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Q I transferred video from a VHS tape to a DVR/DVD recorder a few years ago but did not finalize the disc and now no longer have the machine. My current DVD player, a Magnavox, won’t even recognize the disc, and my computer won’t either. Is there any way now that I can finalize that disc? —Joe Simone / via e-mail

A Not easily. When you record video to disc with a DVD recorder, you can play back recorded files on the same machine without finalizing the disc. But to play that disc on other devices such as a standalone DVD player or a computer, you first need to finalize it using the same machine. This will confirm that you have finished recording to the disc and enable the recorder to create menus and a directory structure that allows other devices to recognize and read it. While your unfinalized disc is unplayable at this point, you may still be able to save the video files contained on it using software such as IsoBuster. This program reportedly lets you transfer video files from recordable DVDs that haven’t been finalized to your computer so you can burn them to a new disc. IsoBuster costs $40, but if the video on that disc is something you really want to keep, it may be worth it.