Encoding/tagging with EAC (strongly recommended)
This procedure must be used when applying for Uploader status.
Download "FLAC for Windows with installer" from here OR download just the FLAC codec (most people will want the 32-bit .exe) here. Do not download the frontend separately, as you'll get an old version. Do not use alternative codecs such as Flake.
All below are EXAMPLE settings!
From the main menu bar, select EAC > EAC Options (F9) > Tools tab:
* New image for EAC 1.0 On extraction start external compressors queued in the background: Checked
* Use [ 1] simultaneous external compressor thread(s)
* Do not open external compressor window: Checked (leave it unchecked for debugging)
From the main menu bar, select EAC > Compression Options (F11) > ...
* Offset tab: No longer in EAC 1.0, relaced by comment tab
* ID3 Tag tab: Everything: Unchecked
External Compression tab:
* Use external program for compression: Checked
* Parameter passing scheme: User Definied Encoder
* Use file extension: .flac
* Program, including path, used for compression: specify path to flac.exe
* Additional commandline options:
Compression level must be 5 or higher. 8 is recommended. Artist, title, album and track number tags are mandatory.
Don't use ReplayGain tags, other tags are optional. Do not mention Pedro's in comment tags.
An omitted tag is better than an inaccurate tag!
The following example is appropriate if you're using level 8 compression:
-8 -V -T "ARTIST=%a" -T "TITLE=%t" -T "ALBUM=%g" -T "DATE=%y" -T "TRACKNUMBER=%n" -T "TOTALTRACKS=%x" -T "GENRE=%m" -T "ALBUMARTIST=%v" -T "ALBUM ARTIST=%v" -T "COMMENT=EAC Secure Mode, Test & Copy, AccurateRip, FLAC -8" %s
* Bitrate: doesn't matter
* Delete WAV after compression: Checked (or leave unchecked - wavs won't be deleted)
* Use CRC check: Checked
* Add ID3 Tag: Unchecked (FLAC has own tags)
* High quality/low quality: doesn't matter
* Check for external programs return code: Checked
* New image for EAC 1.0
Remember to press shift-F6 (not F6) when ripping, otherwise EAC will not compress/tag!
Also remember not to close EAC immediately after ripping, look at status bar: the last track might still be compressing.
Afterwards, do not change the tags or reencode without explanation. The log must correspond to the final files.
FLAC frontend (not required if encoding with EAC)
Download "FLAC for Windows with installer" from here. Do not download the frontend separately, as you'll get an old version. Do not use alternative codecs such as Flake.
Required FLAC frontend Settings:
* Level: 5 or higher (Level 8 is recommended)
* Verify: Checked
* Add tags: Checked if you want to add tags (recommended), but make sure you click the Tag Conf. button to set the correct tags first.
* Replaygain: Unchecked
* When that is done, click Encode. When the encoding is done you can also make a Fingerprint.
If you don't/can't use the Windows-only flac frontend you can create the fingerprint file on the commandline:
metaflac --with-filename --show-md5sum *.flac >fingerprint.txt
Extraction
Ripping and .cue creation
EAC produces files with names that differ only by the extension. It's strongly recommended that you configure Windows to show all extensions in Control Panel/Folder Options/View.
1. Put in the CD.

2. F4 (Detect Gaps). If the first track is RED, there is a hidden track! See the section below.
3. F3 (Test Gaps On Silence). If the first track has "no gap" or it's 100% silent, skip to step 9. Explanation.
4. Select just track 1.
5. Alt-X (Copy Selected Tracks Indexed-Based). Retry if there are errors.
6. Rename the log "Pregap.log" .
7. Delete the track starting with the name 01.01 .
8. Encode and rename the remaining track "00 - Pregap.flac" . Tagging this small file is optional.
9. Set the Various Artists option in the main page as applicable.
10. Check and edit any track names obtained from the internet.
For Various Artists, the names MUST be in Artist / Title format. Explanation.
11. Delete the log from any previous rip of this CD's main tracks, else EAC will append the new log to the old one.
12. Ctrl-a (select all tracks).
13. EAC > Menu Action > Create CUE Sheet, Multiple WAV Files With Gaps... (Noncompliant).
14. Shift-F6 (Test & Copy Selected Tracks) (without Shift, if encoding later)
* * if CD contains a data-track - see 'Handling of CD-Extra' above.
Check the CRCs after each rip - each pair must match:
Check at the end for a There were errors message.
DO NOT rip the CD to one large file. Such torrents will be deleted.
Handling tracks hidden before track 1 (rare)
If EAC shows track 1 in RED, there is a track hidden in the pregap! Otherwise, ignore this section.
Such tracks can only be played in a normal CD player by rewinding past the normal start point, if the player permits this.
While playing this hidden track, the player will normally show a countdown to the start of the first normal track.
Some drives cannot rip track 1 pregaps, their rips will be entirely silent (play the entire file to be sure) and EAC will report silence when testing with F3. The only remedy is to rip with another drive.
1. Select track 1 in EAC, and press Alt-Shift-X (without Shift if you don't compress/tag with EAC).
This will produce a log and two flac (or wav) files. Note that there's no test and copy option with this operation and no CRC in the log.
2. Check the log for error messages. If you see any, clean the CD and restart.
Note that the AccurateRip messages "Track 1 not ripped completely" and "No tracks could be verified as accurate" are not error messages and can be ignored.
3. Play all of the file with a name starting with "01.00". If it's entirely silent, restart using a different drive.
4. Rename that file. Use "00 - Hidden Track.flac" if the track title is unknown, else use "00 - " followed by the track title.
5. Rename the log "Hidden Track.log".
6. Repeat steps 1 & 2 to create a second rip for comparison with the first.
7. Perform a binary comparison of the new 01.00 file and the track that you renamed.
One way is to use the DOS command fc /b "file name 1" " file name 2".
Another way is to create md5 fingerprints of the the two files and compare those.
8. If the files are not identical, restart.
9. Include Hidden Track.log and the encoded hidden track file in your torrent. Discard the other files.
10. Rip the unhidden tracks in the normal way, from step 9 in the section above.
11. Create and include an extra cue sheet that will burn all tracks including the hidden track. See here.
If you have any trouble, send Bonzo the standard cue sheet by PM and he'll send back the extra one that you need.
12. Create and include an extra edited .m3u playlist with the hidden track at the top of the list.
13. Make a prominent note about the hidden track in your torrent description and info.txt file.