# Playing CDs in computers' CD drives

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/playing-cds-in-computers-cd-drives/195106>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 14, 2003, 7:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/playing-cds-in-computers-cd-drives/195106 "2003-08-14T07:41:05Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![RexDart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b77776/32.png) [@RexDart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RexDart)\
**Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 7:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/playing-cds-in-computers-cd-drives/195106/1 "2003-08-14T07:41:05Z")

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For some reason, which answer I suspect but seek confirmation for, disc 1 of my copy of Genesis’ “The Lamb” won’t even read in my computer’s CDR drive, but disc 2 will. On examination of the discs, I have noticed that disc 1 has a transparent rim, that is to say that the outer edge of the CD is see-through. This is not the case with disc 2. I figure this has something to do with it.

This is particularly annoying, since I typically compress and save all CDs I buy to --aps mp3 files and listen to them primarily on my PC. (Since I own the store-bought discs I assume I have the right to do that, so this is an OK question on this board, right?) I caught a snippet of conversation on the 'net that leads me to believe this problem may be rectifiable, but I may have caught it out of context and the proposed solution is not something I want to try unless I hear it supported by others. (IIRC, the suggestion was to take a black sharpie and fill in the transparent rim, though I don’t know precisely the method.)

Has anyone encountered this sort of problem, and how do you suggest I solve it?

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**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\
**Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/playing-cds-in-computers-cd-drives/195106/2 "2003-08-14T10:06:26Z")

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take it back to the shop and get a replacement ?

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**Author:** ![biqu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7feea3/32.png) [@biqu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/biqu)\
**Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/playing-cds-in-computers-cd-drives/195106/3 "2003-08-14T13:38:48Z")

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Will disc 1 play in your stereo? If so, you can hook up a patch cord from the line out jack of your stereo to the line in jack on your computer and use a recording program like [Audacity](http://audacity.sourceforge.net/), [sox](http://sox.sourceforge.net/) or [messer](http://www.mpex.net/software/details/messer.html) to record the audio stream. The downside of this method is that recording will take longer than a CDDA rip through your CD-ROM drive.