14 DAY TRIAL // All computer users store their data on the hard disk drive. And when you run out of space on the HDD you decide to delete some of the files or - if the files do not deserve to be deleted - you will record them on a CD/DVD. And thus, they can be saved for eternity. Well, not really, because the discs containing the data may "degrade" beyond recognition of the files they keep.
In order to avoid that, we try to keep them in tip-top condition by reducing the exposure to the external factors like dryness, humidity, dust, heat, etc. But no matter what we do, the discs will eventually be damaged due to scratches produced by the units that play them. And, as experience demonstrates, the small dust particles cannot be prevented from resting on the surface. Using cleaning sprays will prolong the lifespan of the disc, but it will not make it immortal.
Lucky for us, after a disc is damaged and you cannot copy it the old fashioned way (for DVDs I recommend using specially designed software) we can use several applications that will recover our files from broken discs.
One of them is CD/DVD Diagnostic developed by InfinaDyne, a company that has focused on CD and DVD related software. The software also comes in trial version and in full version. The difference between them is that the first is free for 30 days and that the copying option is deactivated, while the latter costs $ 49.99 and has absolutely no restriction.
The interface is user friendly and it is composed of the menu bar (beneath the title bar), the toolbar, the file tree in the left side and the folder display area that takes the most part of the application window.
The software will automatically detect the available DVD/CD drive you are using and it will display the one in use at the bottom of the application window, on the right. If you want to select a different device, click on the first button on the left of the toolbar and eject the disc.
The Sector Display option in the File menu allows the user to take a look at the sectors of the disc to be examined. The sectors will be displayed in hexadecimal and character form. If the disc supports it, you can switch to displaying them in "raw mode" (includes additional info that is not transferred as data). You can move between the sectors by using the arrows at the end of the sector number display box or just enter the sector number and press Enter.
If you have images recorded on the disc, you can view them with CD/DVD Diagnostic (View Image under File menu). The properties of the disc will give you the number of sessions on the disc, the number of files, the size and the last written date.
The Preferences menu allows the user to configure the software. The Options tab will allow the user to enable/disable the following: remove version marker from files, ignore Joliet or UDF filesystem (and display the ISO-9660), show analysis of file details, save the window position, sort initial display by name, accept read errors during copy, prompt for filename on copy, force intensive UDF examination, keep duplicate files from UDF examination, automatically examine disc at startup and show all files.
In the Readability Test the user can enable thresholds and set the soft and hard error limit, check the "log files with errors", "ignore soft errors" and "show sector counts" instead of percentage boxes. Here you can also set the path for saving the error log file.
The Device Settings tab allows you to select the configuration for each device installed on the computer. According to your device, you can choose between the following parameters and their combinations: Auto, DCR (disable correction), None (when the drive cannot return recoverable errors), PER (post-error, it will return soft errors), DTE (disable transfer on error) and TB (transfer block).
In Disc Memory tab, the software will display the discs that have been checked by the software. The default setting allows the recording of 30 discs.
The discs can be analyzed first and you can see the filesystems on the disc, the disc manufacturer, the format of the data, duration and number of sessions, folders and files. Each disc can be subjected to a readability test. This will give you precious information (yet not professional) about the disc, the compatibility between the disc and the writer and it will also show if any degradation is occurring with your writer.
The Good
The ease of use of the interface is just amazing. The software will perform readability tests that will give you info on the state of your writer.
You can analyze the disc and see its characteristics.
The Bad
I could not retrieve any data from the disc, because the trial version has this option restricted. I tested one disc that received the OK for file copying after the initial analysis, but at the readability test the software just froze.
The Truth
The software promises a lot and I believe it can really deliver it. I was convinced by all the other options like disc analysis, readability test and the Volume Information option.
CD/DVD Diagnostic is a powerful reliable software that can be used by everybody and besides retrieving the inaccessible data from your discs, it will also provide pieces of information about the disc.
Here are some snapshots of the application in action:
