I think I'm going insane because of this CD! I'm trying to backup the soundtrack to the move Star Wars: Episode II - Attack Of The Clones, but when I insert the CD in my CD-ROM reader it can't find the disc! It keeps trying though. The poor CD-ROM tries and tries to read the CD without any result whatsoever.

Can anyone out there please give me a hint on how to bypass this protection? I've tried the thing with duct tape but I didn't get it to work! I might have done it in the wrong way or so, I don't know... My guess is that another kind of protection is used on the above mentioned CD(?). As I was saying, I'm getting kind of desperate here, so if you know how to get pass the protection on this particular CD don't hesitate to answer my prayer!!

Thank you.

// BaldByChoise

Play it thru the "line out" of a quality CD player, using well shielded cables (try "Monster Cable") and record using a Wave recording program. My guess is, anyone but "golden ears" couldn't tell the difference. Especially if converted to MP3 afterward.

It is more to do with the CD drive rather than the software the success you will have ripping it, details of this disc are here:

http://fatchucks.com/z3.cd.starwars.soundtrack.html

Try different CD drives, if you come across a CD drive that recognises a CD but has the wrong times/track numbers listed then in the latest dBpowerAMP Music Converter (the CD Ripper part) there is a section that allows you to 'repair' these damaged CDs.

The same as Celine Dion ? Key2audio ? Here's a list of drives that can read it :
http://www.afterdawn.com/news/archive/2974.cfm

Fewtch, why using analog recording ? Go for digital, the quality is better !
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/eac/message/12835

The AOpen x48 always seems to come out good for these protected discs, it is probbably as cheap to buy now as an audio CD!

The obvious answer is, if you have the original, pop onto www.download.com and get a music sharing program and download the EPII tracks someone has already extracted, as you have the original you are perfectly within your rights to do this, there is nothing illegal about doing so.

Not sure, but I think that this may also help http://www.cdroller.com/

If it's a matter of choice between either analog recording, or digital (with errors) + and using one of those "corrector" programs to de-click the audio, my guess is analog recording would sound better.

Digital would work (better with a high-end soundcard), but I don't just assume everyone has a soundcard with digital input, and a CD player with digital output... such a case would probably be unusual, my guess is maybe 5-10% of people (at most) have the proper setup.

Buy a Marker pen.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/54/25274.html

No problem about errors in digital output, it's the same data that is sent to the DAC for the analog output, it has already been error corrected.

Yes the problem is the SPDIF input on the soundcard. Because nowadays CD ROM drives usually feature an SPDIF 2-pin internal output just near the 3-pin analog output. At least the three last I bought (Sony DDU1621, Yamaha CRW3200, Memorex DVDMAXX 1648) have one.

A big thanx to all who answered my prayer!
I just wanted to inform you that the best method to rip the Star Wars - Episode II CD is with CloneCD + CDmage (Hopefully this method will work on other protected discs!);

1) Make an Imagefile with CloneCD.
2) Convert the Imagefile to Wav-files with CDmage.
3) Cut away the first 3 seconds or so of the first
track with a wave file editor. You can easily
see where the track really starts.
4) Burn an audio CD with any burning software. Now
you have a 100% copy without the protection!

PS. I heard about the method with the marker pen/duct tape, but I didn't get it to work with this CD. Another type of protection perhaps?
Once again, THANX!!