Windows 7: Does Windows 7 include the ability to "rip" a DVD?

I have burnt/ripped many CD's to my computer so that I do not need to keep the hardcopy. Is there a way to do the same thing for my DVD's? I have no intention of selling or pirating them, we just want to have it all on our HTPC which is not easy to access and only has an external DVD player.

Is it legal? I assume it's legal to rip it, as long as I don't distribute/etc... (which I wouldn't)

I know this is a sensitive subject for some since everyone online is apparently only there for porn and music/movie stealing.................sigh.

Most commercial DVDs are encrypted. Windows 7 does not include a built-in feature to get around that.

There are third-party means of doing that, both freeware and paid (Slysoft). Here's a moderately uninteresting history of an early open source tool:

DeCSS - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A lot of sources for decrypting tools are outside the USA, to avoid the DMCA (Digital Millenium Copyright Act).

I understand. I flaged this thread to be deleted. Some basic searching already answered my question. But I appreciate it!

You can delete your own postings. Go to Edit > Advanced - you will see.

I spend good money on purchasing DVDs, of whch some of them are now near impossible to find, if at all. An the last thin I need is for one of these hard to come by movies to get damaged by use.

So I use DVDFab to make ISO copies of movies, and HandBrake to convert said ISOs to DivX. Which I then stream to my Mede8er over the network. Although I should point out that since version 0.9.4, Handbrake has dropped support for AVI/XVID (and I got banned from their forum for suggesting that they bring it back), so if you want to use it, you need to look for version 0.9.3. Or perhaps if you can suggest a XVid encoder that works like Handrake and can convert directly from ISO...

Yeah, sure, some pundits might say that if I'm worried about losing or damaging a disc, then I should take better care of them, or purchase another copy. I do believe that copyright allows for the creation of a single backup, does it not?

Here's an interesting article on this complex subject:
MPAA Says Making Even “One Copy” of a DVD is Illegal

This isn't really a complex matter. Breaking the encryption is deemed as not being legal. So, if you have to use a piece of software to circumvent the encryption it's illegal. At least if you live in the USA. Doesn't matter if you own the disc, doesn't matter if you cannot find the disk any longer, doesn't matter if the disk was a gift, doesn't matter if you have kids who destroy every disk you own.

Now, whether you agree or disagree with this...that's a complex matter.

well in any case you are supposed to be able to back up one copy for yourself incase the unspeakable happens that was my understanding

Nowdays the rules may have changed some due to all the piracy

To throw something else into the mix... following this logic...

I buy a wireless router for my home, set it up to use WEP encryption, forget the password, then use a BackTrack cd to crack the WEP password. I am breaking the encryption, but am I actually doing something illegal? It is my router, my password, on my network, but if it just boils down to breaking an encryption scheme then that would be illegal for me to do.

I don't know that there is a clear answer, although I have my opinions. I just wanted to throw that out there since it appears to me to be the same type of example without as many illegal implications.

I don't think your home wireless router configuration is protected by the DMCA (digital millenium copyright act). It's that act that forbids the breaking of a encryption algorithm on a movie disc in order to make a personal backup illegal. On the other hand, the "fair use" policy says you are allowed 1 personal copy for your own personal use. But it seems this doesn't apply when the material is protected.