CD clicking noises

[Kazuaki Shimazaki]

Recently, I bought a new computer to replace my older one, which was stolen. So I inserted a few CDs into it, and they all worked just fine.

Then came this CD. I put it in the drive, the drive reads it and makes an annoying clicking sound. I don't remember this CD having any problems before, and certainly not in my older computer.

After I washed and cleaned off the CD best as I could, it stopped clicking in the drive ... for a while. I was trying to image it so I can fool around with CD-burning (I've imaged other CDs with no problem.) When the imaging was about 40% done, it started to click. Around 60%, it started making some godawful noises suggesting the problem is affecting the revolution of the disc spinning system. The imaging went very quickly after that noise, or so reported my disc burning software.

By the time I made up my mind to stop the durn thing, the imaging was completed. So I burned a CD using that image (in the miracle it burned fine, that clicking disc would have gone into the wastebasket instantly.) The first half came out fine. The third quarter came out partially corrupted, degrading as we went, and the last quarter was totally lost.

The drive, by the way, seems undamaged from the episode.

Does anybody have a good clue what is hapening with that CD? Is there a way that might get it settled enough so I can pull the data off the CD into another one and throw the disc in the wastebasket for good? Even if there's risk involved, please tell me the method and the risks so I can decide for myself.

Thank you...

[namdoolb]

Don't know how much good it would do you, but my first action would be to run a lens cleaner through that drive.

Oh yeah, what CD is it that you're having trouble with?