How to Retrieve .CDA Files Lost After System Shutdown

Have files been deleted due to a user’s error or software error? Have you formatted a disk by accident and need to know how to recover the files? Read our .CDA file recovery guide for Windows, MacOS, Android and IOS in 2024.

How to Retrieve .CDA Files Lost After System Shutdown
Data Recovery Tool

What is a .CDA file?

Shortcut to a track on an audio CD; plays the referenced track on the CD when opened; therefore, the CD must be in the CD-ROM drive for the shortcut to work correctly.

What Are Common Causes of ".CDA" Files Lost or Failure?

There are several common causes of ".CDA" file loss or failure:

  1. Accidental deletion: Users may accidentally delete ".CDA" files while managing their music collection or organizing files on their computer.
  2. File system errors: File system corruption or errors can lead to the loss or failure of ".CDA" files. This can occur due to improper system shutdown, power outages, or hardware malfunctions.
  3. Virus or malware infections: Viruses or malware can infect and damage ".CDA" files, making them inaccessible or causing them to be deleted.
  4. Software or hardware issues: Problems with software or hardware components, such as a faulty CD/DVD drive or incompatible media player software, can result in ".CDA" file loss or failure.
  5. Formatting or partitioning errors: If a user accidentally formats a storage device containing ".CDA" files or partitions it incorrectly, it can lead to the loss of these files.
  6. Operating system upgrades or updates: Sometimes, during operating system upgrades or updates, ".CDA" files can be accidentally removed or become incompatible with the new system.
  7. Physical damage to storage media: Physical damage to CDs, DVDs, or other storage media can render ".CDA" files unreadable or cause them to be lost.

It is important to regularly back up ".CDA" files and maintain a reliable data recovery solution to minimize the risk of file loss or failure.

How to recover lost ".CDA" files?

Sometimes while working with a computer, laptop or other stationary or mobile devices, you may encounter various bugs, freezes, hardware or software failures, even in spite of regular updates and junk cleaning. As a result, an important ".CDA" file may be deleted.

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🧺 How to Recover Files and Folders After Sending Them to the Recycle Bin and Deleting? (Windows 11)

🧺 How to Recover Files and Folders After Sending Them to the Recycle Bin and Deleting? (Windows 11)

By no means should you think that the only way to recover a ".CDA" file is always to create it once more.

Use programs for recovering ".CDA" files if a file was lost after accidental or deliberate deleting, formatting the memory card or the internal storage, cleaning the storage device, after a virus attack or a system failure.

Programs to recover ".CDA" files

Looking for a way to get files back? In cases when files were deleted and they cannot be restored by using standard operating system tools, use Hetman Partition Recovery.

Partition Recovery™ 4.9
The tool recovers data from any devices, regardless of the cause of data loss.
Download

Follow the directions below:

  1. Download Hetman Partition Recovery, install and start the program.

  2. The program will automatically scan the computer and display all hard disks and removable drives connected to it, as well as physical and local disks.

    File Recovery Software

  3. Double-click on the disk from which you need to recover ".CDA" files, and select analysis type.

    Hetman Partition Recovery - Analysis Type

  4. When the scanning is over, you will be shown the files for recovery.

    Hetman Partition Recovery - Files that Can be Restored

  5. To find a file you need, use the program’s interface to open the folder it was deleted from, or go to the folder "Content-Aware Analysis" and select the required file type.

    Hetman Partition Recovery - Deep Scan

  6. Select the files you have been looking for and click "Recovery".

    File Recovery Software - Files List for Recovery

  7. Choose one of the methods for saving the files and recover them.

    Saving recovered files in Hetman Partition Recovery

How to open file with ".CDA" extension?

Looking for how to open a stereo cD Audio Track Shortcut image file file?

Programs that open ".CDA" files

Windows
Apple iTunes Apple iTunes
Microsoft Windows Media Player Microsoft Windows Media Player
Nullsoft Winamp Nullsoft Winamp
RealNetworks RealPlayer Cloud RealNetworks RealPlayer Cloud
VideoLAN VLC media player VideoLAN VLC media player
JRiver Media Center JRiver Media Center
NCH WavePad NCH WavePad
Other <a href=audio player"> Other audio player
Mac
Apple iTunes Apple iTunes
RealNetworks RealPlayer Cloud RealNetworks RealPlayer Cloud
VideoLAN VLC media player VideoLAN VLC media player
JRiver Media Center JRiver Media Center
Other <a href=audio player"> Other audio player
Linux
VideoLAN VLC media player VideoLAN VLC media player
Other <a href=audio player"> Other audio player

Additional Information

  • File type: CD Audio Track Shortcut

  • File extension: .CDA

  • Developer: N/A

  • Category: Audio Files

  • Format: N/A

  • HEX: 52 49 46 46 24 00 00 00 43 44 44 41 66 6D 74 20

  • ASCII: RIFF$...CDDAfmt

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We will be happy to answer your questions!

