Audio CD won't play? Why not?

[Pilgrim]

I have an audio CD that will play in my car, on my motorcycle, on my Bose AW, and on my wife's Windows XP laptop.

 

It will not play on either my Win7 desktop or laptop. In fact, it locks iTunes and Win Media Player up tight; have to CTRL ALT DELETE to kill them.

 

I bought it last summer in Flagstaff at a store run by the descendants of the indigenous occupants of this continent. Anyhow, it was produced by some outfit in Albuquerque. I talked to the guy there on the phone and he said, "Wow! That's an old one" when I told him the title and group. Put out circa 1994. He says he believes it might have some sort of copy protection but he was pretty vague. I may have smelled cannabis over the phone.

 

Any idea what could be the hold up?

[sgendler]

Yep. Producers experimented with putting intentional errors on CDs that most hardware CD players weren't susceptible to but which windows was - this would prevent people from using their computer to rip the audio. Some forms of this copy prevention could be repaired by making the outside edge of the disk black with a sharpie-type pen. Or find a 2-disc recorder/player and clone the disk. The copy will likely be able to play on windows.

[AZKomet]

I have an audio CD that will play in my car, on my motorcycle, on my Bose AW, and on my wife's Windows XP laptop.

 

It will not play on either my Win7 desktop or laptop. In fact, it locks iTunes and Win Media Player up tight; have to CTRL ALT DELETE to kill them.

 

I bought it last summer in Flagstaff at a store run by the descendants of the indigenous occupants of this continent. Anyhow, it was produced by some outfit in Albuquerque. I talked to the guy there on the phone and he said, "Wow! That's an old one" when I told him the title and group. Put out circa 1994. He says he believes it might have some sort of copy protection but he was pretty vague. I may have smelled cannabis over the phone.

 

Any idea what could be the hold up?

 

Hmmmmm send it to me. I bet I can fix it. I give a money back warranty. Cuz I don't charge you!!!!! A stickler for sure....

[Pilgrim]

Yep. Producers experimented with putting intentional errors on CDs that most hardware CD players weren't susceptible to but which windows was - this would prevent people from using their computer to rip the audio. Some forms of this copy prevention could be repaired by making the outside edge of the disk black with a sharpie-type pen. Or find a 2-disc recorder/player and clone the disk. The copy will likely be able to play on windows.

 

I think you're on the right track (heh, heh) Sam, but it will play on an XP machine. Seems like it's Win7-sensitive. But the copy protection must be in the digits, for I can copy the tracks to a thumb drive and then back to my desktop and it still locks iTunes and Media Player up. Won't play directly off the thumb, either.

 

Dave, after having listened to it a few times here at home on my Bose I understand why they never made the big time. It's the Navajo country music sound done in a garage, I think - it's better than Chinese karaoke but not by much. Wind noise on the bike is a good accompaniment, it seems. It may be on your way shortly.

 

Pilgrim