Converting music CDA file to mp3 or .wav

Has anyone converted a music track on a music CD (CDA format) into an mp3 on their hard drive?

Have you used VLC Media Player?

I’ve tried three times and click Convert and I see Streaming in the VLC window pane which usually displays the time elapsing when playing music but it never converts.

Seems like it should be straight forward.

Have you used another free conversion software?

Thank you!

CDA is not a normal audio file. It is just a pointer to part of the data on an audio CD.
To “convert” CD tracks into audio files, you need to use a “CD Ripper” program. (Note that this is only legal for personal copies).
See here for more information: http://manual.audacityteam.org/man/tutorial_how_to_import_cds.html

Hi Steve,

Yes, to confirm this is music I legally own.

I’m interested in bringing my music along on a flash drive so I’m converting some of my old music CD tracks for that.

Thank you!

Another thing Music CDs do to conserve as much space as possible is leave out song titles. If you do have correct titles, it’s because your computer went on line and looked them up. It didn’t find them on the disk, and it doesn’t always get them right.

Gracenote thinks I’m Melissa Etheridge.

Koz

Hi Steve,
I rarely use Windows Media Player. I have version 12. I followed the directions for ripping choosing Tools>Options> Rip Music as I changed the output to .wav (lossless) and then clicked the Apply button then clicked the OK button but nothing happens.
I can see the tracks listed on the music CD in WMP’s pane and I have a checkmark next to the track I wish to rip and I also have it highlighted.
There doesn’t seem to be any progress bar like in Audacity so I can’t track any movements.
Can you pls share your insights as to what is going wrong?
Thanks so much.