CDs play okay on home stereo but not computer

Jeff Strouse · Post by **Jeff Strouse** » 25 Apr 2006 7:56 pm

Recently I've gathered all my CDs which have paper labels attached to them, and virtually none will play or save properly on my computer's DVD/CD ROM drive.

Read erros occur at various points, depending on the disc. The first few tracks will play on most discs, then interrupt at some point. Some cannot be read at all. Interestingly enough, the "bad" tracks are always the latter ones. For example Tracks 1-4 will play, but 5-16 will not. Or, all but the last two tracks will play.

However, what puzzles me, is that most all of them play fine in a regular home stereo CD player (a few have a "scratchy" sound, usually {again} on the last few tracks of the disc).

I've also tested this on a friend's computer. His played a few that mine would not, but basically we had the same issue...most all of them had some type of read problem.

I know "paper labels" can cause problems with discs. But what makes the computer drive not able to read it these CDs, when a home stereo can with no difficulty?

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 26 Apr 2006 3:05 am

If they won't read on a CD/DVD ROM drive, try the CD burner drive as the Laser in those drives usually has a higher intensity and may be able to read them.

As far as the tracks, a CD is burned from the inside out - just the opposite of "vinyl" recordings. e.g. Track 1 is closest to the hole in the CD and the highest track is closest to the outer edge.

But it is strange that the PC's drives won't read them. Usually it's the other way around. But the fact that they are not 100% readable on a CD player (you mention static, etc) suggests deterioration in the CD's. Heat and/or light can cause damage, time can cause some CD media to become unstable. The labels could have caused damage to the coating on the disc and what is causing the problems. There is an old trick of using a black Sharpie pen and darkening the label side of the CD with the pen to make them play. You can try that on one CD and see if it helps.

Jeff Strouse · Post by **Jeff Strouse** » 26 Apr 2006 3:45 am

Hi Jack -

Actually the DVD/CD drive I mentioned is a DVD/CD writer drive (it's the only one I have). It's relatively new...got it about six months ago when my original drive when bad.

I saw some Memorex "Black Label" blank CD-Rs at Best Buy. The sales guy there said he feels those are "the best" all around for the money...$20 bucks for a spindle of 50. But doing an internet search, I've read just as many bad comments as good about them.

I assume all CD-R media is not created equal, but it's such an erie coincidence that the only problem I'm having in my DVD/CD writer drive is with CDs with the stick on paper labels.

But it also seems that all CD/DVD drives aren't created equal, since some will read certain CDs, while other's won't.

Very frustrating....

John Daugherty · Post by **John Daugherty** » 26 Apr 2006 4:54 am

Jeff, I have heard stories about "cheap" CD-R disks. I use "Nero" to burn CDs and have never had any problems with the cheap disks.
A couple of times, I have heard the skipping problem after I exited from Nero after burning some CDs. I don't know what the problem was. After I rebooted the computer, everything worked fine.

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www.home.earthlink.net/~johnd37

winston · Post by **winston** » 26 Apr 2006 5:59 am

If you are using windows media player that may be the problem. Re-install media player, it can be downloaded from microsoft. I don't know about other players. Winston May

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 26 Apr 2006 7:07 am

The Memorex CD blanks are considered by many to be the worst on the market. You can get a good batch or a bad batch.

Taiyo Yuden is a highly rated CD-R blank. I've had good luck with Verbatim's that I buy at Sam's Club.

But, paper labels are known to be a potential problem with CD-R's. There was a recent post about Labels, or a Label program (don't remember) but there was a comment on that about damage that paper labels can cause.

I doubt that the Media Player will make any difference, the problem you are having is not a Media Player issue.

Here is a link to "The Predator's" site. He is one of the more knowledgeable CD/DVD "experts" on the Dell Users Forum. I don't know if there is anything there you can use but it's worth looking at. http://www.the-predator.com/