Cd Hidden Data

[StewartKnight]

One of the little darlings had a music cd that they'd "created", and tried to play in a cd drive (have then not realised yet, I've disabled CD's in the GP!!!)

 

Anyway, the disc got stuck, and in attempting to retrieve the CD, they've distroyed the CD drive. I've managed to get the CD from the drive (took all of 30seconds).

 

Is there anyway of identifing the computer that created the disc in the 1st place. I know every electronic device leaves a "fingerprint". Do I need some specialist software?

[MkII]

What about fingerprints!

[Geoff]

You'd need a tunnelling electron microscope to visually compare your 'found' CD with samples made from suspected computers. If you compare how the pits are burned you should be able to get a good match. If all your CD drives are the same make/model it'll be difficult. Plus I don't expect you have such a microscope lying around.

[StewartKnight]

what I was after was being able to read the leadin / TOC, to see if there are any identifiers from the culprits home computer. I'm sure there is even more data than that available to someone with the right software (i.e. MI5, police etc.)

[russdev]

if done on a mac then can look with hex editor as i believe the mac recording software stamps it not sure where might need to bit of googling to find location

 

russ

[Geoff]

Yes, there's a pre-recorded TOC on all CDRs. They tell you manufactoring information mostly. You can use the serial to track a paticular CDR back to when and where it was purchased. Some drives/burning software will leave identifing information in the TOC aswell, some don't. Its pot luck. Its also simple to stop drives and software from doing it with patches.

[russdev]

makes me laugh all these cd brands about but in world there is about 5 companies that makes cds so some expensive cds are same as cheap cds just with different branding...

 

russ