[Moved to PC as the OP is hardware related]

Test your CD with CDCheck

And a little warning: Don't you ask for originals here. It isn't allowed.

I had similar problems with two CDs -- OEM release of Monkey Island and Betrayal at Krondor. In both cases the very end of the data track was unreadable but it was past all files. Both disks also have multiple audio tracks and there were no problems with reading audio. Neither of these games had any kind of copy protection and both disks were in perfect shape. Both disks were also manufactured circa 1994 which makes me suspect a bug in some particular version of some particular mastering software. Considering what CD mastering software looked like in 1994 (I still remember the horror called "Smart&Friendly"), I am not surprised.

EDIT: Both disks were produced using Meridian Data products -- Personal Scribe 2.0 (BaK) and CD Producer (MI1). Just for fun, search your CD image for "meridian".

Thanks vasyl, I checked again and the symptoms are exactly as you describe - 4 bad sectors in the end of track 1 and no files are affected (I checked with ISOBuster and also tried to copy all files to my HD, there were no errors)

I still think there is a chance (even if very slight) that this is a primitive form of CD protection.

vasyl wrote:

EDIT: Both disks were produced using Meridian Data products -- Personal Scribe 2.0 (BaK) and CD Producer (MI1). Just for fun, search your CD image for "meridian".

Search where? In the files? There are no such file names, and there is no documentation on the CD, only a batch file that installs the game and game data files...
Also looked on the CD itself - the inner ring has "MFD BY JVC", a serial number and some incoherent logo.

Is it safe to assume that if I'll buy another CD it will have the same behaviour?

Search where?

Create an image and use some hex editor.

wd wrote:

Search where?

Create an image and use some hex editor.

Ah, OK.
Didn't find anything though... (searched with Hiew)

Coincidentally, got yet another disk with the same behavior, this time King's Quest V -- picked it at library sale. The last four sectors of the only data track are not readable, it is past all files. Quick search through the image... "MERIDIAN_DATA_CD_PUBLISHER" at offset 81D6. Well, three times is an enemy action, as the saying goes.

Maybe I'm just doing something wrong when searching...
Anyway, it doesn't matter anymore, according to what you say, someone set us up the bomb (!!!)
I.E. The unreadable sectors are the result of the manufacturer and not scratches, and that's all I wanted to know.

Thanks for putting my mind at ease vasyl 😀
Og

But it doesn't look like they're intentional.