CDex 2.24

The current release, version 2.24, was pushed out in August 2020 with "Windows 10 Version 2004 fixes" and a small handful of bug repairs.

Since then the project has gone silent - no new builds, no patches, no security fixes, and no public roadmap.

In practical terms, CDex is legacy software: it still runs, it still rips discs, but it is frozen in time.

That matters in 2026 because the Windows audio stack has moved on.

The encoders CDex shipped with, including older builds of the LAME MP3 Encoder, Ogg Vorbis, and Monkey's Audio, have all received meaningful updates that CDex itself will never pick up.

If output quality, tagging accuracy, or Windows 11 reliability matter to you, running a modern encoder through a modern frontend is simply a better outcome.

Why Your Antivirus Flags CDex (And Why It Is Mostly a False Positive)

If you download CDex 2.24 directly from cdex.mu, there is a good chance Windows Defender, Malwarebytes, Avast, or another scanner will throw a warning and quarantine the installer.

This has been reported repeatedly over the years on the MoneySavingExpert forum, Malwarebytes Forums, BleepingComputer, and the PortableApps community, and it confuses users who just wanted to rip a CD.

The short version: the CDex application itself is clean.

What security tools are flagging is the NSIS installer wrapper, which has historically included FusionCore (also called InstallCore) - a third-party installer component used to offer optional extra software during setup.

Most antivirus engines correctly classify this as a PUP (Potentially Unwanted Program) or adware detection.

A minority of engines escalate it to a generic "malware" label, which is where the scarier warnings come from.

The nuance, in plain terms:

• The core CDex executable is safe.
• The installer contains bundleware that tries to offer extra software during setup.
• Most modern antivirus tools treat that bundleware as a PUP and block the installer outright.
• The project is not maintained, so this behavior will not be cleaned up.

If you decide to proceed anyway, decline every optional offer during setup and read each screen carefully before clicking Next. Better still, consider whether you actually need CDex at all in 2026 - because you almost certainly do not.

Modern Alternatives That Do the Same Job, Better

CD ripping is not a niche capability anymore. Several maintained applications handle it cleanly, without bundleware, with current encoder builds and real Windows 11 compatibility.

Exact Audio Copy (EAC) is widely regarded as the gold standard for accurate CD ripping on Windows. It uses secure read modes, AccurateRip verification, and produces bit-perfect extractions from scratched or worn discs that CDex would give up on. It is free for personal use and still actively maintained.

dBpowerAMP Music Converter is the polished commercial option, with a clean interface, batch conversion, and support for nearly every audio format in circulation. Its CD ripper integrates AccurateRip and PerfectMeta tagging for metadata quality CDex cannot match.

EZ CD Audio Converter sits between those two - a modern UI, DSP effects, and strong format coverage, with a free tier for basic ripping and conversion.

For users who only need the encoding side of things and not the CD extraction, LameXP is a straightforward free frontend for the LAME MP3 Encoder that also handles Ogg Vorbis and AAC output - essentially the conversion half of CDex without the bundleware or the silence from upstream.

If you want broader editing and conversion control after ripping, ocenaudio is a fast, clean audio editor that pairs well with any of the above for post-rip cleanup, trimming, or normalization.

What About the Encoders CDex Used to Bundle?

Much of what made CDex useful was the collection of encoders it shipped alongside.

All of those are available individually and in current builds from the site's Audio Encoders section.

If you want to understand why LAME still matters after more than two decades, the guide Why LAME MP3 Encoder Is Still Relevant in 2026 is a short read worth the time, and Convert WAV to MP3: Best Quality Settings Guide 2026 covers the exact encoder settings you should use for good results today. For modern AAC output, the FDK AAC Codec is the current best-in-class free option.

Should You Still Install CDex?

There are legitimate reasons someone might still want CDex specifically - a familiar interface from years of use, custom presets that still work, an older Windows machine where modern alternatives feel like overkill.

If that describes you, version 2.24 remains available on this page, and the antivirus explanation above should help you make an informed decision before clicking through the installer.

For everyone else, especially anyone ripping CDs on Windows 11 in 2026, one of the maintained tools above will give you a cleaner install, better extraction accuracy, and actual support if something breaks.

Download details
License: Freeware (open source, project dormant) Size: 22.4 MB Last updated: 12 August 2020 Developer: cdex.mu (inactive)