First Let Me Start off by saying what hardware, programs, and cd I
test.

Hardware used:
HP 9100 CD-RW
Pioneer DVD-ROM-105
Phillips AZ1140 BoomBox (used it to listen to the backup discs)

Software:
CloneCD
Nero Burning Rom
EAC (Exact Audio Copy)

Audio CD in question:
Da Weasel - "Podes Fugir Mas Não Te Podes Esconder" (Portuguese band)

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Now here is the best description of the cd I can give:
It apparently has 2 sessions. The first with audio and the second with data.
The second session contains the following files:

AUTORUN.INF
CACTUSPJ.EXE
DATA16.BML
PJSTREAM.DLL
YUCCA.CDS

Someone has explained to me that this second session contains the music in a
unknown (at least to me) compression format and an audio player that plays
the compressed tracks.
When I ran the CACTUSPJ.EXE a player started playing the tracks. Also
interesting, the about button (of the player) provided the following
information:

Technology powered by Midbar Tech Ltd,
Player powered by EverAd Inc.

And I also got the following info from CloneCD's info on inserted disc
function (which looks pretty accurate):

Number of sessions: 2
CD contains CD-Text: No
Size used on Disc: 764514 kBytes
Sectors: 332850
Time: 73:58:00 (Min:Sec:Fra)

Info on Session 1:
Size used in Session: 527525 kBytes
Number of Tracks: 16
Track 1: Audio, Size: 13535 kBytes
Track 2: Audio, Size: 43670 kBytes
Track 3: Audio, Size: 32114 kBytes
Track 4: Audio, Size: 40882 kBytes
Track 5: Audio, Size: 7830 kBytes
Track 6: Audio, Size: 52042 kBytes
Track 7: Audio, Size: 48117 kBytes
Track 8: Audio, Size: 32656 kBytes
Track 9: Audio, Size: 40856 kBytes
Track 10: Audio, Size: 16395 kBytes
Track 11: Audio, Size: 49509 kBytes
Track 12: Audio, Size: 8153 kBytes
Track 13: Audio, Size: 45124 kBytes
Track 14: Audio, Size: 57993 kBytes
Track 15: Audio, Size: 13886 kBytes
Track 16: Audio, Size: 24755 kBytes

Info on Session 2:
Size used in Session: 210804 kBytes
Number of Tracks: 1
Track 17: Data Mode 1, Size: 210804 kBytes

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Now to my tests.


CloneCD, Nero, and EAC tests with HP 9100 CD-RW

CloneCD Test
Info on inserted disc gave me this:

Number of sessions: 2
CD contains CD-Text: No
Size used on Disc: 764514 kBytes
Sectors: 332850
Time: 73:58:00 (Min:Sec:Fra)

Info on Session 1:
Size used in Session: 527525 kBytes
Number of Tracks: 16
Track 1: Audio, Size: 13535 kBytes
Track 2: Audio, Size: 43670 kBytes
Track 3: Audio, Size: 32114 kBytes
Track 4: Audio, Size: 40882 kBytes
Track 5: Audio, Size: 7830 kBytes
Track 6: Audio, Size: 52042 kBytes
Track 7: Audio, Size: 48117 kBytes
Track 8: Audio, Size: 32656 kBytes
Track 9: Audio, Size: 40856 kBytes
Track 10: Audio, Size: 16395 kBytes
Track 11: Audio, Size: 49509 kBytes
Track 12: Audio, Size: 8153 kBytes
Track 13: Audio, Size: 45124 kBytes
Track 14: Audio, Size: 57993 kBytes
Track 15: Audio, Size: 13886 kBytes
Track 16: Audio, Size: 24755 kBytes

Info on Session 2:
Size used in Session: 210804 kBytes
Number of Tracks: 1
Track 17: Data Mode 1, Size: 210804 kBytes

When reading the cd CloneCD does not SEEM to get past the first audio Track.
Or maybe I didn't have the patience to see if it could. Because it gave me
reading times of about 6 or 7 hours. I decided to give up and cancelled the
reading.

Nero Test
When trying to copy the cd, it gave me an error message saying that
operation had failed at the beginning of the reading.
When extracting the tracks to wave files with the Save Track function it
saved tracks 2-16 with no problem. But it could not save the first audio
track (Maybe there's some kind of protection somewhere in the beginning of
the cd)

EAC Test
Surprisingly it was able to save all the tracks as wave files with no
problems.

