I have some crucial data on a CD that I cannot access. I keep getting a "cyclic redundancy check" error. Half the files on this CD are recoverable but about 30 crucial ones give me this error. Is there *any way at all* that I can recover these files?

Sounds like the drive is having trouble reading it. Try going down to your local Radio Shack, Wal-Mart, or whatever and purchase a CD scratch remover kit. If the data itself is still intact, and the scratches arent too deep, you just might be able to restore the CD to a readable state. If the files are that important to you, it's worth a shot. If the up side (side with label on it) of the CD is damaged or scratched then there's not much hope since that's the layer to which the data is written (or at least directly under it anyway). Good luck! Rob Pectol http://rob.pectol.com/

Since asking Gazette Readers for their opinion on the best solution for Removing Scratches from CD or DVD compact disc, I have received a land-slide of great suggestions and insight. So far, the consensus has been that many users have successfully reported using ordinary house-hold cleaners, such as wood polishers (Pledge), Brasso (a metal polisher), and toothpaste (an abrasive tooth polisher) for small surface scratches. For deep scratches, by far the best recommendation I've received is to take the disc to a local DVD video or CD music rental store and have them repair it. These stores are most likely have an in-home repair unit and most are willing to fix your disc for $3 or $4. Click HERE to read the rest of this interesting article. i_XpUser

If that don't do it then try reading it in a computer with a dvd rom drive or a dvd burner drive. I have had great luck recovering data from damaged cdr's this way as dvd drives have much better hardware in them than your standard burner does and are much more suited to data recovery efforts.

Before you try to repair it....because that could make it worse??? Try some data recovery programs. Some are free and some are trial versions. I managed to rescue data from 3 CD-R's using the software method. I have never tried the polish, varnish methods. PC Inspector http://www.pcinspector.de/file_recovery/UK/welcome.htm GetDataBack http://www.runtime.org/ Recover My Files http://www.recovermyfiles.com/ Easy Recovery http://www.ontrack.com/Homepage.aspx?id=3&pagename=Software Badcopy http://www.jufsoft.com/badcopy/ If you know what file types you are looking for, you can search the disc for .jpg .mp3 .doc etc using the above software. There are others but these are the only ones I can think of at the mo. Alternatively..... if you know DOS, you can try that to copy the contents of the CD to a folder on your hard drive, then search the folder for the files you want with Windows. Copy command http://www.computerhope.com/copyhlp.htm Someone better than I can give you the exact command line to use as the above link is a little confusing. I have used the copy command before but I don't recognize the above info....'tis my old age!