Copy DVD to hard drive - how it works

In this practical tip, we will show you how to copy a DVD to your hard drive and explain the role that copy protection plays.

Copy DVD to the hard disk without copy protection

If the DVD is not copy-protected, you can easily copy it to your hard drive.

1. To do this, insert the DVD into the drive of your PC.
2. Open the folder in Explorer in which the desired data of the DVD is located.
3. Select everything with the key combination [Ctrl] + [A] and then press [Ctrl] + [C] to copy the files.
4. Go to the location on your hard drive where you want to copy the DVD content. It makes sense to create a separate folder for the DVD, for example with the name of the DVD.
5. Finally, press [Ctrl] + [V] to insert the elements of the DVD. The DVD without copy protection has now been copied to your hard drive.
6. Alternatively, you can have the process carried out by software. The free VidCoder is easy to use.

DVD with copy protection - the legal situation

With a DVD that is provided with copy protection, copying is a little more difficult.

• Actually, the copy protection should prevent you from transferring the data to your PC, but there are ways to bypass the copy protection.
• You may copy the contents of the DVD onto your computer for private use. The copy tools are also legal because they don't crack the copy protection, but simply bypass them. Instructions can be found in the next paragraph.

Bypass copy protection: Copy DVD to hard disk

Legal software is not allowed to simply copy the files from the DVD. For this reason, the film has to go through completely once and is recorded in parallel. Thus, the storage process takes as long as the movie lasts.

1. Download the free VLC media player and start the tool.
2. Click on "Media" in the top left and select the "Convert / Save" option.
3. Go to the "Medium" tab and select the DVD next to "Drive".
4. Under "Media selection" activate the option "DVD" and "No disc menus".
5. Click the "Convert / Save" button to go to the next step.
6. Select "Video - H.264 + MP3 (MP4)" as the "Profile" and select the desired storage location on your PC under "Target file".
7. If you activate the "Show output" option, you can view the film while it is being saved.
8. You start with the "Start" button. The film runs through once and is then saved on your PC.