Recovering data from CDs and DVDs

On a software level I am rather partial to cdroller at http://www.cdroller.com/ . Its relatively inexpensive when compared to some of the other products (such as CD/DVD inspector). There is also isoBuster ( http://www.isobuster.com ) which is another tool I use it often.

EnCase will handle some CD formats (iso9660), however it struggles to image UDF disks. Guidance just hasn't build support into EnCase very well in versions 3 & 4 (I hope 5 is better at this). Open sessions, and various buring software idiosyncrasies are possibly the problem.

I like cdroller because when I first researched CD tools on a case I was dealing with a couple of years ago. I wrote an email to the programmer, who made some adjustments in the code for me, and provided me with free licence.

I prefer to make an iso/raw copy of the disk using either cdroller or isoBuster, then add the raw file into EnCase as an image.

I sometimes use WinHEX also to view CD’s at a lower level – to confirm the burn dates, situated at a specific sector and offset.

Andy

When you say burning difficulties are you talking about the track not closing, reboot during burning, ISO error?

I use CD/DVD inspector and I can't find a better program.

Thanks chaps - as the price of cdroller is on the site (and its very cheap!) I will be using them. Wouldn't that, combined with something like EnCase give you as much as CD/DVD Inspector?

Cdroller is good, but it won't 'image' UDF format disks, whereas isoBuster will make a raw image of every byte of data, as will EnCase - but versions 3 and 4 have been a bit iffy, and i've never realy had much sucess. There are a thread about UDF disks on the GSI bbs - to cut a long story short they didn't resolve the problems, and people have used workarounds.

I object to buying CD/DVD Inspector, because it used to be a reasonably priced product, but then the company jumped onto the Forensic Computing bandwaggon and bumped the price right up. I would much rather use other means to image a CD/DVD and import it into EnCase.

Linux is another option, it supports many different file systems, and DD is free. Try downloading HELIX, (its a Linux boot CD) there is a nice graphical DD called GRAB. If you have two CD/DVD drives then you can use the spare to mount CD's and DD all you like.

Andy

Do people out there have any recommendations for the best tool to use to recover data from CDs and DVDs that have been scrached or have other problems (say, due to burning difficulties) ?

Thanks.

Try MagicISO built-in iso burner.
http://www.magiciso.com/tutorials/miso-burnwin.htm