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CloneCD, Nero, and EAC tests with DVD-ROM-105

CloneCD test

Info on inserted disc gave some odd values like this:
(and Tracks 1,2, & 3 sizes were not always the same)

Number of sessions: 2
CD contains CD-Text: No
Size used on Disc: 764514 kBytes
Sectors: 332850
Time: 73:58:00 (Min:Sec:Fra)

Info on Session 1:
Size used in Session: 527525 kBytes
Number of Tracks: 16
Track 1: Audio, Size: 689 kBytes
Track 2: Data, Size: 689 kBytes
Track 3: Data, Size: 689 kBytes
Track 4: Data, Size: 689 kBytes
Track 5: Data, Size: 689 kBytes
Track 6: Data, Size: 689 kBytes
Track 7: Data, Size: 689 kBytes
Track 8: Data, Size: 689 kBytes
Track 9: Data, Size: 689 kBytes
Track 10: Data, Size: 689 kBytes
Track 11: Data, Size: 689 kBytes
Track 12: Data, Size: 689 kBytes
Track 13: Data, Size: 689 kBytes
Track 14: Data, Size: 689 kBytes
Track 15: Data, Size: 689 kBytes
Track 16: Data, Size: 517189 kBytes

Info on Session 2:
Size used in Session: 210804 kBytes
Number of Tracks: 1
Track 17: Data Mode 1, Size: 210804 kBytes

Here is the reading log that CloneCD produced:

I 2:37:32 Starting copy from PIONEER DVD-ROM DVD-105 to D:\TEMP\TEMP.ccd
I 2:37:32 Read SubChannel Data from Data Tracks: No
I 2:37:32 Read SubChannel Data from Audio Tracks: No
I 2:37:32 Fast Error Skip: No
I 2:37:32 Don't report read errors: No
I 2:37:32 Intelligent Bad Sector Scanner: No
I 2:37:32 CD contains CD-Text: No
I 2:37:32 Reading Track 1... (Blocks 0-5893)
I 2:37:41 Reading Track 2... (Blocks 5893-404999)
I 2:41:20 Duration of operation: 00:03:48
I 2:41:20 Reading Track 17... (Blocks 241071-332850)
I 2:43:17 Duration of operation: 00:01:56
I 2:43:17 Reading finished!

I tried reading the cd at different speeds but they all produced some
really bad coasters. Some would have the whole album on the second track.
And the following tracks would be really short (3-4 seconds) with no audio.
Some tracks wouldn't play at all.

Nero Tests

When copying the cd, it read most of the audio tracks as really short data
tracks. Only track 16 seem to contain the actual audio cos it was it took
practically the whole reading time to read that track. Didn't bother to burn
the image cos I'm pretty sure I would give me another coaster.

When trying to save the tracks as wave files with the Save Track function,
it saved only the second track (which contained a minute or so of silence
before the track actually started to play. Most of the other tracks were
shown as really short data tracks which couldn't be saved as wave files.

EAC Test

Produce practically the save results as saving the tracks as waves with
Nero.

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My conclusion

I was able to defeat the Cactus Audio Protection by using my HP 9100 CD-RW
and EAC to save the tracks as waves and burn them to a regular cd, which was
no longer copy protected. Not exactly a 1:1 copy but it is just as good (it
allowed me to make a digital copy with the same audio quality as the
original).

I've heard that Plextor drives can handle Cactus much better making 1:1
copies with CloneCD. Can anyone attest to this? (I don't have a Plextor so I
can't test this)

My reason for posting all these stuff here.
I got too much free time. I really want to hear your opinions. Did I do
something wrong. Do you know of any other methods for getting the jog done?
Does the hardware and software you use work better?
Tnx in advance if you take the trouble to answer.

The End

Well I haven't found a sollution for this. I did some test myself with a copy-protected audio disc but it wasn't CDS. It was Key2Audio which couldn't be played by my DVD-ROM. The disc would just spin in the drive and finally gave up. 'My' Waitec writer could see the disc but Windows Explorer didn't see any files. Surprisingly enough I could copy all tracks at full speed using Feurio. There was a second data session which I just left alone.

CDS is a little different though. The Plextor drives indeed seem to be able to copy the discs with CloneCD. However CloneCD is not a real audio copy program. It uses sector-to-sector copying unlike a audio ripping program which uses Digital Audio Extraction (DAE).

Since Feurio did a super job I didn't test CloneCD any further with the Waitec and just copied the WAV files with Nero to get a working unprotected disc... I can copy that one easily with CloneCD

If you're interested you can get Feurio at www.feurio.com

Hello.

I recently bought a CD with this kind of protection. I used another aproach, I tried to rip a "Copy Controlled" "audio" CD with the following:

Sony DRU-500 (aka Sony DVD RW DW-U10A)
Audiocatalyst 2.1
Windows XP
ASPI Layer 4.70 (Force ASPI)

The ripped CD has 10 tracks.

First 9 were ripped normally with "Buffered Burst Copy" wich happens to be the most recommended.

For the last I used "Unbuffered burst copy" (no other recommended method worked) taking almost 40 minutes to complete but it worth the value.

Ther result: An excelent backup in mp3 format of an excellent Audio CD from a talented author Jose Angel Hevia from EMI SPAIN records.

By the way, if you happen to try to rip the last track by error, you may expect your computer to HANG for long periods of time. If this happens to you you might reinstall ASPI Layer 4.7 and pray.

You didn't do anything wrong, CDS200 is Hardware Dependant. If your Hardware reads the tracks as DATA then you need to use the felt pen trick and cover up Session 2.

YUCCA.CDS is the file with the audio, it's one big file, it's MPEG 1 Layer 3 compressed (mp3) at 48kbps. The file is actually burned incorrectly in order to fill up the CD, you can't rip this one.

