CD recovery

[Scorpion]

Hi all,

I got a weird case with a CD recovery.
I can see the differents in colors (the data on the cd) and barely scratches on it, but still my cd/dvd drive can't recognize the cd.
Any suggestions to handle with that cd?

Many Thanks!

[pcimage]

Try Isobuster or CD Roller

[Scorpion]

Hi pcimage,

Thank you for the advice I will give it a shut.

[Feklar]

Use unstoppable copier, or try reading in a different drive. Some CD/DVD drives just do not like certain types of CD/DVD dye layer materials. I have seen disks with so much red and green displayed in a Nero CD Speed scandisk scan you'd think it was Christmas, that will read completely error-free in another drive.

A command prompt DOS box sometimes works, using the COPY or XCOPY command, and just keep hitting (R)etry repeatedly when it encounters an error, but unstoppable copier is said to work.

XCOPY /?

XCOPY /S (/E) f:\dir1 c:\dir1

Last edited by Feklar on October 8th, 2010, 12:43, edited 4 times in total.

[Nick_CT]

I've found ddrescue to be useful with dodgy optical discs, let it do a few passes.

[Scorpion]

I tried all the recommended software, but non of them succeed to recognize that there is somthing in the optical drive.
I used also different drive and it did not recognize the cd either.
It is clear that there is some data on the drive (almost all of the drive is full).
By the way this is a DVD cd.
Any creative ideas?

[Feklar]

I had to try six different drives before I got one that would read a particularly annoying DVD.

Of course, I have a pile of a dozen or so laying around. No guarantee it will work in your case, but if you can find more drives...

I have an Acer CD lens cleaner with the little brushes on the disk that does a pretty decent job of cleaning a drive, maybe try one of those. I think Wal-Mart sells something similar, or Staples, Office Max, Best Buy, the net... They are good to have regardless of whether it fixes it or not.

The drive needs to be in near perfect condition to read a dodgy disk, if it can be read at all.

I guess there is a difference in Linux between ddrescue and dd_rescue, and dd_rescue is supposed to be better. I haven't used them but many refer to dd_rescue as being their salvation.

They also sell CD/DVD repair / polishing machines halfway cheap on the net, but no certainty there either. If the data is important enough, it might be worth trying.

http://www.google.com/products/catalog? ... IBEPMCMAU#

http://www.google.com/search?q=cd+dvd+d ... CDkQrQQwAg

There are other brands not listed there. You might want to Google some reviews before making a choice.

[ppumkin]

Its a long shot.
But
You could try a SWAP.
If you got a laptop dvd drive to spare-
check if it uses clips on the spindle(easier to swap)
other wise you will have to remove top cover - swap cd - and replace the cover(the top cover usauly has this white round thing that spins freely- it important it align up properly)

-Conenct it up to an external USB CDrom caddy(i dont know if you can buy them seperat- i got one from a broken usb cdrom and put a new dvdrom inthere)

Put a DVD thats reads ok- would be ebst same brand
Let it read- do not access it just let it recognise the DVD inside

Replace it with your dvd and use the software you tried before

ITs a long shot- but its worth a try.. besides-- there is(or was?) a\ thread on here about that already!

£10 please ;P

Good luck

PS Important that you never eject the cd after the swap or loose power- you will need todo it again.

[icon]

How about bad copy pro?