Backing up DVD's over mac-windows network?

[victa]

Hi,
My partner has mac os x and it's networked with my windows xp machine.
The mac has a DVD drive/burner, my machine does NOT.

I've had probs making backups of DVD's on the mac.
Particularly dual layer.

Googled around for a few days...weeks.....Found a few things, including this forum today

Now I've copied the DVD to the network shared folder then use a prog called A4DVD shrinker ( trial ), shrink it, then send back to the mac and burn.
No go on either my sony DVD player or the macs DVD drive.

Now the question

After reading round this forum, I've downloaded both DVD shrink and Decrypter to windows and was wondering if I can copy the DVD on the mac ( to the network folder ) then use Encrypter and Shrink on windows then back to the mac for burning?

Am I pushing you know what up hill with a short stick?
Is it going wrong at step one ( ie. Copying on the mac then sending to windows )?

How about eqivalent programs for mac?

I am eventually going to get a dual layer DVD drive/burner for my pc but not for some time.
Meanwhile would love to make backups using the method above as I lend my DVD's out freely and they sometimes don't come back as quickly as I'd like.

Any help greatly appreciated.

[cynthia]

There have been some reports that newer versions of DVDShrink don't like to be ripped over a network. If you can get the files on to your network folder it should work out.

[victa]

Thanks for your reply cynthia.
I am going to give it a go using the excellent tutorial I found at the download site.

http://www.mrbass.org/dvdshrink/

( hope it's ok to post the link. It was one of the sites lower down the list so some may not have seen it )

I notice when I open decrypter it says no reader detected and the edit button is greyed out.
This is obviously because I have no DVD drive on windows.
Don't think it will let me do much without one.

I will try dvdshrink by itself without the decrypter, send it back to the mac and see what happens.
Thanks again.

[TRI0N]

Actually you should just use the A4DVD to copy the DVD to the network shared directory (on the windows system) then use DVD Shrink to Decrypt the file and Shrink it into an ISO. Then use your MAC to burn the ISO to disc.

I send my DVD Back-Up Jobs and Read the ISO's to Burn from a Linux File Server myself and have not experienced problems thru networking. But that depends on the protocol used. Users that do have problems are more then likely using TCP/IP and not IPX Protocol within their LAN. Default TCP/IP MTU's are too small and will cause problems at high speeds.

[victa]

Thanks TRION.
I just tried opening the files from the shared folder into DVD shrink and got the following error:

DVD shrink encountered an error and cannot continue.
Failed to read file C:\Doc....\All users..\...\VIDEO TS\VTS....etc"

Invalid access to memory location.

Step one and stuck
Don't think I know enough of terminology yet to know what I'm doing wrong.

TRION I grasp a bit of what you are saying
Would like to know more about network protocol you speak of as my network fails to connect first time...if at all sometimes.

Strangest thing happens.
It fails....I check zone alarm and the ip address of the mac.
The number under the TCP/IP tab on the mac network settings has changed THREE times sinse I set it up.
How can this be........( twilight zone theme in background )???
I change the ip in zone alarm and we are go again.

Maybe I've just been up too many nights. Very strange.

I've gone to an after christmas sale today and put a deposit on a dual layer DVD combo drive for my xp machine!
That'll fix it.
$140NZ.
They've come way down since I last checked.

Look forward to participating in this forum more once I get it sussed. Thanks.

[TRI0N]

Ok I'll need to know what your network setup is for the following.
Please tell me what Brand and Model.

Rounter or HUB?

IP assined to both the MAC and Windows system?
Example 192.168.1.x (you don't have to tell me the last set of numbers if it concers you).

What protocols are installed on both system.

For starters you will want to do the following in Zone Alarm. Instead of adding a single IP you should be adding a range of them for "Trusted Network".

Example: 192.168.1.2 to 192.196.1.100

This will eliminate any problem with the mac being assigned a new IP from the routers DHCP service.

Once I have more info I can show you how to secure the shared directory with local allow and deny files.

[victa]

Hi Trion.
Of course....lol.
IP "range". Now I see......

Router or hub? Um I think I know what a hub is and I don't think it's that so must be router.......hope I'm not sounding too dumb here

Protocols installed on both machines?.......mmmm......( blank stare )
I'll have to get back to you on that one.

I set up the network not really knowing anything about all this.
Bought a LAN cable ( it's crossed over or something ).Googled around for tips and fiddled around a bit and it went.

I log on to windows from the eMac ( IP 169.254.162.xxx ), running os x.?.? , and have ticked all the neccessary boxes to do with windows sharing. I then set the server thingy to connect to smb :/ 169.254.137.xxx ( windows IP ).

I ran the network wizard on windows XP home( Dell2400 IP 169.254.137.xxx ) for the shared folder I access from the mac.
Did this after my password was rejected heaps of times from the mac side. Went fine then for a couple of days then not. I know why now

I am going to try to log on to the mac from windows next.
Just learning as I go and greatful for any help along the way thanks TRION.

[terrapin24h]

169.254 address are "automatic" ip addresses. Basically if the machines can't find a dhcp server when they come up(which your's can't because they are peer to peer via your crossover cable) they makeup an ip address and then check to make sure it's not on the network already and then take it(which explains why the macs ip periodically changes). To simplify things, i would suggest you hardcode ip's into both the mac and pc. say 192.168.0.xxx with a subnet mask of 255.255.255.0 and no router(or "default gateway") it's a little more work but then you don't have the clooge of auto ip addressing going on, and your zonealarm firewall will stop having fits In fact, if your pc is not connected to anything else while you're doing this, why not just shut down zonealarm? Macs can't give pcs viruses nor vice versa, so you should be safe, and it might make your life eaiser a bit.

[victa]

Great tips. Thanks
I think there is an option on the mac to stop the ip address changing.
Anyone know where I might find it?
The pc IP doesn't change, well hasn't yet.

Turning zone alarm off good idea meanwhile as I'm never on the net at same time as the network.

Once again computer terminology gets the better of me here.
Bit of a novice in all areas really.
Though I love fiddling with stuff I don't really understand as it's the only way I've learnt anything so far

The subnet mask is 255.255.0.0 , not sure how to set for no router though.

Any more help on hardcoding ip's on both machines would be appreciated.

Thanks terrapin24h