Dreamer_of_the_past wrote:

Why not to download it from the official site then? http://www.disk-tools.com/download/daemon347+md5sum The only problem is that […]
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KT7AGuy wrote:

Daemon Tools v3.47 (daemon347.exe)
NOTE: Be careful with this. Modern distributions of this software may contain adware, spyware, or other malware.

Why not to download it from the official site then?
http://www.disk-tools.com/download/daemon347+md5sum
The only problem is that it says 20 days trial for some reason. May be you could buy it for a few buck or so after the trial ends. I would like to know it too since I am thinking of getting this software as well.

As long as the hashes match, I see no problem with downloading it from the official website.

I included the hashes and my warning because I seem to recall that, at some point, there were versions of DT v3.47 floating around that included spyware, malware, or other nastiness. I also seem to recall that those versions were distributed by its creator, but I could be remembering things incorrectly. Either way, it's better to be safe than sorry. Check the file hashes after downloading to make sure your copy is legit. I've been using DT v3.47 for over ten years and never noticed a 20-day trial or anything like that. AFAIK, it's freeware.

Daemon Tools Lite definitely has adware/spyware included (though so does Alcohol 120% Free Edition and some trials for it). However, I have not encountered such in Daemon Tools Pro (got it cheap too recently for only $6 through a recent Humble Bundle). Great thing about that deal was it included a lifetime license (which can be used on 3 PCs, though it can be expanded). Of course, if you got an old system, those old versions come in handy. I infact got such a version myself for a Windows 95 Virtual Hard Drive setup for the Daum build of DOSBox (since you couldn't mount CDs easily when running Windows 95).

As for my journey involving preservation of CDs/DVDs into ISOs/MDSes/BINs/CUEs, that started about 7 to 8 years ago. Isobuster used to be great for that sort of task until later versions started packing their installers with adware (freaking Smart File Advisor, same thing found on Alcohol 120% Free Edition that is a real pest). It wasn't also until I realized I couldn't make a proper backup of certain games with copy protection that I needed something better. I did start with Daemon Tools Lite (unless you use an earlier version), but I found it very limiting (Daemon Tools Pro is another story). Then found Alcohol 120% so happens to release a Free Edition recently (at the time I downloaded). Though it is great, the Free Edition force installs Smart File Advisor unless you are clever to not have installed it. I would've gotten a paid version, but a very cheap deal with a lifetime license for Daemon Tools Pro sealed that deal. 😜

Now, we do have some old backed up CDs floating around (my father used to do that a long time ago). Most of them probably don't even work anymore as well.

One last thing, who remembers Virtual CD-ROM (A very old program which used a non-standard VCD (Virtual CD) format in the 90s that used to cost money, but later became freeware and eventually vanished)?

Bandock wrote:

Daemon Tools Lite definitely has adware/spyware included (though so does Alcohol 120% Free Edition and some trials for it).

Such as? Also, Adware and Spyware are very different things. It's one thing when software bundles some nagging ad software (that you can choose not to install or remove manually), or even displays some advertisement banners in the main window. Many people would accept it as a reasonable price for something they didn't pay for. It's altogether different when it installs (often silently) software that spies on you.

dr_st wrote:

Such as? Also, Adware and Spyware are very different things. It's one thing when software bundles some nagging ad software (that you can choose not to install or remove manually), or even displays some advertisement banners in the main window. Many people would accept it as a reasonable price for something they didn't pay for. It's altogether different when it installs (often silently) software that spies on you.

Such as potentially unwanted programs (PUPs) that like to be installed every time I installed the latest lite versions (pops up for Malware Bytes as such, even I declined for certain cases!). Lately, some of the free versions have been offering Smart File Advisor (Later versions of IsoBuster even have such an option, though thankfully optional). Only one to my knowledge that expects it is Alcohol 120% Free Edition (though a workaround does exist where it will never install it). It took at least a year or two before Windows Defender wiped it off my system (treating now as a threat). Smart File Advisor is garbageware anyway from my own experience with it. It always gives misleading updated version numbers to updates of programs you have installed and potentially leading you to malware/virus infected executables that do even more damage. You can certainly disable portions of it though, but not all of. However, Windows Defender wiping it off ironically helps and such program still operates. Just a warning about Alcohol 120% Free Edition.

