If a music CD player plays it, it wasn't saved to the CD as data. However, still baffled by it not playing in the computer.

Suspect that if it plays OK on the music CD player, your tunes are fine....the information is still there intact.

Can you re-import the tunes back into the computer from the CD? re-import as MP3's, for example...which would be "data". How many tunes are we talking about?

Thank you for your response Asolo
there are 150 + songs I just double checked on the boom box and the music is perfect. I tried copying a disk but it is garbled also. I will try the MP3. I hope I'm not restricted to the quality of the computer. I'll let you know.

This is interesting. 150-plus songs on one CD that DOES play on a regular CD player? That quantity must be "data"....but data won't play on a regular CD player. I'm lost, now.

In my experience only "data" will transfer that amount to a single CD but that data will NOT play on a regular player.

Have little doubt I'm missing something. Can you say more?

asolo
I have a total of 150 songs 12 per CD. I just tried recording as an audio file. no luck, turn out just like the orighinal. Problem is I already erased the hard drive.
once again, they play perfect on the boom box.

OK...little doubt that 1) you did NOT record as "data" but, rather, as "music" for playing as music CD and 2) inasmuch as the CD's play the tunes OK on CD-player you need have little doubt that your music files remain intact -- albeit in a format that is confusing to you computer-wise.

You are missing something in the way your computer handles tunes. Too much to write here. Suggest preserve your recorded CD's where the important music resides in a safe place and then LEARN how your computer handles this information. You WILL be able to upload your preserved tunes into a computer and you WILL be able to do anything you want with them thereafter. Sorry, but there really is too much to write. This is simple widely-known stuff. I have no doubt you will be able to find locally.

Trees it would seem your computer is at fault here possibly/probably, not the CD. Can you play any purchased CD on the computer?

What make and model is your computer? Have you worked on the computer or had work done so that the sound may be disabled or compromised? Try clicking Start, Control panel, System, Hardware, Device manager and then click the plus sign beside "sounds, video and game controller". Do you see any yellow exclamation or question marks? Double click on any that may have yellow marks and use the Troubleshooting feature, perhaps you need to re-install your sound drivers.

This is an issue with your computer. It apparently is not set up to play standard CDA audio cd's.

You need a CDA extractor to pull them off the cd and convert them to MP3, M4A (iTunes, iPod), WMA, AAC, aacPlus, or FLAC types if your computer isnt CDA-capable to play standard music cd's.

If it is capable of playing standard CDA audio cd's, then try using the drive you created them on to play and transfer them, as older cd drives tend to not read newer burning drives well.

I have this issue when sharing any cd media or data cd;s between my newer and older computers/cd-drives.

I put a commercial CD in and it was garbled also. Put my burnt CD in old HP Win98 and it played perfect. Glad all that music is not lost. I guess I need to find out what this computer is missing. I do have 20 songs on the hard drive and they play perfect.
Thank you

It sounds as if your CD ROM has bit the dust. Is this a combination burner/player or a separate player? Either way it is not costly nor hard to replace it. I did it several years ago in my old '98.

Well, based on your latest post I am in agreement with grandms. However I would not replace the CD player with the same. For $60 or so you can get known brand DVD player/burners so now is the time to upgrade your computer, this will burn or play CD and DVDs.

Trees, you didn't say what DVD player/burner you have, but you might want to check for a firmware update. I had the exact same thing happen to me. LG GSA-H22N, installed in my brand new Micro Express Micro Flex 66B. Worked like a charm for everything except when it came to playing music. Terrible sound. I finally updated the firmware and now it is fine.