Last week I wrote a 3 part series explaining how to copy (a.k.a. rip) a DVD movie to your iPod:

1. The first article listed the two pieces of necessary software (DVD43 and Handbrake)
2. The second article described how to install and use those two applications together to decrypt and then copy a DVD movie into a format suitable for viewing on an iPod
3. The final article in the series described the steps for importing the newly copied movie into your iTunes library and then syncing with your iPod

If you’ve been wanting to put DVD movies you already own onto your iPod, but didn’t know how, then last week’s 3 part series is just what you need.

Correction: Prevent DVD43 from auto loading at start-up

In the second article in the series I recommended disabling DVD43 from loading at start-up. When it’s running in the system tray (it’s default installation behavior) it’s always waiting to “decrypt” anything you put into your DVD/CD drive. So long as you’re copying DVDs, that’s not a problem; however, if you simply want to rip or play a CD, then DVD43 can sometimes cause you’re system to lock up.

You can use msconfig, as described in the second article, to disable the auto loading of DVD43. Unfortunately,the next time you start your computer, Windows pops up with a warning dialog box. The best way to permanently stop DVD43 from loading at start-up is to remove it from the Windows Registry.

1. Click the “Start” button in the lower left part of your desktop
2. Slide up to and select “Run”
3. In the “Open” input box, type “regedit” (without the quotes) and press “OK” and the registry editor opens
4. From the menu bar select Edit->Find
5. In the Find dialog box type “dvd43_tray” (without the quotes) and press “Find Next”
6. Your search should return the following registry location: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
7. Click once on the entry for “dvd43_tray” in the right hand panel to select it
8. Finally, from the menu bar select Edit -> Delete and answer yes when prompted if you are sure you want to delete this entry
9. Exit regedit and restart your computer

Final word about proper use of Handbrake

Using DVD43 and Handbrake together is an easy way to make copies of movies and television shows for viewing on your iPod or other display devices. Keep in mind, however, that copyright laws are strict and I’m certain that the developers for either product DO NOT advocate illegal usage of their applications. For the record, you should only make copies of material you already own with the intent to view and then remove and destroy. Proper legal usage of these products allows the developers to continue to working on them without getting pestered by organizations obsessed with copyright protection.

Share, Bookmark, or Email this post

If you liked this post, subscribe to TechTraction's RSS feed or TechTraction's email feed

Filed under: How-To & Tech Tips