First, let me apologize if this topic has been addressed already. I haven't come across it yet in my searches.
I have a series of CDs I am trying to rip to FLAC using EAC+AccurateRip. (This is on a Windows 7 x64 laptop; the drive is an HP DS8A5LH with the latest firmware.) Unfortunately, these CDs do not seem to do well at higher ripping speeds - frequently reporting errors on pristine CDs, especially towards the outer edges. I'd like to cap the drive speed at 2x to 6x, since the problems typically start when EAC ramps up to 7x or so. However, the lowest speed option EAC gives me in Drive Options is 10x, and I cannot find any place to lower the maximum speed in Control Panel or Device Manager.
Is anyone aware of another way - perhaps in the registry or elsewhere - to cap the drive so it doesn't ramp up to higher than 6x? Or maybe there's another approach - use Burst Mode + AccurateRip for example, and hope for the best?
Well, it's the drive that delivers info to EAC what is the lowest speed it can go. You can use Burst with AR, if it passes AR check, that's it.
Or get some other, USB drive.
Thanks for the response. I suspected the speed options shown in EAC might be those exposed by the drive; it's too bad this model doesn't allow for anything below 10x. Well, I'll have to find a different drive or rely on Burst+AccurateRip then.
Unless someone has a different idea as to what might be wrong? Any alternative theories on why pristine commercial CDs might show frequent errors in EAC, particularly near the outer edges? (I did clean the drive recently.)