Originally posted by: wainsco
but "software" is required to extract the dvd content to the hard drive

You're right. Software is required. That software is called an operating system.
I should have said you don't need any additional software, besides an OS, to copy unencrypted files from DVD to hard drive.

Of course you're free to use whatever additional software(s) you desire.
Some of them (apparently DVD2One) might change the files even though the files don't need to be changed (don't need to be decrypted, don't need to be shrunk).
Some (like Nero) might change the files without telling you and without touching the files' modification date/time.
(That was an older version of Nero I tried. Maybe they've fixed that bug by now.)
If cloning the original files isn't your goal, then feel free to ignore everything I write.

Don't let me ruffle your feathers. Although I'm not dowloading these, it's nice of you to offer them for those who want 'em.