And reason why I say adware/spyware because though most often adware is included, few cases of spyware also exist.

This sounds like a great opportunity for someone to make an emulated cd drive just like the HXC floppy emulator.

I really don't understand why people are going absolutely insane over disc rot. I've literally only ever had one disc in my lifetime suffer from disc rot, and that was a copy of Rise of the Dragon on Sega CD (long jewel case pressing). I've since gotten a working copy for cheap. For rarer CD-based games like Snatcher, Keio Flying Squadron or Darkseed II (PC), just be slightly careful, but for the most part I feel that there's no need to worry so much about it...

ALL my CDs from 1995 are still working well. This CD rotting is funny news to me.

I've personally only found one disc with the rot as well. My father had a few, but that's it.

I have to wonder if the worst cases are caused by people storing discs in high-temp, high-humidity areas.

I want a cd emulator. You put a sata 2.5" hdd in it, it will hold all the iso files. They already have one for floppy disks and scsi hard drives. Honestly, how hard can it be for ide atapi cd?

Hell, you could even integrate a slim cd drive to rip cds. Something like this: http://www.icydock.com/goods.php?id=149

Instead of the 2nd sata drive, a screen showing what iso is loaded.

I just shat out a million dollar idea, so if you use it, i want a free one for "review".

luckybob,

I know you're talking about emulation at the hardware level, but good & free alternatives already exist at the software level. For XP and older, Daemon Tools v3.47 has never failed me. For making copy-protected backups, CloneCD has never failed me.

Just be careful with the installer for Daemon Tools v3.47. Match the hashes I posted previously and you'll be fine. The version I've been using for the past 10+ years contains no spyware, malware, or any time limits. It just works.

Even if a hardware CDROM emulator existed, I doubt I would buy it. Aside from installing operating systems and running DOS games in real DOS, I just don't see any use for it that Daemon Tools v3.47 doesn't already cover. Heck, even when it comes to DOS games, there was FakeCD and MDICDEXT, which do for DOS what Daemon Tools does for Windows.

Malik wrote:

ALL my CDs from 1995 are still working well. This CD rotting is funny news to me.

Laserdiscs. 100s apon 1000s of them are Roton beyond use. In fact it's extremely rare to find a disco vision disks that's not completely rotten. It all has to do with the kind of disk, what it's made of and how it's made.

http://www.lddb.com/laserrot.php

There is no question that Daemon Tools is amazingly useful. However the HW level emulator would be actually better. Because it will do everything Daemon Tools does + more. For example you can boot the machine and install Win 98 etc.

Objectively speaking a CDROM HW emulator would be more useful than a SW based one.

KT7AGuy wrote:

luckybob, […]
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luckybob,

I know you're talking about emulation at the hardware level, but good & free alternatives already exist at the software level. For XP and older, Daemon Tools v3.47 has never failed me. For making copy-protected backups, CloneCD has never failed me.

Just be careful with the installer for Daemon Tools v3.47. Match the hashes I posted previously and you'll be fine. The version I've been using for the past 10+ years contains no spyware, malware, or any time limits. It just works.

Even if a hardware CDROM emulator existed, I doubt I would buy it. Aside from installing operating systems and running DOS games in real DOS, I just don't see any use for it that Daemon Tools v3.47 doesn't already cover. Heck, even when it comes to DOS games, there was FakeCD and MDICDEXT, which do for DOS what Daemon Tools does for Windows.

for dos? I've never seen one. Then comes the secondary problem of conventional memory, speed, and compatibility. What about CD audio? I think there is a niche market here for a device like this. Just like the scsi hdd emulator and the HXC.

I have lots of cd drives for both ide and scsi, this would purely be a convenience.

