Well, there are many methods that can be used to recover damaged CDs but to recover DVDs is somewhat tougher, I have come across many software which claim to do the same but when I tried them, none of them was able to achieve the desired result.
So after banging my head for some time, I have come across one method that worked for me. I am just going to explain and then hope that maybe it would work for you too.
The tool I am going to use here is called CD Check. Well its a paid tool but you I happen to have copy which you can download here.
Whats better is that this tool is just 1.5 MB. Download and install.
This is how it looks
All you need to do is, click on check, once it checks the DVD, you can go ahead and click on Recover Button
You'll see something similar to below
Just specify an output folder and click continue, you should be good to go.
Please let me know if it worked
Monday, December 8, 2008
Tried and Tested method to Recover Damaged CD / DVD
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Minimize removable media headaches in Linux
For many new Linux users, removable media can be a deal-breaker. Anyone coming over from Windows knows you simply insert the CD, use it, and eject it. With Linux, it isn't always that simple. In fact, with Linux, removable media has always held a completely different philosophy.
In the old days of UNIX, removable media was seen in the same light as the PC itself -- multi-user. So when you inserted some form of media (usually a floppy disk, back then), it had to be mounted to a mount point (such as /mnt/floppy) and was then made available to all users on the system. Because of this, the removable media synchronization wasn't "on demand." It typically worked by caching the data until the media was unmounted. Upon unmounting the media, the data was written and the media could be removed.
Linux has caught up to the needs of today's user and, in many cases, the media mounting/unmounting is automatic. But not every situation is the same. Here are some tips that should make your Linux life with removable media better.
Use the right desktop
The right desktop can make your job so much easier. The newest releases of both KDE and GNOME offer systems that check for the insertion of removable media. When a CD is inserted, you will be greeted with a window asking what you would like to do with the media. You can even set that action you choose as the default action to take upon insertion of that type of media. Those desktops also have applets that reside in the panel (or desktop icons) that allow you to easily mount and unmount the media with a click of the mouse. No more entering commands like mount /dev/cdrom /media/cdrom.
Get to know /etc/fstab
Because I generally stick with more old-school desktops (such as Enlightenment DR16), I often still have to mount my removable media. So instead of having to issue the full command mount /dev/sda1 /media/mp3 to mount my MP3 player, I will add a line to my /etc/fstab file that will do two things: Point the device to the correct mount point and make sure the mount point is both readable and writable by the user. The fstab entry will look something like this:
/dev/sda1 /media/ipod vfat users,exec,noauto,managed 0 0
Now when you need to mount the device, enter mount /media/ipod. Just remember to unmount the device before you remove it.
Use udev to make your life easier
Let's build upon using fstab to simplify mount of removable media. Let's say you have an entry in your /etc/fstab file for your iPod pointing it from /dev/sda1 to /media/ipod. Now let's say you plug in another USB device or reboot. The problem is that entry in your fstab file may or may not be valid now because /dev/sda1 might be used by something else. To avoid this, make use of the udev system. You're going to tell udev to always make sure that device shows up with the same filename. Enter a line in the /etc/udev/rules.d/00.rules file that looks like:
## iPod
BUS="scsi", SYSFS{model}="iPod*", NAME="ipod"
Of course, your entry in /etc/fstab will have to change to reflect the above. So now /etc/fstab will look like:
/dev/ipod /media/ipod vfat users,exec,noauto,managed 0 0
Use menu entries for mount/umount
Back in the day, when I used AfterStep, I always had a submenu that included an entry for mounting and unmounting both the floppy and the CD-ROM. This made life much easier because I no longer had to open up a command line and enter the mount and umount commands to use the device. Granted, the window manager you use will determine how this is employed. For example, in Enlightenment, I can create two entries in the user_apps.menu file that look like:
"mount iPod" NULL exec "mount /media/ipod"
"umount iPod" NULL exec "umount /media/ipod"
Now on the Enlightenment menu, I will see two entries: mount iPod and umount iPod. With the device connected all I have to do is click the mount entry. To remove the device I only need to click the umount entry.
Be safe with your removable hard drives
One time, I left a USB drive plugged into a machine I was re-installing the operating system on. I wasn't paying enough attention and wound up with an operating system spanning both my internal drive and my removable drive. Yes, this was a big mistake and no, it has never happened since. Why? Because anytime I install an OS on a machine with a removable drive, that removable drive is removed during installation. It's not a problem, because upon first boot, I plug the drive back in and it is always automatically recognized and mounted. Of course, I will make an entry in /etc/fstab that will automatically mount the drive on boot.
