VCD's that dont play on computer!!

[sharartie]

I have a strange problem and I need some advise on it --- I will be gratefull if any body can help me !!

I have recently purchased few VCDs which play perfectly on my friends VCD player but when I try to play these on my computer I get following messages :

Windows 98 recognises the vcd as a audio CD and shows the tracks --- However these tracks cant be accesed through windows explorer. Error message says that the CD is not in the CD drive.

Windows 2000 doesnt at all recognise the CD and windows explorer gives the error message "Drive not accesible --- incorrect function".

I tried playing the CD's by WinDVD Platinum, PowerDVD 4.0 and Windows media player 9. Neither can play the CD and give the message that "No valid drive/ disk found". Window media player 9 report the same message as that of windows explorer that "Drive not accesible --- incorrect function". (Only in windows 2000 --- in win dows 98 it gives the corresponding error message "Cd not in drive")

My computer CD drive run all my other VCDs without any problem which rules out any problem with my computer. More over the vcds are brand new with no scratches and VCD player runs these perfectly well.

I tried to copy the CD on hard disk by using Nero and Ddump. Both the software created the images on the hard drive with .nrg and .iso extensions, respectively. Both the images load on an emulated CD drive but from there on I again get the same old error messages that I get from origional CD. However this experiment confirmed that there is data on these disks which nero and ddump can make the computer read but the question is that why cant windows explorer or any of the latest DVD software can read it ??

I also tried running the VCDs with a DivX player 2.0 but get the same message that i get from windows explorer. "Drive not accesible --- incorrect function".

I am convinced that if vcd player can play these VCD's and nero can read the data there has to be a software that can make them play on computer.

Please help me ??

Sheba

[dcsos]

The file format on the CD is not recognizable as a VALID CD file system,
hence, the OS thinks there's no DISK in the drive.
You say 2 programs get around this....Try to extract the DAT file to MPG
with one of these and author your own VCD using VCD easy or such..

BY THE WAY (sometimes, not in the case of incorrect function message tho') my VIDEO CD's only play when I strike the "1" key cause they're simple video sequences with only one item...
You didn't say If yours were multichapter, replicated or burned

[sharartie]

Any suggestions that how can I acess the dat file --- as nero and ddump makes the image -- and -- cd emulator loads it but the loaded image is not acessible just like the origional CD !!

Regards
Sheba

[dcsos]

This looks cumbersome, but it may help you
http://www.vcdhelp.com/forum/userguides/125214.php

of course, you don't need to skip any parts as yours isn't a Bad disc just unreadable to you

A better tool for extracting the DAT is VCD GEAR but its not freeware like above

hopefully these programs will also access your troublesome disc

[sharartie]

Dear "dcsos"
Sir,
I down loaded IsoBuster. It gives the following error message when I access any of my "unplayable" VCD's. (same error message with all)

"The primary Volume Descriptor (PVD) is unreadable
Read error at address: 16
Device reported error: 05/64/00"

However on clearing the error window Isobuster showed the tracks on VCD. I initially copied it by using the option "Extract user data". It created a file with tao extension. I was not able to play it. However later i copied the track by using option "treat as video only, extract but filter only mpeg video". It created a mpg file which can be played.

Now i can play the VCD by copying the track to hard disk. Is there any way to play it from the CD drive ???

[dcsos]

please use your nero
CHOOSE NEW from the file menu, choose VIDEO CD from the lefthand bar
drag your MPG from the harddrive into the NEW window and burn youself a new VIDEO CD (sorry we can't get the old one to play)

[sharartie]

Dear "dcsos" sir,

Thank you for all the help.
I am really gratefull

Regards
Sheba