So you want to make a backup of some data you have on a DVD and you use a MAC. This is no where as difficult as it is made out to be, sure you could buy some cool software like DVDRemaster, or Toast Titanium 10 Pro. Or if you are a Unix pro you could install the MacPorts and roll you own solution using Handbrake and various other utilities, however; you could just use the built-in Disk Utility tucked neatly away in your Utilities folder.
- Figure 1::Disk Utility icon
Open Disk Utility (referred to as DU here after) and insert the DVD media you wish to backup. Once the media with your content has been loaded it will appear in the left pane of DU under the drive description. Refer to figure 2 for an example.
- Figure 2::Media selection
The next step is to select New Image from the tool bar above the right pane and the resulting dialog will ask you to title your new image. This step will copy the content from the media into a disc image file, that you could email to other Mac users, if you needed to send this to a PC or Unix/LINUX user then you would need to convert this image to an ISO. We will cover ISO images at a later date.
- Figure 3::Create an image of the media
Once you are satisfied with your image name and select ‘Save’ it will begin the imaging process. Figure 4 demonstrates the action window that displays the progress.
- Figure 4::Imaging Progress
Once the image of your content has been successfully created on your hard disk you will observe (see figure 5 for details) that it is auto mounted by DU and you may eject the disc in the DVD drive at this point.
- Figure 5::New Created Disc Image
At this point you can insert a blank media and select the ‘Burn’ option from the tool bar above the left pane. It’s the one that looks like a radio active warning. If the media is properly loaded in drive a context menu as shown in figure 6 will display. Select the ‘Burn’ button to proceed with the operation and the disc burning progress will be displayed in a window similar to figure 7.
- Figure 6:Disc Burning Menu
- Figure 7::Disc Burning Progress Window
You will be notified upon success or failure. Assuming that all went as planned you will be able to mount your backup copy and verify that the content is intact.
- Figure 8::Burn Success
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