Comments (1)

  • Hetman Software: Data Recovery
    Hetman Software: Data Recovery 18.12.2019 14:55 #
    Leave a comment if you have any questions about Recovering lost .CDA files after deleting, cleaning or formatting!
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Vladimir Artiukh

Author: Vladimir Artiukh, Technical Writer

Vladimir Artiukh is a technical writer for Hetman Software, as well as the voice and face of their English-speaking YouTube channel, Hetman Software: Data Recovery for Windows. He handles tutorials, how-tos, and detailed reviews on how the company’s tools work with all kinds of data storage devices.

Oleg Afonin

Editor: Oleg Afonin, Technical Writer

Oleg Afonin is an expert in mobile forensics, data recovery and computer systems. He often attends large data security conferences, and writes several blogs for such resources as xaker.ru, Elcomsoft and Habr. In addition to his online activities, Oleg’s articles are also published in professional magazines. Also, Oleg Afonin is the co-author of a well-known book, Mobile Forensics - Advanced Investigative Strategies.

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Questions and answers

  • What is the process of recovering .CDA files and how does it work?

    CDA files are not actual audio files, but rather just shortcuts or pointers to the tracks on an audio CD. As such, you cannot directly recover CDA files. However, you can extract the audio tracks from the CD and convert them into playable audio files.

    Here is the process to recover audio from a CD and convert it into usable audio files:

    1. Insert the audio CD into your computer's CD/DVD drive.
    2. Open a media player software like Windows Media Player, iTunes, or VLC.
    3. The media player will automatically recognize the CD and display the list of tracks (CDA files) on it.
    4. Select the tracks you want to recover and convert.
    5. Look for an option like "Rip" or "Extract" within the media player. Click on it.
    6. Choose the desired audio format for the extracted files, such as MP3, WAV, FLAC, etc.
    7. Select the destination folder where you want to save the recovered audio files.
    8. Start the extraction process. The media player will read the CD, convert the tracks into the selected audio format, and save them to the specified location.
    9. Once the extraction is complete, you will have the recovered audio files in the chosen format, which can be played on any compatible media player.

    It's important to note that the quality of the recovered audio files will depend on the original audio CD's quality and the chosen audio format for conversion.

  • Are there any specific software or tools available for .CDA file recovery?

    There are several software and tools available for .CDA file recovery. Some popular options include:

    1. IsoBuster: It is a powerful data recovery tool that can recover data from various types of media, including CDs and DVDs.
    2. CD Recovery Toolbox: This tool is specifically designed for recovering data from damaged or scratched CDs and DVDs.
    3. AnyReader: It is a file recovery tool that can recover data from damaged or unreadable CDs, DVDs, and other storage media.
    4. CDCheck: This software can scan and recover data from damaged or corrupted CDs and DVDs.
    5. Unstoppable Copier: It is a utility tool that can recover data from scratched or damaged CDs, DVDs, and other storage media.

    It's important to note that .CDA files are not actual audio files but rather just pointers to the tracks on an audio CD. Therefore, recovering .CDA files might not be possible as they do not contain any actual data.

  • Can .CDA files be recovered from any type of storage device, or are there limitations to the recovery process?

    .CDA files are not actual audio files, but rather just a shortcut or pointer to a track on an audio CD. These files do not contain any audio data themselves. Therefore, it is not possible to recover .CDA files from any storage device as they do not exist as standalone files.

    However, if you are trying to recover audio files from a damaged or corrupted CD, there are specialized data recovery tools and services available that can help retrieve the audio tracks. These tools can extract the audio data from the damaged CD and save it in a usable audio format such as MP3 or WAV.

    It is important to note that the success of the recovery process depends on the extent of the damage to the CD and the effectiveness of the recovery tools used. In some cases, the damage may be severe, making it impossible to recover the audio tracks completely.
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