Never forget to use the dmesg command
When you plug in a device or insert removable media, the dmesg command will give you the status of the system. For example, when I insert an iPod into a Mandriva 2008 machine I run the dmesg command and see:
usb 1-4: new high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 2
usb 1-4: configuration #1 chosen from 3 choices
usb 1-4: USB disconnect, address 2
usb 1-4: new high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 3
usb 1-4: configuration #1 chosen from 2 choices
Initializing USB Mass Storage driver...
scsi2 : SCSI emulation for USB Mass Storage devices
usbcore: registered new interface driver usb-storage
USB Mass Storage support registered.
usb-storage: device found at 3
usb-storage: waiting for device to settle before scanning
scsi 2:0:0:0: Direct-Access Apple iPod 1.62 PQ: 0 ANSI: 0
sd 2:0:0:0: [sdb] 58605120 512-byte hardware sectors (30006 MB)
sd 2:0:0:0: [sdb] Write Protect is off
sd 2:0:0:0: [sdb] Mode Sense: 68 00 00 08
sd 2:0:0:0: [sdb] Assuming drive cache: write through
sd 2:0:0:0: [sdb] 58605120 512-byte hardware sectors (30006 MB)
sd 2:0:0:0: [sdb] Write Protect is off
sd 2:0:0:0: [sdb] Mode Sense: 68 00 00 08
sd 2:0:0:0: [sdb] Assuming drive cache: write through
sdb: sdb1 sdb2
sd 2:0:0:0: [sdb] Attached SCSI removable disk
sd 2:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg1 type 0
usb-storage: device scan complete
From this, I know the device is being seen at /dev/sdb. Without knowing this, I would have a hard time guessing where the device has been mapped to.
Don't forget the eject command
Most people don't know that there's a command to eject CDs from the CD drive. Naturally, this isn't an issue for those who have tray CD drives. But for those with slot-loading CD drives, eject will save you from pulling your hair out. After you have used and unmounted your CD drive, open up a terminal and enter the eject command, and your CD will pop out. To simplify the process, make a menu entry for the command.
Remember that the mount command tells all
If you're unsure what devices are mounted on your system, issue the mount command to see a listing of everything currently mounted on your machine. The output looks like:
/dev/sda1 on / type ext3 (rw)
none on /proc type proc (rw)
/dev/sda6 on /home type ext3 (rw)
none on /proc/sys/fs/binfmt_misc type binfmt_misc (rw)
none on /sys/fs/fuse/connections type fusectl (rw)
From this output, I can see that I have no removable media mounted on the machine. So I know it's safe to unplug anything removable. Had there been an entry for, say, my iPod, I would know not to remove the device without unmounting it. Of course, on modern systems (using one of the major desktops), this will be made clear with the icon or the removable device applet on the panel. But this command will be helpful (along with dmesg) in debugging removable media issues.
Reformat your iPod to a Windows format
If you've tried to add songs on a Mac-formatted iPod on Linux, you've probably discovered that it's not possible without jumping through hoops even programmers don't want to jump through. Format your iPod in Windows format, and you won't have any problems using your iPod with Amarok, Banshee, or gtkpod.
Allow others to connect to your removable media
In my office, I have a removable drive mounted to /media/music that contains my entire music collection. I allow others to listen to that music via samba by including it as a share. I like doing this far better than allowing users to have access to my internal drive because 1) it keeps anyone from trashing the drive containing my OS and 2) it allows me to keep sensitive data physically separated from shared data. This approach doesn't have to be used for music, either. It's a great way to share interoffice files or have a single repository for backups. Once the drive is full, remove it and store it. Just add a new removable drive for the new backup.
Simpler, easier
Not only is today's Linux not nearly as challenged with removable media as it once was, it's really quite flexible and user friendly. With the help of these tips, you should now see how you can expand your Linux experience to include various ways to employ removable media.
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
The 10 worst geek gift ideas for the holidays
This post is based on the CNET News.com photo gallery “Holiday tech gifts we don’t recommend,”
#10: Pointless USB add-ons
We’ve had enough of these. Stupid gadgets that plug into your USB ports are not only a waste of space, they’re totally 2006–come on, USB 2.0 is no longer a novelty! So, for the sake of humanity, please don’t stuff stockings with USB rocket launchers (pictured), noodle strainers, aromatherapy humidifiers, and vibrating massage toys (err, OK) Your loved ones will thank you later.
#9: Leaf blower
Leaf blowers. They’d make great gifts, wouldn’t they? Your neighbor with the sloppy yard might really appreciate one of these Toro Electric Ultra Blowers, right?
Think carefully.
Yes, it might be great for keeping lawns tidy, but mark our words–you’re going to regret buying one of these as a gift for anyone who lives within a few hundred yards of your house. That is, unless you manage to invest in a set of high-end noise-canceling headphones for yourself and never take them off.
#8: Nose-hair trimmer
The nose hair trimmer is the gadget equivalent of fruitcake. It will never be a tasteful gift, ever. We’re not going to say any more on this one.
