Hardbopjazz Posted March 22, 2013 Report Posted March 22, 2013 I am trying to make copies of some files on to a DVD from a Windows PC for Michael Weiss. When he tries to copy the files on his MAC it either crashes his MAC or fails. Anyone have a idea what I can do so he can access the DVD. The files are MP4 files, which is a native MAC format. Quote
Scott Dolan Posted March 22, 2013 Report Posted March 22, 2013 Have you tried leaving them in their original format and letting Michael convert them to MP4's on his Mac? Do you get the option to choose how you format the disc. I.e., data, or DVD video? Having switched to Mac a little over a year ago I can tell you Mac's and PC's get along as well as Jobs and Gates did. Quote
Shawn Posted March 22, 2013 Report Posted March 22, 2013 This doesn't sound like a file problem to me, more like a problem trying to read the burned DVD. Quote
erwbol Posted March 22, 2013 Report Posted March 22, 2013 Why not use some private filesharing service? Quote
mjzee Posted March 22, 2013 Report Posted March 22, 2013 It might also be his optical drive. Try first transferring the files to his desktop, perhaps by using a flashdrive, then he could try opening those files. erwbol's suggestion is also a good one. Quote
Hardbopjazz Posted March 22, 2013 Author Report Posted March 22, 2013 Why not use some private filesharing service? That is what I will try next. Have you tried leaving them in their original format and letting Michael convert them to MP4's on his Mac? Do you get the option to choose how you format the disc. I.e., data, or DVD video? Having switched to Mac a little over a year ago I can tell you Mac's and PC's get along as well as Jobs and Gates did. Yes, and it didn't work. I can convert to just about any format. I tried MP4. This doesn't sound like a file problem to me, more like a problem trying to read the burned DVD. Three DVDs and all didn't work. Quote
Shawn Posted March 22, 2013 Report Posted March 22, 2013 How are they failing exactly? Will they not even transfer to the computer or not open once they are there? Quote
mjzee Posted March 22, 2013 Report Posted March 22, 2013 If you can convert to any format, try converting to iPad/iPod setting. Quote
Hardbopjazz Posted March 22, 2013 Author Report Posted March 22, 2013 How are they failing exactly? Will they not even transfer to the computer or not open once they are there? He can't read the DVD. His MAC locks up. I've tried three different times. If you can convert to any format, try converting to iPad/iPod setting. I can do any of these formats Quote
erwbol Posted March 22, 2013 Report Posted March 22, 2013 (edited) How are they failing exactly? Will they not even transfer to the computer or not open once they are there? He can't read the DVD. His MAC locks up. I've tried three different times. Macs are known to have not so good DVD players. My three year old iMac has been refusing some commercially released DVDs for some time now, DVD-Rs are even more of a problem. CDs are a different matter and all but one disc of my colection can be read by my iMac. Edited March 22, 2013 by erwbol Quote
mjzee Posted March 22, 2013 Report Posted March 22, 2013 How are they failing exactly? Will they not even transfer to the computer or not open once they are there? He can't read the DVD. His MAC locks up. I've tried three different times. >If you can convert to any format, try converting to iPad/iPod setting. I can do any of these formats Try "iPod/iPhone high quality" Quote
Jim R Posted March 22, 2013 Report Posted March 22, 2013 I'm on a Mac, and I occasionally send MP4's to my brother (on a PC), by simply attaching them to an e-mail. Sometimes one per e-mail, sometimes more, depending on the file size. Quote
Scott Dolan Posted March 22, 2013 Report Posted March 22, 2013 (edited) Why not use some private filesharing service? Waahlaah! Why didn't I think of that?! Hardbopjazz, I HIGHLY recommend trying Dropbox. I have been using it for years, and it is worth its weight in gold. Michael will also have to download it on his machine, but once you both go through the quick and easy setup process you'll be able to send him those files and not have to worry about whether his optical drive will get along with the DVD you've burned. You also want be confined to any file size limitations imposed by most e-mail providers. How are they failing exactly? Will they not even transfer to the computer or not open once they are there? He can't read the DVD. His MAC locks up. I've tried three different times. Macs are known to have not so good DVD players. My three year old iMac has been refusing some commercially released DVDs for some time now, DVD-Rs are even more of a problem. CDs are a different matter and all but one disc of my colection can be read by my iMac. Do you ever have that occasional disc that will only rip at, say, 2X? I've had that happen twice on my iMac. And both discs were in perfect condition. I just ask because I always wondered if it was the disc, the iMac, whathaveyou...? Edited March 22, 2013 by Scott Dolan Quote
