Data recovery: Chipped CD

I've got a music CD with a small chunk missing. The computer recognizes it and assigns a drive letter, so I'm going to try and recover the data off it. Problem is, even if the data is recovered...won't it just be a bunch of 1kb files due to copy protection(will need to rip the music)?

Normally I would just throw it away and replace it, but the owner(a relative) needs it for her work(she's a fitness-type person). We're both quite broke right now for the holidays.

I've tried both Ontrack EasyRecovery and Filerecovery professional, and neither seem to be doing the job. Is this a lost cause?

KG

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Comments

Darthn3ss

let me know if you find anythign. i have a dvd with a nice size crack in it.. it still plays most of the DVD, but i'd like the rest

KGhaleon

I can play the audio CD, but the music "jitters" when it hits that crack. I got a hold of winamp for ripping the music, but I'm sure the music will still be screwy. I may have to just find a "cheap" solution to this problem. <_< >_>

edit: Oh, anyone that's interested...it's "Riverdance music from the show." I wish people would take care of their software. >_<

Plantwiz

Have you considered some of the polishing options?

I've heard of using something like this:
http://www.delviesplastics.com/waxes_cleaners_novus.htm

I've not tried it, but I know we've used it on Greenhouses (plexiglass windows and such) and I know of people who've used it on Motorcycle helmets and such.....I've read somewhere it can be used on CDs....might be worth testing on a 'test' disc first.

KGhaleon

That might work if it were just a crack, but in my case there's a part of the CD missing. It's a very small piece, but it messed with every track. I'm sure this cd is history.

dynamik

Have you tried ripping it from something free like iTunes?

Most people can't tell the difference between 128-256k mp3s/aacs and CD audio. You can go the overkill route and rip at 384-512k if you're really parnoid. At that point, you could probably burn it back to the CD and never know the difference.

There are numerous utilities that will rip uncompressed wavs from CDs, but I don't know of any that are free.

dynamik

KGhaleon wrote:

That might work if it were just a crack, but in my case there's a part of the CD missing. It's a very small piece, but it messed with every track. I'm sure this cd is history.

Maybe I'm not understanding your problem. How does just a small chip effect every track?

Plantwiz

KGhaleon wrote:

That might work if it were just a crack, but in my case there's a part of the CD missing. It's a very small piece, but it messed with every track. I'm sure this cd is history.

I'm sorry...my misunderstanding....I pictured a divot in the disk

KGhaleon

*gives plantwiz a hard time*

Well, when I try to play the audio CD the tracks seem to skip or stutter. It does this on all the tracks, so the chipped part has to be the problem. It's gone, obsolete, etc...so that data is likely gone as well. I figure even if I rip it, the audio won't get any better.

Plantwiz

KGhaleon wrote:

*gives plantwiz a hard time*

No trouble....I just didn't *think* about what I was reading and pictured something else

Schluep

Plantwiz wrote:

KGhaleon wrote:

*gives plantwiz a hard time*

No trouble....I just didn't *think* about what I was reading and pictured something else

Haha, you saved me the trouble of making the same mistake. When I first started reading through this thread just now I thought exactly the same thing and would have posted the same response had I not seen yours first.

If there is a substantial chip of the CD missing your least expensive bet may be to buy another CD as opposed to attempting a recovery. If it was highly critical data it may be worth exploring more and paying some money to have it recovered or obtain tools to do so, but in your case that route would likely be more expensive than the cost of the CD.

Plantwiz

Schluep wrote:

Haha, you saved me the trouble of making the same mistake. .....
.

I help where I am able :P