds are stored in UDF format

I bought a superdrive to "play them" on my Mac and they do play. I used disk utility to copy them to my MacBook reformatting them to dvd/cd master format - I then copied them to the external hard drive. I have only done 3 dvds so far but when I go back to see if they can play from the external hard drive using the DVD player on my MacBook -- only one plays no matter which one I select. what have I done wrong? thank you for any help!!


MacBook Pro 13″, macOS 12.6

Posted on Feb 20, 2023 1:31 PM

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Posted on Feb 21, 2023 12:54 AM

I am guessing that the disc image that only plays is the first one that you select to play.

( SOMETIMES) If you still have the first disc image mounted then this one will play even though you attempt to play other disc images.

So try this.

Unmount the current disc image before playing other disc images.

Only have one disc image mounted at one time.

To unmount disc image just drag it to the trash.


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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Feb 21, 2023 12:54 AM in response to lbestep

I am guessing that the disc image that only plays is the first one that you select to play.

( SOMETIMES) If you still have the first disc image mounted then this one will play even though you attempt to play other disc images.

So try this.

Unmount the current disc image before playing other disc images.

Only have one disc image mounted at one time.

To unmount disc image just drag it to the trash.


Feb 21, 2023 1:54 AM in response to lbestep

DVDs can be temperamental and are rapidly becoming obsolete . . . Apple considered they had gone the way of the Dodo over a decade ago.


So the best way to preserve them is to copy them to an .mp4 format using HandBrake, an excellent free app.


The file size is much smaller than DVD and the quality is virtually the same.


You will then be able to play your videos on your computer, tablet, phone or TV (if they are stored on a USB stick or hard drive). You will also be able to upload them to the cloud so that your friends and relatives will be able to download or view them from anywhere in the world . . . all completely free of charge.

Feb 21, 2023 7:07 AM in response to lbestep

Ian’s suggestion was to convert these old dvd to mp4 files. I second that, as well as the use oc HandBrake to make the conversion. You can easily create a batch and do them all in one go. Tben you will have, ax Ian said, files that play almost anywhere (mac with Quicktime Player; pc; phones; tvs…) and should remain playable for the foreseeable future.

copying personal DVDs to an external hard drive

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