Here's how I used Virtual Box, Windows 2k, DVD43 and Handbrake on my Core i7 920 machine running Vista 64 bit for backing up DVDs.

1. install Oracle's Virtual Box (it's free )
2. install a 32 bit OS -- Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista or Windows 7. I chose Windows 2000 because it was closer (<24" away) than my unused XP disk (which is right over there *pointing at shelf <~5' away* ).
3. install .NET 2.0 (required for Handbrake)
4. connect an external USB DVD drive (I actually took at DVD ROM drive just kicking around and the IDE to USB module from my hard drive external enclosure and fit them inside a shoebox -- I know, it's totally redneck and my dear wife reminded me of that point when I showed it to her.....). Anyway, I had to use an external drive using UDP to circumvent some weird thing in how DVD43 wasn't seeing the DVD from the mounted SATA DVD drive.
5. in the Virtual Box settings I had to find my shoebox DVD drive and enable "passthrough".
6. Install DVD43.
7. Install Handbrake. I used .93 (I don't like v .94). BTW, must run in >1024x720 mode.

Works like a champ. Just posted it here for posterity.