repairing scratched cds/dvds

flamingelephant

Golden Member
Jun 22, 2001
1,182
0
76
Got a scratched Wii game, scratches seem minor but still doesn't work great... has anyone tried anything you can buy to fix scratched cd/dvds?

Do they work?

Thanks
 

CrazyLazy

Platinum Member
Jun 21, 2008
2,124
1
0
I have tried some, and none of them ever worked for me. Your mileage may differ.
 

clamum

Lifer
Feb 13, 2003
26,256
406
126
I put some CD/DVD cleaning kit at Wal-Mart that comes with two bottles of solution, one is like a thick syrupy type stuff that you buff the disc with, then the other is a quick-drying alcohol-type liquid to gloss it at the end. Seems to work ok, I've been able to rip Wii games after using it that would not rip before using it.
 

UpgradeFailure

Golden Member
Feb 29, 2004
1,672
0
0
Toothpaste and warm water.

Put some toothpaste on your figer and buff it into the scratches. Then clean the disc with warm water and make sure all the toothpaste is off. Dry it and also let it air dry. It should work after that. I've done it to tons of discs.
 

God Mode

Platinum Member
Jul 2, 2005
2,903
0
71
I've tried almost every method on google short of commercial cd repair machines. All of them are bullshit and tend to end up causing more hairline scratches.
 

ruu

Senior member
Oct 24, 2008
464
1
0
Originally posted by: clamum
I put some CD/DVD cleaning kit at Wal-Mart that comes with two bottles of solution, one is like a thick syrupy type stuff that you buff the disc with, then the other is a quick-drying alcohol-type liquid to gloss it at the end.

That Wal-Mart stuff has worked really well for me on many, many CDs and DVDs. Have never tried it on a game disc, but I don't see why it'd be that different.
 

alkemyst

No Lifer
Feb 13, 2001
83,769
19
81
I have found the best way is to treat the disc and then re-burn it.

I have done it twice now...I used plastic polish and some online guide...

The discs would not play in my DVD player...however, my computer could play them.

I just remastered them onto a new disc (had to compress it)...played perfectly and looked as good as I remembered the original.

I now burn all my DVDs/CDs and leave the originals in their cases. I like to collect movies and music though.
 
Oct 27, 2007
17,009
5
0
Originally posted by: UpgradeFailure
Toothpaste and warm water.

Put some toothpaste on your figer and buff it into the scratches. Then clean the disc with warm water and make sure all the toothpaste is off. Dry it and also let it air dry. It should work after that. I've done it to tons of discs.

This. I've fixed lots of discs with toothpaste.
 

mrSHEiK124

Lifer
Mar 6, 2004
11,488
2
0
Originally posted by: ruu
Originally posted by: clamum
I put some CD/DVD cleaning kit at Wal-Mart that comes with two bottles of solution, one is like a thick syrupy type stuff that you buff the disc with, then the other is a quick-drying alcohol-type liquid to gloss it at the end.

That Wal-Mart stuff has worked really well for me on many, many CDs and DVDs. Have never tried it on a game disc, but I don't see why it'd be that different.

I bought one on clearance with a bunch of refills too, Memorex brand.

To the OP: One of the off the shelf CD scratch repair kits will work on anything that appears to be a scratch on the bottom of the CD (the plastic part). Any scratches that are also visible on the top/label side probably can't be repaired, 0s and 1s are actually gone. With scratches on the bottom, the lens just can't read through the scratches.
 

Eli

Super Moderator | Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
50,419
8
81
Originally posted by: mrSHEiK124
Originally posted by: ruu
Originally posted by: clamum
I put some CD/DVD cleaning kit at Wal-Mart that comes with two bottles of solution, one is like a thick syrupy type stuff that you buff the disc with, then the other is a quick-drying alcohol-type liquid to gloss it at the end.

That Wal-Mart stuff has worked really well for me on many, many CDs and DVDs. Have never tried it on a game disc, but I don't see why it'd be that different.

I bought one on clearance with a bunch of refills too, Memorex brand.

To the OP: One of the off the shelf CD scratch repair kits will work on anything that appears to be a scratch on the bottom of the CD (the plastic part). Any scratches that are also visible on the top/label side probably can't be repaired, 0s and 1s are actually gone. With scratches on the bottom, the lens just can't read through the scratches.
They're not gone.. It would technically be possible if you could put the reflective layer back on somehow, but I don't think theres any product to do this.

For the underside, plastic polish.
 

Wuffsunie

Platinum Member
May 4, 2002
2,808
0
0
A rental place near me offers scratch repair for $3 a disc. They got one of the buffer machines. Took a South Park DVD I had with some scrapes that caused my player to skip at reading that part. Came out working perfectly.

I have tried some of the do-it-yourself stuff in the past, the kits and home-made stuff. Neither worked well for me.
 

BW86

Lifer
Jul 20, 2004
13,114
30
91
Originally posted by: GodlessAstronomer
Originally posted by: UpgradeFailure
Toothpaste and warm water.

Put some toothpaste on your figer and buff it into the scratches. Then clean the disc with warm water and make sure all the toothpaste is off. Dry it and also let it air dry. It should work after that. I've done it to tons of discs.

This. I've fixed lots of discs with toothpaste.

same here