The Hardware errors will be defeated by EAC's Error Correction. It's the only protection that is on Session 1, the rest is all coming from the second session.

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People are either afraid they will ruin their CD or that is' too much work using the felt pen trick.

1) Do not use a permenant marker, use a water based one.

2) No need to cover up ALL of the data session, just draw a few lines down until EAC or whatever you use drops the session 2.

HP drives like the 8200 and 9100 copy it with no problem; though some will have issues with Track01. Again that protection is coming from Session 2 so the felt pen is your best bet.

It is impossible to make a 1:1 copy of CDS200 as you cann't reproduce the TOC or the Hardware Errors.

> The Hardware errors will be defeated by EAC's Error Correction.

Just to make things clear EAC or any other
program does not perform any error correction.
Only the drive can correct errors, software can
only try to hide them.

Another clarification : this is valid for data CD only. For audio CDs, CloneCD performs a digital audio extraction, there is no other way anyway (exept 1x regular playback) : http://club.cdfreaks.com/showthread....threadid=47958

maybe a good tip :
i also have a hp9100 but when i tried to rip the new album of iron maiden ( i own a portable mp3player ) with eac it gave me empty mp3 tracks. TBH i was not suprised because there was no action whatsoever on my drive-led. So i tried another option in drive-settings , I enabled C2 detection. It seems the 9100 series are able to use this function. After a long search (used cdex etc before) i can finally hear my favourite band , when going to school every morning and evening

Yep good point spath, no EAC won't actually correct them it will mute clicks. If the drive is too sensitive to the errors it can be beyond repair and you will get an inaudiable rip, (though I have yet to see that with CDS200) but it is hardware dependant.

how did you guys try to rip

first start the software then load the disk with shift holded?

hey guys i could rip iron maiden- danve of death , asian dub founfation an deep puple - bananas with eac and could also copy them sucessfully with my lite-on 52327s with alcohol 120 . using
audio cd+ pofile.

ty for the info kool_man

you are welcomed.

Hi everyone. I am new to the cd forums (please bear with me) but have been on the DVD doom forum for quite a while.
I have read through this string and am having problems with the same sort of protection. My disk contains a player.exe not cactuspj.exe, same sort of thing i am expecting. Have tried the felt pen to no avail, and cloneCD does not work either. Have tried a disk copy with nero and a file yucca.cds will not come over.
With Alcohol 120% I can't seem to get only the first session with the tracks on it. I also get the second session with the mode of mode 1.
CloneCD will just sit there for 30 min with no movement in any of the progress bars.

My Stats
Alcohol 120% V1.4.6
CloneCD V4.3.2.2
Sony CD-RW CRX195W1
Nero 6.0.0.0

Hi poolhall@ozemail and welcome to the forum . From what I understand, you’re able to make a working copy with ‘alchol 120%’? The only problem is that you get both sessions? If I’m right about that assumption, then it should be an easy task to extract (rip) the audio tracks to your harddisk with EAC, Easy CD-DA Extractor, or Feurio and then burn the tracks with Nero. I’ll suggest that you try to rip the tracks from the copy you made with alcohol 120%, because that it won’t contain any copy protection (if there ever was one) anymore.

Please note:
It is by intention that i link to EAC V.095pb3 and not V.095pb5, because it can handle copy protections (with the right hardware).

Hi everybody. This is my first time ever to this site. I'm trying to find a solution to a CD burning problem. It is also my first attempt at CD burning. I'm using Windowe XP and Windows Media Player. The copied music will play on my computer but not my home stereo.

I checked the button "do not copy protect". The files were copied to my hard drive and then they were converted and copied to the blank disk and the disk was closed.

Does anyone have a suggestion?

Hi Wes Shanks, Welcome to the forum . Sorry to say this, but you’re posting in the wrong thread!! Guess you should have started a new thread or found another one with an appropriate topic.

Well…Since you’ve got your files on the harddisk already, you’re not dealing with copy protected audio files. You’re problem is properly a picky standalone player. In that case you’ll have to experiment with different types of media. I’ll advise you to try with Verbatim, they often seems to do the job. I would also advise you NOT to burn with ‘Windows Media Player’ but use Nero instead. Nero is not the best program for audio burning, but is a pretty good ‘all rounder’.
You also mention that you’re files are converted!! What format are your source files?

Hi! Just yesterday got Kraftwerk - Tour De France Soundtracks 2003 from a guy who bought it in Vienna. The cd has cactus data shield 200.0.4 4.0 build 10b. Could easily extract it with my NEC NR-7900A burner using EAC 0.9b4 [secure mode, 'use c2 error information for error correcion' - off]. The drive just slowed down the speed to 6x and that's all . The thing is that this NEC drive simply doesn't see the second data session on the cd at all [tried many different programs to find it but failed]. Also tried with an OEM version of Liteon LTR 24102B [cd-r 2440MB] and EAC changing different read modes, but unsuccessfully. Then tried the Liteon again with alcohol 120% 1.9.2 1075 using the CDS 200 profile from alcoholer 4.1 and everything was o.k.