How to Copy a DVD to Hard Drive

Copying DVDs is one of the surest ways to preserve your old movies and purchased originals (Blu-rays) from damage. It is similar to DVD ripping, but they slightly differ in terms of the output format. When you copy DVDs, you either save the output file as an ISO image or DVD folder on your local storage.

In contrast, when you rip DVDs, you save the output in a digital video format such as MP4, AVI, MKV, and many other common formats. Well, what matters is that you're going to back up your premium and vintage movies so they don't become inaccessible when the DVD disc cracks, or gets broken.

To copy a DVD movie, whether homemade or commercial, you need a DVD copy program. While there are quite a number of good DVD copy software programs out there, the DVDFab DVD Copy is practically the overall best option for Windows OS and macOS PC users.

1. What is DVDFab DVD Copy

Copying a DVD to a hard drive simply means extracting the content in a DVD disc, and saving it on a computer's hard drive. This process requires the use of a DVD copy utility, program, or software. Also, depending on the program you use, you can achieve lossless DVD copying with a 1:1 ratio.

DVDFab DVD Copy is an advanced program developed for both macOS and Windows OS systems. It is fortified with cutting-edge technologies and features and goes on to support 6 different DVD copy modes. This software is super-intuitive to use; plus, it can read all types/kinds of DVDs, including digitally protected discs.

More so, DVDFab DVD Copy can compress DVD-9 to DVD-5, and you can copy multiple DVDs in Batch Mode. Furthermore, with this superb DVD copy software, you can remove Cinavia watermarks and protection completely from DVDs; so you can enjoy clean DVD video and audio.

2. Features of DVDFab DVD Copy

• Reads and copy any DVD, including protected commercial DVDs
• Integrates DVDFab’s exclusive Cloud Decryption Service
• Guarantees lossless DVD copy and backup
• Compress any DVD to DVD-5
• Supports 6 unique copy modes
• Copy (burn) DVD to blank discs
• Make friendly meta info & .nfo files
• Remove Cinavia and copy DVD as clean audio

3. How to Copy DVD to Hard Drive

If you need to copy your DVD movies to your PC hard drive, the first step is to download and install DVDFab DVD Copy. The installation requires an internet connection, so ensure that you're connected to the internet. After the installation is complete, you can launch the program and continue with the steps below.

Step 1: When you launch the DVDFab 12 program on your Windows or MacBook computer, navigate to the "Copy" module. Here, you will have to import your DVD movie; you can import from discs, DVD folders, or ISO image files. You can even drag and drop the files on the interface, and it'd be loaded.

Step 2: After you have added your DVD movie, the next step is to choose a copy mode. As mentioned earlier, DVDFab DVD Copy supports 6 different copy modes you can choose from. To choose a copy mode, click on the button on the top-left (where you see “Main Movie”).

Yes, DVDFab DVD Copy automatically sets the copy mode to Main Movie. If you want to copy the full disc, you need to change it from the modes selection menu. Also, there are many settings you can adjust, such as the audio track, subtitle, DVD type, and many others.

You can also preview the DVD movie before copying it; click on the “Play” icon on the movie info tab. The available copy modes are Full Disc, Main Movie, Clone/Burn, Merge, Split, and Customize. Actually, not all the copy modes offer lossless backup. If you want lossless copying, choose Clone/Burn.

With all the settings configured to your preference, you can then proceed to the main process. However, before making any configuration, ensure that you understand the implications on your DVD movie.

Step 3: To get started with the copy process, click on the "Start" button. But before then, you have to choose an output folder/type. For example, you have to choose whether you're copying the DVD movie to another blank disc, or you're saving it as an ISO image, or you're backing it up as a DVD folder.

These save options are available at the bottom of the interface. After you have selected the exact output path for your DVD movie, proceed to click the start button and trigger the copying process. The operation would be added to the task queue; so, click on the "Task Queue" module to view the copying process in real-time. You can pause/start any ongoing DVD copy process.

Completed tasks would be saved to the directory you set as the output path for the new DVD movie (which should be in the form of an ISO image or folder).

4. Why Should You Copy Your DVD Movies?

The main purpose of copying DVDs is to back them up and prevent your movies from being inaccessible. When you copy your DVDs, you can have them remain in their exact quality for so many years to come, and you can always burn them to new discs any time.

DVD copying is pretty different from ripping because, with a DVD copy program, you can't turn DVD movies into digital formats such as MP4 and the likes. Well, when you use the right DVD copy program, the copying process is made faster, and you can copy up to 5 DVDs at a go.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Can You Copy Protected DVDs?

Yes, you can copy DVDs that are protected with digital protections. However, this requires a DVD copy program that supports advanced technologies for decrypting protected discs.

• Does Copying Reduce DVD Quality?

Depending on the copy mode you choose, the quality of the outcome file may be reduced. However, DVDFab DVD Copy guarantees lossless copying with the Clone/Burn mode and Full Disc copy mode. Other modes offer near-lossless quality.

• What is The Fastest DVD Copy Program?

DVDFab DVD Copy is practically the fastest DVD copy software in the world. It is about 6x faster than other alternatives. The software is built with solid hardware acceleration technologies to boost the speed.

• Can I Burn DVD Folders to Disc?

Yes, with DVDFab DVD Copy, you can burn ISO images or DVD Folders to blank discs. All you need to select the clone/burn mode, import the DVD folder, and choose the blank disc as the output path for the cloning/burning. You can also adjust the movie before finally burning it to the new disc.

Summary

Definitely, this article has explained how to copy DVD movies (homemade and commercial movies), and save them to your PC hard drive with the best DVD copy software available named DVDFab DVD Copy. The processes are intuitive and easy.