#7: Everki Plunge waterproof iPod case
We couldn’t skip this one–it is, so far, the lowest-rated product out of everything CNET Reviews has catalogued in the entire 2007 calendar year. Sure, this $19 iPod case will keep your music player dry, but unfortunately, it makes it unbelievably difficult to actually hear the sound that comes out. Kind of a bad thing.
CNET Reviews senior editor Donald Bell called the Plunge “a step up from a sandwich bag.” That’s probably telling.
#6: Anything with the “Digg crack code” on it
This past spring, social news site Digg soared to the top of mainstream news when the company refused to obey a Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) takedown notice concerning an HD DVD crack code that a member had posted on the user-powered news rankings. As a result, the “forbidden” code became the geek slogan du jour to toss on mouse pads, coffee mugs, boxer shorts, and just about anything else you can make on CafePress or Zazzle. Also getting in on the trend were tech-focused retailers like Think Geek, which still sells this T-shirt.
But we don’t recommend that you give any “Digg crack code” gear as presents this holiday season. First of all, only the most uber-tuned-in of tech enthusiasts would even understand this in the first place. And second, even if they did, their reactions would probably be something along the lines of, “That is so last year.” You’d be better off with “All Your Base Are Belong To Us,” which at least has some retro-chic appeal now.
#5: Options: The Secret Life of Steve Jobs, A Parody by Daniel Lyons
This is another instance of “only the geeks would get it.” The Secret Diary of Steve Jobs, a once-anonymous blog created by Forbes editor Daniel Lyons (under the pseudonym “Fake Steve Jobs”), was a runaway hit with the Techmeme set as it lampooned the iconic Apple CEO and all the people around him. Unfortunately, Fake Steve’s influence failed to reach very far outside Silicon Valley, and so the novelized version of the blog, published in November, has a narrow potential audience indeed.
Additionally, three CNET News.com reporters who read Options agreed that the book just isn’t that good. It has its funny moments, but the plot doesn’t really work (especially considering that a shareholder lawsuit over Apple’s stock options mess was just dismissed), and some of the most hilarious characters from the Secret Diary, like Squirrel Boy (a.k.a. Google CEO Eric Schmidt) and Mr. Bigglesworth (Valleywag gossip blogger Owen Thomas) failed to merit any appearances in the novel.
So, yeah, skip this one. Get your favorite Apple geek some new iPod accessories instead.
#4: Motorized toothbrush
Motorized toothbrushes have been around for a while. This one sold by Hammacher Schlemmer is even ultrasonic. You might be tempted to grab one of these for a family member as a holiday gift that would actually be useful–it seems like a logical choice.
But stuff like this just makes an awkward gift. You never know who will open one of these and take it as a subtle statement of “your breath smells bad.”
Likewise, some people, upon receiving exercise equipment, will take it to mean “you’re fat.” Or “your feet smell” for one of those, uh, foot smell-reducers, or “you have a drinking problem” for a personal breathalyzer.
Best to steer clear of these unless you’re really confident about how it’ll be received. Heck, even a Roomba robot vacuum could be taken the wrong way by certain people-you know: “Not only are you a slob, but you’re lazy, too.”
#3: Anything HD DVD or Blu-ray
So maybe you have good reason to know that someone on your holiday shopping list is going to actually have use for HD DVD or Blu-ray products, whether they be the discs themselves or the hardware to play them–PlayStation 3 owners, for example (the Sony console comes with a Blu-ray player), or someone who’s actually taken the plunge and purchased an HD DVD or Blu-ray player (or the combo player that LG makes). But that’s the exception to the rule.
The ugly hi-def format wars unfortunately aren’t over yet. Maybe we’ll know by next year, but this is still enough of a toss-up that it probably merits holding back on the holiday gifts.
Plus, there’s always the awkward situation in which you thought your brother had a Blu-ray player, so you bought him the first season of Prison Break on Blu-ray, only to learn that he’s actually an HD DVD devotee. Oops.
#2: Windows Vista
Let’s face it. Anyone who actually wanted Vista already has it; the system’s been out for almost a full year now. The folks who don’t have it are either Mac or Linux users, or holdouts who’ve heard about the well-documented bugs in the system.
Moreover, operating systems are a total yawn. Who wants to get one of these as a holiday gift, anyway?
#1: Anything holiday-themed
So you’ve picked out a set of solar-powered Christmas tree lights, Hanukkah-themed iPod skin, $1,500 outdoor light-up display shaped like Santa Claus driving a golf cart (pictured), or some other gift that (you think) ties in nicely to the holiday season.
Well, guess what? By the time that special someone opens the gift up, the holidays are just about over, sucker! That is, unless your friend receiving the gift is one of those wackos who puts out Christmas decorations on 12/26 and leaves them up through July…and if that’s the case, we think you have weird friends.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Technology never stops growing... Amazing
iPod detachable speakers
