CDs That Won't Play or Rip

[Jason Dunn]

Ever run across a CD that won't play or rip in a PC, no matter what you try? And not because of DRM? I was given the "U2 - The Best of 1980 - 1990" CD for Christmas, and I put it in my configured-for-ripping Fujitsu laptop (the big 17" screen one). I use Exact Audio Copy (http://www.exactaudiocopy.de/) coupled with LAME for the most bit-perfect rips possible. Yet when I put the U2 CD into my laptop, Exact Audio Copy didn't recognize there was an audio CD inserted. A bit baffled, I tried accessing the CD directly via My Computer - the OS said there was no CD in the drive. I tried Windows Media Player next, all to no avail. I examined the CD, and couldn't see any physical damage that would result problems such as these. Next I put it in my main workstation computer, one with an LG 16x DVD burner. It recognized the CD fine, so I ripped a copy with Windows Media Player 11 to 256 kbps MP3 - after I had turned on the error correction. It seemed to rip OK, but upon listening back to a few seconds from each track, I heard a drop out. Curses!

I've since ripped a copy in yet another PC, and have listened to half of the album so far (listening to the the entirety of each song) without hearing any problems. So I'm hoping that I finally got a clean rip...but I won't be convinced until I hear every last note from every last song.

UPDATE: I decided to take a different approach. I connected an external Firewire enclosure, that held a hp dvd640 DVD burner, to my laptop running EAC. It completed the rip, error free, but it took quite a while and the log file was 500 lines long - it took multiple reads of many sectors to get the rip. I've yet to listen to it all, but if EAC says it got a perfect rip, I'm inclined to believe it. Still no explanation for why this happened though!

[ctmagnus]

I bought the same CD a few weeks ago but haven't ripped it yet. The first thing I did when I got it home was stick it in a computer and look at it in Windows Explorer; I held shift down so it wouldn't autoplay. Mine is just .cda files, indicating that it is a typical audio CD.

[mrozema]

I was dealing with the same issue yesterday! And wouldn't you know it, it was a U2 cd also (the War album)! AAARG!!!! So frustrating!

I got around it by bringing the disc to work and ripping it in my older LiteOn cdrw drive. Worked like a charm and very quick!

[Jason Dunn]

Hrm. Sounds like there's something fishy going on with U2 CDs... :?

[mrozema]

Maybe just the newest pressed copies. I got a couple other albums that were released within the last 5 years and didn't have a problem. :roll:

[kiwi]

Jason,

I thought you'd be using SlySoft's AnyDVD... ??

I purchased a copy last week (I clicked through your affliate link ;-) along with CloneDVD and CloneDVD Mobile.

I am sure you'll be able to rip it fine using this driver.

b.

[jeffd]

There are some disc that have lots of errors, and laptop drives suck. Every once in a while I have a burned dvd wich has to many errors on it for my laptop to read without popping up the ole crc popup. So I end up reburning the disc even though my main burner in my desktop can read it fine.

[Jason Dunn]

I am sure you'll be able to rip it fine using this driver.

Yes, I use that program, but this isn't an issue of DRM that needs to be bypassed - it seems like a physical dysfunction with the disc itself. I tried ripping with and without AnyDVD running - no change.

[timmy]

Strange, it must be (as you concluded yourself) something wrong with the CD. The same way ctmagnus described, I always hold down Shift when trying to rip one of my copy protected CD's, and without Autoplay they all so far have been able to rip...Easy but powerful trick :lol: