CD Ripping/extracting -not the illegal kind guys

Hey there,
I purchased my computer back in 2001 for roughly $2,000 and it came with some recovery cd's that have since gotten scratched and one is unreadable in dos mode. I was wondering if I could(I know how, so don't explain) use Alcohol 120% to make an image of the cd, then extract the files using another tool such as Magic ISO. Is that possible? I know that files can be extracted from ISO files, but I don't know if they can be extracted from one like this.

Any suggestions?(other than making new recovery cd's, I want the stuff I paid so much money for and can't get back cause I've upgraded my comp and some of the original hardware no longer works at all.)

Edit: Ok, I've managed to extract the pac file using the info here:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/show....php?p=1370867

But some of the files didn't extract. Here's the list of files contained in the .pac file:

[Group1]
Text=Documents
Item0=VAIO Documents

[Group2]
Text=Software
Item0=Acrobat Reader
Item1=Adaptec Easy CD Creator
Item2=Adaptec UDF Reader
Item3=America Online
Item4=Common Solutions for Support Agent
Item5=CompuServe 2000
Item6=CPU Fan Control
Item7=DV Codec for Quicktime
Item8=DV Shared Library
Item9=DVD Express
Item10=Dvgate
Item11=ImageStation Library
Item12=Media Bar DVD player
Item13=Memory Stick Formatter
Item14=Motion JPEG Decoder
Item15=Movie Shaker
Item16=MPEG Decoder
Item17=Netscape Communicator
Item18=Norton Anti Virus
Item19=OpenMG Core Installer
Item20=OpenMG Jukebox
Item21=OpenMG Plug in Installer
Item22=PhotoPrinter 2000 Pro
Item23=Photoshop Elements
Item24=PictureGear
Item25=Premiere LE
Item26=Premiere LE DVgate Plugin
Item27=Prodigy Internet
Item28=Quick Time 4.1
Item29=Quicken 2001
Item30=Real Entertainment Suite
Item31=Real Producer G2
Item32=Real Producer G2 ActiveX Control
Item33=Smart Capture
Item34=Sony Shared Library
Item35=SoundForge XP
Item36=Tomb Raider
Item37=Total Access
Item38=UI Designer Selector
Item39=VAIO Action Setup
Item40=VAIO Support Agent
Item41=VisualFlow
Item42=module.ini software

I still want to extract the files that didn't extract. Does anyone have a clue as to what I'm talking about here?

Long shot but if you know someone with a really good cd/dvd drive, there is a better chance of reading. More expensive drives may have better error correction algorithims (for figuring out what is in the unreadable segments), or simply read the cd better.



FYI one of the differences in the formats for burning music and data disks is that data is burned in a way that makes correcting errors easier during read back.



Also try a prog like freeware Isobuster or payware CD/DVD diagnostics (you probably did already). May only confirm the disk is zapped!



Starman*

I have Magic ISO, Alcohol 120%, Deep Burner, Ultra ISO, and CD Mage. None are actually able to explore/extract the .pac file(which is really what I'm looking for, cause sound forge is a pretty expensive program, and the only reason I want to open the pac file).

Do you know of a program that can open/extract pac files(besides kcap)? I was actually able to backup the discs on my dad's comp(he has a fairly new dvd rw drive), but it didn't work right. I wasn't able to read them in dos(have to for the recovery process).

The two programs I mentioned are not dvd creation/editing/burner programs. They are dvd analysis programs that are designed to find all files, deleted files, files with read errors, measure degree of readability, conformity to standards etc. Equivalent to various Windows file recovery programs such as Fast File Recovery, File Scavenger. They will tell you if the pac file is recoverable intact.



Someone else can advise you on exploring the pac file. My posts are concerned with increasing chances of reading the cd in the first place.



Starman*

Ok,

I used Isobuster to get this:





That scan took about an hour to complete. I don't know if it means anything or not. The section above the one selected in the image was empty.

So did the extraction thing you tried work?

If not, then its probably of no use and you just wasted your time because even though it may of been able to read it and created an image where you extracted it later, when it read it... it probably wasn't able to read some parts; those were probably the parts that were scratched and unreadable in dos, thus it may of skipped it.

What I can think of is to get one of those scratch remover cd/dvd cleaner.

New_compforum_user, in the isobuster listing, what was in the upper groups, the ARCD listings? That's where the good stuff is. The dlls that are shown clearly could not be your pac file (only 336 Kb).



The length of the scan is not a good sign. I assume that Isobuster is similar to CD/DVD Diagnostics that I mostly use. You don't have to always wait for the scan to complete. The good stuff should be found quite quickly. Stop scan after a few minutes and look. If not there, run complete scan.



As computerhakk suggested you should try cleaning the disk in case any of the scratches have guck in them. I just use isopropanol and a cloth on disks that I don't care too much about the long-term future.



Starman*

The extraction of the pac file did work, but it didn't extract Soundforge XP and a few other programs(rougly 10-14 of them). I can't afford one of those scratch removal things right now(i'm broke).



What I saw in the ARCD listings was what I was able to see by going into my computer and clicking on the dvd drive. Both listings were the files that were on the cd, well here's what it shows in the blue and red listings:

















Isoproponal is rubbing alcohol, right? If so(and I have nothing to lose, can't really even use the cd's anymore), what exactly would it do to the cd? What could go wrong? Would it be like using rubbing alcohol on a playstation's case?



Also(and I know this is probably a stupid question), what about using the solution that my eye doctor gave me to clean my sunglasses? Afterall, it fills in scratches right?

One of those solutions that claims to fill in scratches may work quite well by restoring the refractive index in the scratch and allow better reading by the laser. Again, only try on disk you don't mind losing. For same reason, spit and a cloth is better than nothing!



Yes rubbing alcohol is isopropanol but may have additives if sold as such. I get the plastic bottles of isopropanol 99% at a pharmacy. Cheap. Never tried it on a Playstation case. Got a few coaster disks around to try on?



Was the Sound Forge separate to the pac file? I got the impression it was in that and that's why you had to extract it. If you have the pac file intact and cannot extract Sound Forge, surely you are done.



As I said earlier I was only concerned with reading the dvd. If you need more info on pac file extraction you need help from someone else.



Starman*

I found some other articles on pac files:

myplc.com

I don't know how it compares to the one you mentioned. There are two methods described. You need kcap.exe. There is a link to get it.



I don't hold out much hope. If you already tried to extract the files by some other method from a complete pac file, other methods won't be successful either. Still worth a try.



Starman*