SS after HDD crash

[PaulV]

i gave 3 hard disks, one i use for backups, the other i use for music and the final ( the raptor ) i use for programs and OS.

the raptor died ( only 3 months old ) and wiped out my windows and SS program, but my collection was left on the second drive.

i replaced the raptor, now hown do i get my collection back. no other parts of my computer have changed.

please do not tell me waht i am dreading to hear.

[Qwakrz]

Ok, I wont tell you.........

The encryption key was stored on the HDD that failed. I dont know of any way to re-make that key.

[Davew]

I hate to say it but that is what they made the sonicstage backup tool for. I'm really sorry this has happened to you, it is worse than losing the files because they are so tantalizingly close.

thumbs up to OpenMG again eh?

[mutant1345]

yes unless you used the backup tool you cant do much with the files but......

eh hem....ive done this on my computer once with an old file that sonic stage refused to play because it did not originate on the computer

i put the music file through marcs himdrenderer program, and made the file into a free format

i dont know if i was lucky or if it works on ever file but itts worth a shot unless your computer cant recognize the file at all

....good luck....i know it realllllyyyyyy sux

ive been there before

[Davew]

yeah, the backup tool. Hmm.

as i've posted somewhere else, you have to be aware of how much HDD space it gobbles up. As it saves an exact copy of all your files in the library (OMG and non-OMG ie WAVs and MP3s) you need to be careful, but unfortunately, if you are going to be safe it is a wise evil.

[PaulV]

that really blows.

just when i was getting to like MD too.

guess it`s time to rip all the cds again.

thanks guys.

ps i have a 600 ( ugly ) with the nh1 remote ( import ) and 1 gig blanks ( import ) and i love it.

just pity about the software, though marcs program was the final thing that was missing from my near perfect equasion, only thing missing is mp3 support, and heres hopeing

[jadeclaw]

What do we learn? Backup! Backup! Backup!...

Another Idea: Don't rip into SonicStage, rip into MP3 instead(CBR 320kBit). And use Sonicstage only for transferring onto Minidisc.

For listening on the comp, I use Winamp 5.

[pethunia]

Just some thoughts...

:wacky: How can Sony expect the average user to know all this????

I think it is just too much to ask from someone in the plug-and-play age (can somebody please remind me when that beautiful era started?).

The original poster (PaulV) of this thread made a backup! He copied his music and recordings to a separate disk. That should be sane enough for 'an average user'.

What if we send all our "you have invalid rights management information" files to Sony each time a HDD crash or likewise occurs. A flood of .omg's and .oma's with the serious request: "Please Sony, PLEASE, restore my files - make them readable. Just once, just this time!". A signal, from dedicated users that want to buy and support the product. Or might be intelligent enough to try the next best thing (probably not a Sony product).

AH

[PaulV]

the best way to put it is like this.

i work for a local council here in england.

if you phone up, you speak to some temp office wench who will sit and listen, write down your comment and throw it in the bin afterwards beocuse her line manager is fed up with recieving complaints about not enough parking.

the only way to get your increased parking is to take the line manager for a drink ( if you can get ot him ) and talk to him over a beer. suprise suprise, next morning you will have 3 new parking paces out side your house.

no doubt sony tech support are the same.

all entries for ` drm issues` `backup problems` and `trashing downlaods` will all be ignored or served a standard letter reply.

sad the way it is, but it`s the way the world works.

till then i`m going to roll over and die abecouse i`m fed up of the big mistakes sony makes in it`s audio dept.

the biggest of which was, by the way, setting up it`s own music wing. this has caused all these DRM issues. if sony was jsut a hardware maker then it would not bother with this restrictive DRM and just make attractive ( as sony usually do, look at the hard disk player ), well build players.

ah well back to re ripping cds.

[Davew]

the OMG files are encrypted using a method that requires a key on your computer to decode them.

Presumably once the key is gone, there is NO way of retrieving the unencrypted file, even sony could not do it, that is the whole point of the encryption in the first place. It cannot be undone without the key. am I correct on this guys?

I think pethunia is absolutely correct, the whole process should be made simpler for the average user, and if not that, at least *clearer* by sony, so people are aware of the many many pitfalls that are out there.

you see, if you know about it and know what to do, you are *usually* OK!

Yes! people should flood sony with complaints about their unplayable OMG files, even if they know full well there is nothing that sony or anyone else can do, then sony might take some notice like you said!

Dave