Minor (possibly) CD/RW drive issue (+ a few weirdness)

Factual Questions
1

Ok, I’ve been using my brand new CD/RW drive like mad lately, and I’ve run across a couple “problem child” music CDs. What happens is, once I insert the disk, everything freezes up. Sometimes I’m able to eject the disc, sometimes not. Usually it results in having to reboot my machine.

I’m using Nero Express to rip songs to mp3 (for a personal collection, so no mods get excited, please!) plus I’ll often have a few other progs in the background, but I’ve tested the 2 cds with the problem after a clean reboot & all other progs disabled, and it still happens.

Ok, “copy protection” you’re thinking, right? Thing is, both of these CDs I’ve had in my collection since 1990 or before, so unless the RIAA has invented time travel or something, that’s not the issue. Also, both CDs play just fine in my older Sony 32x CD-Rom, which, being in its twilight years, cannot read about 90% of my music CD collection. Except these, apparently.

So…my question is…is this just a “bad CD” thing, or is it the sign of a small problem that will gradually grow over time until the drive is unusable? I ask this because it is brand new and still under warranty, but not for long.

(Also, Netscape 7.0 has picked up a weird “glitch”…whenever I right-click to download something, when the status window opens, the progress meter starts “rippling”, kinda like a barber pole, for just a brief second before it acts like normal. Never did that before, and it’s actually kinda trippy :cool: so it seems a non-issue, but I thought I’d share that just in case.)

2

Can you rip the problem children with the old Sony and then add the mp3s to the new collection?

3

Thing is, when I rip mp3s from the few CDs that will let the Sony drive spin up, they typically end up with some mastering errors or other glitches.

But on those 2 CDs that make the new LG drive spazz out…the Sony drive works perfectly fine. Hmmf.

4

Assume it’s your music cause we don’t do music piracy here.

What drive are you using specificially & what media? Who made it & what speed do you write at ?

Also try another media.

5

handy…huh?? I’m talking about regular music CD’s, the type you buy in a store. And I already mentioned the drives, by brand name at least.

6

Try turning off auto-insert notification. In Win9x, open up the System Properties -> Devices -> (Your CD-players) -> Properties -> Settings -> uncheck AIN -> Apply

KGS: It would be greatly helpful if you provided all relevant information. Leaving out the OS, the actual drive used, etc. tends to send away people who might otherwise be helpful. E.g., tell us about the cables to the drive. More than one device? Master/Slave settings, etc. Tell us everything and then maybe you’ll get better help.

7

Handy didn’t read the OP; he’s jittery about ‘music piracy’ issue original poster addressed.

8

Ok full disclosure:

P3/450mhz cpu (which nearly burned up 2 weeks ago but is fine now, thanks.
384mb RAM
40GB hd (primary master)
250mb Zip drive (primary slave - which the manual strongly did not recommend, but it works fine, go figure.)
Already said LG (brand) CD/Rx48/RWx24/DVDx16 and Sony (brand) 32x, but I forget how to check which is slave or master w/o rebooting & checking CMOS (I think new CDRW is slave)
56K modem
ancient SB64 s/card
not quite as ancient NVidea 32mb AGP v/card
umm…a mouse? anything else?

BTW one of the CDs has an anti-theft magnetic stripe still attached to it…possible problem?

Oh, and the two CDs are Phil Collins “Hello I Must Be Going!” and Tony Banks “A Curious Feeling” – letting you know just in case the connection is that they are both ex-Genesis members. :smiley: