# Problem exploring music cds (can only see .cda files)



## martin1234 (Aug 29, 2006)

I have just got a new computer operating with windows XP. WIth all my .wav file cds, when i explore the cd i only see .cda 1kb files which means i can not move them to my desktop or change them into mp3s for example. 

I also can not convert them to MP3s using nero or other applications because it sees nothing on the disk or only .cda files which it cannot convert. Also when i look at the properties of my music cd it reads as 0 space being used and 0 available. this happens with all non mp3 music cds, the same ones that opened fine on my old computer and never used to come up as .cda 

I have been able to convert to mp3 files only when the cd activates the 'open with' menu and then i can chose the nero convert to mp3 tool. i have no problem playing the cds on software programs. is there anyway i can see the music files on the disc and not just the 13kbs or so of .cda shortcuts?

Please help this is super annoying, thanks a lot. :up:


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## stantley (May 22, 2005)

Hi, welcome to TSG. To convert audio CD's to either .wav or .mp3 files you need CD ripping software. Two good freeware ones are CDex and Audiograbber.


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## martin1234 (Aug 29, 2006)

Hi thanks for the reply! and thanks for the suggestions, i have thought about getting rippers maybe that will solve the problem but why? 

most of my cds were never recorded as cda file but as .wav files so why should i have to convert them to .wav files? why can't i just explore the cd like i did on my old computer?

i see it as more a problem of not being able to see what is really on the cd rather than a problem of having to convert the files. or maybe my old computer had a ripping software that i was not aware of that automatically allows you to explore the real contents of a music cd and see the files as .wav and not .cda and not just the .cda shortcuts? confused...


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## stantley (May 22, 2005)

When you create an Audio CD from .wav files the burning software converts them from .wav to .cda files. So you can't just copy them back, they have to be converted back to .wav with ripping software. Looking at an Audio CD in windows explorer, all you see is track01.cda, etc. so it's pretty much useless information. About the only thing you can see is the number of tracks. To get any useful info (like time), you have to convert them to .wav.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

Audio files are a special format, and the files are not stored like data files.


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## martin1234 (Aug 29, 2006)

OK thanks guys, I have downloaded a free ripper and will try it when i get home. I still don't understand though how on my laptop i put in a cd, I select explore and I can see all the 700 mb in .wav format and i never see any .cda file; yet when i put the exact same disc into my new computer i only see .cda files. thanx


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