The only hardware-based "CD emulators" I've seen work ONLY with ISOs and ONLY in modern OS's.

[EDIT] Seems that if you can force your system to boot from it (USB 2.0, USB 3.0, and in older models - eSATA) it *might* boot any OS you want.
https://community.spiceworks.com/topic/110913 … al-odd-thoughts
http://randythetechprofessor.com/computer-rep … -ve200-hdd-case
http://grandstreamdreams.blogspot.com/2012/04 … s-next-gen.html

We've previously discussed them here: Hardware CD Emulator
and probably in another thread.

@stiletto

Exactly! Even Phil wants one!

Maybe you could do IDE->SATA->eSATA->older Zalman enclosure? Pretty sure that would break somewhere in the chain tho...

Really, someone needs to inspire the floppy emulator guys to make one, and HxC to write the firmware...

Seems http://www.oti.com.tw/OTi%20-%208288.html is/was one of the controllers in use (uses same "Virtual ODD" phrase...)

Exactly my point. The framework is all there! I would image the people that made the scsi hdd emu would agree; IDE would be relatively trivial. sata CD/DVD dupe systems are not very expensive: http://www.bestduplicator.com/index.php?targe … 267#description So the software already exists, someone smarter than me just needs to put 2 and 2 together.

I believe anyone that has played the multi-cd adventure games (like Myst) would jump at one of these. I know I would.

Stiletto wrote:

The only hardware-based "CD emulators" I've seen work ONLY with ISOs and ONLY in modern OS's. […]
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The only hardware-based "CD emulators" I've seen work ONLY with ISOs and ONLY in modern OS's.

[EDIT] Seems that if you can force your system to boot from it (USB 2.0, USB 3.0, and in older models - eSATA) it *might* boot any OS you want.
https://community.spiceworks.com/topic/110913 … al-odd-thoughts
http://randythetechprofessor.com/computer-rep … -ve200-hdd-case
http://grandstreamdreams.blogspot.com/2012/04 … s-next-gen.html

We've previously discussed them here: Hardware CD Emulator
and probably in another thread.

Well, blank CDs are cheap. So you can store your ISO's (or CUE/BIN's) in tape or hard drive, then only burn the necessary CD when you need to boot with it.

I'm skeptical of bit rot on CDs/DVDs as well. Unless you can actually see something wrong with the disc, I think other explanations are more likely.

One thing I've learned is that optical drives are extremely finicky. I've had brand-new CD-ROMs that my drive at the time had trouble reading. Put them in a different drive and they work perfectly. My first CD-RW drive used to be pretty picky about what brand discs I used. My first DVD-RW drive never worked properly with Sony discs. My last DVD-RW drive was giving me problems with some discs, so I replaced it. My current one will sometimes burn a disc, verify it 100% (and by verify, I mean running a hash check on all the files), and then a day later, refuse to read some of the files. I had a disc burned with my previous drive that I couldn't read one of the files. I plugged in an external drive, but that wouldn't read it either. I took the disc over a friend's house and his laptop had no problem at all reading it. Once, while testing some junk computers I'd found in the trash, I burned a disc in one of them and it worked perfectly in all my normal drives, but when I gave it to a friend, it wouldn't work in his.

Burned video DVDs often have problems playing on some DVD players, even when they claim to support DVD-/+R. I burn data discs of videos for a friend to watch on his BluRay player and it has problems with maybe 5% of them.

In my opinion, they never really perfected CD/DVD burning. They got it to a point where it usually works most of the time and said "Screw it, that's close enough."

Rekrul wrote:

One thing I've learned is that optical drives are extremely finicky.

I concur with your observations. I have numerous brands/models of CD and DVD drives here, but only one will reliably read discs 99% of the time when others will not: my Norcent RW521. Supposedly, it's a rebadged Benq 5224P. There are other generic brands like Khypermedia which also rebadged this drive. I've also had very good luck with my Lite-On LTN526, Lite-On LTC48161H, and LG GH22NS90. Overall, I've found that LG drives tend to work the best.