Read and RECOVER All Your Unreadable CDs and DVDs
Written: Apr 25 '01 (Updated Apr 25 '01)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Recover unreadable CDs, read ISOz, convert video from DVD to MPG. Freeware.
Cons: Interface a bit rough, cannot recover from UDF yet, Mac CD/file support weak.
The Bottom Line: IsoBuster is designed to read and recover data from an otherwise Windows unrecognizable disc. It can read ISO files of many formats, and can extract video from VCDs to MPG.
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| soothsayer's Full Review: IsoBuster |
How many times have you had a CD fail on you because it was unreadable due to scratches, or other errors? Always? Sometimes? Never? Well in case you do have problems, and think the data on your disc is important enough to rescue, consider using IsoBuster to help you.
This little program is designed to recover data from an otherwise Windows unreadable disc. It does so by detecting and handling disc errors that Windows would just choke on. Many types of CDs are supported under IsoBuster; data CDs, audio, CD-i’s, VCDs, DVDs. The only exceptions are UDF formatted, or read-writable CDs, i.e., CD-RW. IsoBuster has not yet built in UDF support.
IsoBuster can also read CD image files of any type and format such as ISO, DAO, BIN, IMG, NRG, etc. making it useful in case you need to extract something, but do not have the right CD creation program/converting tools on hand. Another useful function is its ability to extract, and convert, video from VCDs and DVDs into MPG format, which you can then store in a regular CD for viewing on any computer. Note, however, some DVDs are protected well enough that some data cannot be recovered.
IsoBuster’s interface is rather rough, but workable. The application has two main windows. The left hand window containing the directory tree, the right hand window listing the contents of the directories you click on. You can select among CD drives through a pull down menu located on the toolbar. Information on byte size, LBA size, and LBA location, can be found by right-clicking on files and directories. Disc errors are reported as cryptic numeric codes with English translation.
If the CD you are using contain multiple sessions and tracks, each will be displayed under its own directory. Improperly closed CD sessions can be recovered. The CD’s main directory will have a colored icon associated with it indicating the type of file system it uses. A red icon will indicate ISO9660, the universally accepted file naming system among Mac, DOS, and UNIX where “8+3” uppercase characters are used to name files and directories. Blue icons indicate Joliet, the Windows long file naming system. Bootable CDs will have a special drive icon associated with the CD’s boot sector.
Extracting and recovering files is easy, just select a file from the right hand window, right click and “Extract”. Video from VCD and DVD can be extracted out in MPG format by simply selecting “Extract but Filter only M2F2” – no dat2mpg needed.
IsoBuster is weak when it comes to Mac files support. It can read them if the CD has the standard ISO structure, otherwise it cannot. Extracting files can also be problematic. A Mac CD consist of two parts, the executable, and the data. Both sections can be extracted by IsoBuster, but it does not merge them together. The author promises better Mac support in later versions.
Peter Van Hove, the author, has written IsoBuster and provided it as freeware. The program runs in Windows 9x, NT and 2000. The latest version is 0.99.6, and it is a 541Kb download. Unzipped, the self-contained executable is 1Mb in size, and comes with an external help file/FAQ written in several languages. IsoBuster can be downloaded from his website “Smart Projects” at www.isobuster.com, or www.ping.be/vcd/start1.htm.
Recommended:
Yes
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