Reading old CDs in XP? - Tech Support Forums

TheRobster · May 23rd, 2003, 01:49 PM

Hi all,

About a year ago I backed up some important files onto CD using an old Sony CD-RW drive, under WinME and using whatever software came with the CD writer.

Now I have a new machine running WinXP, only when I try to access the files on the CDs XP won't read them. In fact, it doesn't even think there is a CD in the drive!

Is there anyway to get XP to see the files on the disk? I am guessing that the CD writing software that is part and parcel of XP is totally different to that I used to back-up the files originally, hence XP doesn't understand the format they were saved in.

Is there a way round this though?

Cheers

-Rob

Shawn711 · May 23rd, 2003, 02:04 PM

XP shouldn't have a problem recognizing the cd since the format of the cd itself should be readable...........my theory would be maybe scratches on the cd or oil from handling on the surface. Try cleaning the surface of the cd with a very soft cloth, lightly wiping from the center straight out to the outside edge......hopefully that will help.......

Shawn

TheRobster · May 23rd, 2003, 02:10 PM

Shawn,

Thx for replying, but I don't think the problem is for the reason you've suggested. I backed up over a dozen CD's worth of data and I think it unlikely they are all damaged.

On inspection they look fine. I could accept maybe one or two of them been damaged, but I think it unlikely they all are!

-Rob

Shawn711 · May 23rd, 2003, 02:14 PM

What type of data is on them and what format are the files? Also, what format did you burn the cds in and in what program?

Shawn

TheRobster · May 23rd, 2003, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Shawn711
What type of data is on them and what format are the files? Also, what format did you burn the cds in and in what program?

Shawn

There were a wide variety of files, such as .wav, MIDI, word documents. Cubase song files etc...

I can't remember what software I used - only that it was the software that came with the CD writer.

I've just been trying some more of the CDs - some of them don't work at all, whereas some just appear blank, but XP thinks there is 0 bytes free and 0 bytes used, but I can see from looking at the back of the CD that it's nearly full!

Shawn711 · May 23rd, 2003, 02:45 PM

Here's a link that may help.......... http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;EN-US;321640

Shawn

thegladiatorgy · May 23rd, 2003, 02:47 PM

Is it possible to try the cd's in a another system? I really don't think it's XP causing the problem.

youngqd · May 23rd, 2003, 05:04 PM

Win2000 had terrible problems reading old CDRs.
XP is built atop Win2000.
The thing that reads the CD is called ASPI.
XP's ASPI is much better than Win2000s.
But I have also had this problem.
I use a Win98 machine to read the old CDRs & CDRWs.
Then I send it over my local net to the XP or Win2000 machine.

Chilean Red · May 25th, 2003, 11:51 AM

Robster...
I had similar problems....try downloading ISOBUSTER, it's free, and it worked for me...

http://www.smart-projects.net/isobuster/

Good Luck!

JayMan · May 25th, 2003, 12:17 PM

Could it be that you used DirectCD to write to those discs, and you don't have DirectCD (or a UDF reader) installed on your new system?

JayMan