mjzee Posted March 22, 2013 Report Posted March 22, 2013 Do you ever have that occasional disc that will only rip at, say, 2X? I've had that happen twice on my iMac. And both discs were in perfect condition. I just ask because I always wondered if it was the disc, the iMac, whathaveyou...? That happens to me too. I think it's the technology of that particular disc ("red book" vs. I dunno... I was never up on that whole tech area). Quote
Scott Dolan Posted March 22, 2013 Report Posted March 22, 2013 OK, I had a feeling that was the case. I'm nowhere near tech savvy enough to know "red book" from Red Hook, but figured it was isolated enough to be a problem with the programming (?) of the disc. Quote
Hardbopjazz Posted March 22, 2013 Author Report Posted March 22, 2013 Why not use some private filesharing service? I'm trying this now. Why not use some private filesharing service? Waahlaah! Why didn't I think of that?! Hardbopjazz, I HIGHLY recommend trying Dropbox. I have been using it for years, and it is worth its weight in gold. Michael will also have to download it on his machine, but once you both go through the quick and easy setup process you'll be able to send him those files and not have to worry about whether his optical drive will get along with the DVD you've burned. You also want be confined to any file size limitations imposed by most e-mail providers. Dropbox is easy. I never new about this. Thanks. Quote
Scott Dolan Posted March 23, 2013 Report Posted March 23, 2013 I hope it works for what you want to do, Tom. It hasn't ever let me down. Please keep us updated! Quote
Shawn Posted March 23, 2013 Report Posted March 23, 2013 The optical drives in Macs are the achilles heel, I have a 2 year old Mac Mini and the only disc it will still read is the installation disc that came with it. Quote
erwbol Posted March 23, 2013 Report Posted March 23, 2013 (edited) The optical drives in Macs are the achilles heel, I have a 2 year old Mac Mini and the only disc it will still read is the installation disc that came with it. Than you are more fortunate then me in that respect. I had to make a USB installation drive from an earlier image I made of the OS X 10.6 DVD. Edited March 23, 2013 by erwbol Quote
Scott Dolan Posted March 23, 2013 Report Posted March 23, 2013 Couldn't you just do a full system restore from Time Machine? Quote
erwbol Posted March 23, 2013 Report Posted March 23, 2013 I could, but I need to retain the capacity to do a clean install of OS X 10.6. USB flash drives make for a much more convenient installation medium anyway. Quote
Scott Dolan Posted March 23, 2013 Report Posted March 23, 2013 Ah, OK. I didn't get a recovery/installation disc with my iMac. Is that normal? I thought it was until you cats starting talking about it. Quote
erwbol Posted March 23, 2013 Report Posted March 23, 2013 (edited) From Lion (10.7) on OS X is only available as a download through the App Store. Since you own either Lion or Mountain Lion (10.8) you should probably be able to download a .dmg file through the App Store for free and use this to make a USB install drive if you wish. Edited March 23, 2013 by erwbol Quote
Scott Dolan Posted March 23, 2013 Report Posted March 23, 2013 Yeah, my iMac came with Lion. I still haven't upgraded to Mountain Lion yet. Have never been convinced I needed it. Thanks for the info, though. Quote
mjzee Posted March 23, 2013 Report Posted March 23, 2013 The optical drives in Macs are the achilles heel, I have a 2 year old Mac Mini and the only disc it will still read is the installation disc that came with it. Interesting. I wonder whether that factored into their decision to drop optical drives from the most recent iMacs. Quote
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