Sometimes drive stops ripping but CD Ripper says reripping frames LG WH16NS40

[Lynx_TWO]

Sometimes drive stops ripping and then CD Ripper will be either reripping tens of thousands of frames while the drive does nothing, and then the rest of the tracks will error out. I'm using the LG WH16NS40 in an externally powered case. Not sure if this is an issue with CD ripper, Windows, or the drive itself. It's running the latest 1.05 firmware. When it error and I say "OK and Eject CD", nothing happens and I have to manually eject. Does anyone else have this issue? It seems to be totally random.

I'm also noticing that sometimes, CD Ripper won't change all the files from *.tmp to *.FLAC when done.

OS Name Microsoft Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
Version 10.0.22631 Build 22631
Processor AMD Ryzen 9 3900X 12-Core Processor, 3801 Mhz, 12 Core(s), 24 Logical Processor(s)
BaseBoard Manufacturer ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC.
BaseBoard Product TUF GAMING X570-PRO (WI-FI)
Installed Physical Memory (RAM) 64.0 GB

[Spoon]

Get a 2nd drive, different make.

[Lynx_TWO]

I've confirmed that the issue lies either with the drive or the external enclosure, not the software. After the same problem persisted with different power cords, I contacted the manufacturer of the enclosure I'm using, the Vantec NexStar DX2 USB 3.0 External Enclosure, available here: https://a.co/d/eNDTl4i. Both the case and the drive are brand new so now to figure out which is the real culprit. Unfortunately, I don't have any room left in my computer to hook the drive up directly to verify the drive so I'll have to get with a friend on that one...

Additionally, I've noticed a potential quirk with CD Ripper during disruptions. If the drive disconnects while ripping a track, CD Ripper attempts to re-rip the bad frames and subsequently reports errors on other tracks. This response is expected; however, what's surprising is that CD Ripper still marks the partial rip of the disconnected track as secure. Upon inspection in an audio editor, the resulting FLAC file clearly shows silence starting from where the disconnection occurred, out to the end of the file. It's uncertain whether CD Ripper can detect and flag such errors—given their rarity—but addressing this could improve the software's reliability for edge cases.

[Lynx_TWO]

Good news and an update!

After some trial and error, I’ve sorted out the issues I was experiencing. Here’s what I discovered:

First, I finally found and tried an older drive I forgot I had: the Lite-On iHOS104. That drive worked perfectly with the Vantec NexStar DX2 external enclosure, confirming the enclosure itself wasn’t the issue. As a result, I’m returning the original drive, the LG Electronics WH16NS40, to Amazon.

To replace it, I ordered the ASUS BW-16D1HT—an ultra-fast 16X Blu-ray burner with M-DISC support. According to the dBPoweramp database, it’s one of the most accurate drives available for ripping scratched CDs, which was a key feature for me. I installed it about an hour ago, and it’s been running flawlessly ever since.

From my testing, it seems the original LG drive (WH16NS40) has an issue with its error correction (ECC), which causes the drive to randomly shut down. It’s unclear if this is a fundamental flaw with that specific drive model, a potential compatibility issue with the enclosure controller, or just a defective unit in this batch. Regardless, the new ASUS drive has resolved all my issues, and I’m thrilled with its performance.

Thanks again to Spoon for his input and support over the years—this process was a great learning experience! I hope this information helps anyone else troubleshoot similar issues.

Wishing you all a wonderful day!

-Dan