Windows 7 - Windows Explorer hangs when copying files from DVD-R

Hello,

I am trying to get all of my 'old' MP3 files (napster era) off of the DVDs I have them burned on. However, Windows Explorer is hanging when it tries to copy them.

They are visible in the Windows Explorer view, but when I try and click and drag them all over to my HDD, they either freeze or take forever (over 10 minutes) to copy. This has happened on all of the 20 or so discs I have copied thus far, some of which were just document files, and each has met with its own difficulty in copying.

Is there something that would cause this in Windows Explorer that I can fix? Is there a way to use something other than Windows Explorer to copy the contents of these DVD-Rs to my hard drive? Is there a Windows Explorer alternative that I should consider using?

Thanks for any help you can give; I appreciate your assistance!

P.S. What is basically happening is that Windows Explorer is encountering a file that it cannot read and, rather than telling me right away and just moving on, it takes about 5 minutes to analyze it. Then, when I tell it to skip that file and any like it, it will say there is 60 seconds remaining, but then hang for 5 minutes or more. How can I get a more efficiently working Windows Explorer / file management application? Thanks!

Hello JuanAntonio, welcome to SF!

It sounds like these are old discs? If so there a couple of things you can do.

1. Clean those discs first. Strange maybe but what helps sometimes is using a little toothpaste, put on disc, use clean cloth to move from center outward (not in circles). Clean well and try again.
Or try something like Digital Innovations

2. use cloning software that you can tell how to proceed on bad reads. There are many examples for that, one is SlySoft CloneCD | clone cd, backup cd, cd copy, copy music cd, copy navigation cd, copy protected cd, safe disc

3. If you really need the best read... use good DVD/CD player hardware. Lots to google on that if you are up to it. But you wouldn't be the first with an "unreadable" disk that was wholly readable in a friends system with a better CDplayer....

MvdB,

Thanks for this incredibly helpful reply. I am sorry that I did not get back to you earlier, but I very much appreciate your input. I do have one of Digital Innovations' disc cleaners, so I will take your advice and clean each disc before I put it in the drive.

Take good care,

My pleasure, glad we could help!