3. Detect Gaps
With the right profile loaded, and correct CD information stored, you are ready to actually start ripping.
- As a preliminary step, hit F4 or click "Detect Gaps" in the Action menu.
This will make EAC register the length of the (usually silent) gaps between the tracks. It usually takes a minute or two, depending on the number of tracks. You need to detect gaps this way before ripping the CD, or else the gaps will not show in the log file.
If it goes very slow, or if EAC freezes, cancel the operation and hit F10 (or click "Drive Options" in the EAC menu), then choose the Gap Detection tab and change the detection method. (See EAC Setup Guide, step 5d.) If neither A, B nor C works, try changing the accuracy (too). Also, if you have more than one drive, changing to another drive may do the trick. If you do not have another drive, and the problem persists, changing the ASPI layer might help, see EAC Setup Guide, step 3i.
- Check that the gap lengths look reasonable before proceeding with the rip. If there is a problem, change detection method (see EAC Setup Guide, step 5d).
Occasionally, one method will give results that are obviously wrong. I have copied and slightly edited this list of what to look out for from a thread at the EAC Support Forums:
* Gaps are all the same length (apart from the first pre-gap, which may, for example, be the the standard 2 seconds while the rest of the gaps are all equal, see a log file example here). Note, however, that some retail CDs and many CD-Rs will have standard 2 second gaps between all the tracks. If they stay at 2 seconds no matter which method you use, you may conclude that all the gaps really are 2 seconds.
* Gaps lengths are all very short: 00.00.01, 00.00.03.
* Gaps lengths are very long. Over 1 minute.
* Gaps lengths get progressively longer (see a log example here, and the correct gaps in another log for the same CD here).
* Gaps lengths are equal to the length of the track.
* The total exceeds 30 seconds (2,250 sectors).