Repairing Cd Scratches

DiscoZombieDiscoZombie Join Date: 2003-08-05 Member: 18951Members
in Off-Topic
<div class="IPBDescription">is there a good way?</div> I've got a whole buncha scratched game CDs and DVDs... is there a cheap way to recondition them so I can play em again? do those home kits work or is it better to take them in somewhere? how does reconditioning them work anyway? it's not like putting some chemical or whatever onto the CD is going to replace the scratched out information...
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Comments

  • QuaunautQuaunaut The longest seven days in history... Join Date: 2003-03-21 Member: 14759Members, Constellation, Reinforced - Shadow
    edited August 2004
    I dunno, I just use the light cloth things that you can buy with CDs. If that doesn't fix it, your generally screwed, 'cause that thing fixes almost everything.

    For keeping 'em good though, theirs <a href='http://www.d-skin.com/' target='_blank'>D-Skins.</a>!
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  • UnknownUnknown Join Date: 2002-06-12 Member: 759Members
    I have one of those 20$ home kit things. I used it on my PS games. Worked pretty nicely if you ask me...
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  • brute_forcebrute_force Join Date: 2003-10-04 Member: 21433Members, Constellation
    I found toothpaste works pretty well <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif' /><!--endemo-->
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  • TalesinTalesin Our own little well of hate Join Date: 2002-11-08 Member: 7710NS1 Playtester, Forum Moderators
    Yes, the home kits work so long as the scratches are on the shiny side, and not the label side. The 'shiny' side is actually just a layer of plastic. The actual data is stored on a thin foil wafer, which is directly under the label.

    What the 'home kits' (CD Doctor, etc) do is that they grind down the clear plastic part until the scratches are evened out or ground away, allowing the laser an unimpeded path to and from the foil.

    If the label-side ends up scratched though, you're hosed.
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  • QuaunautQuaunaut The longest seven days in history... Join Date: 2003-03-21 Member: 14759Members, Constellation, Reinforced - Shadow
    Link above altered. D-Skin: The most genious thing someone has thought of in quite a while.

    <a href='http://www.d-skin.com/' target='_blank'>D-Skin</a>
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  • DiscoZombieDiscoZombie Join Date: 2003-08-05 Member: 18951Members
    wow, that explains it, thanks Talesin, I always figured the data was just 'burned' right onto the shiny side of the CD...

    and those d-skins DO look like a good idea... generally I just store all my CDs on empty CD-R spindles, but I'm not one to take good care of em =P
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  • Har_Har_the_PirateHar_Har_the_Pirate Join Date: 2003-08-10 Member: 19388Members, Constellation
    have you guys used the d skins? how well do they work. I love the disk doctor but it doesnt prevent dmg which is what i want(im a idiot)
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  • HibameHibame Join Date: 2003-11-16 Member: 22974Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    I like the tv add of them its cool, but how well do they work and are they easy to apply and remove?
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  • AlcapwnAlcapwn &quot;War is the science of destruction&quot; - John Abbot Join Date: 2003-06-21 Member: 17590Members
    Yeah ive been thinkin bout those d skins too...i want someone to tell me if there actually worth it though.
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  • TalesinTalesin Our own little well of hate Join Date: 2002-11-08 Member: 7710NS1 Playtester, Forum Moderators
    If they're put on right (and on the label side) they work fine. Most people don't take the time to do so, and unbalance the disc. Can lead to CD-player (or cd-drive) damage from the disc spinning badly off-axis.

    Placing them on the shiny side is worthless though.
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  • That_Annoying_KidThat_Annoying_Kid Sire of Titles Join Date: 2003-03-01 Member: 14175Members, Constellation
    edited August 2004
    disk doctor


    but if it's labelside damage, chuck it out or use it as a coaster

    [edit]
    I basically echoed talesin from a couple posts up, but as any networking guru will tell you redundancy is your friend ^_~
    [/edit]
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  • ScytheScythe Join Date: 2002-01-25 Member: 46NS1 Playtester, Forum Moderators, Constellation, Reinforced - Silver
    edited August 2004
    Smear a thin layer of toothpaste over the shiny face, let it dry, then rub the residue off in a radial direction. This does wonders. The more scratches the longer you'll have to buff it. You should see zillions of tiny scratches, these are OK, it's the big ones that cause the trouble.

    Toothpaste is a very fine abrasive, it's got tiny particles of titanium dioxide that work very well at finely smoothing something.

    --Scythe--
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  • TalesinTalesin Our own little well of hate Join Date: 2002-11-08 Member: 7710NS1 Playtester, Forum Moderators
    In other words, it does exactly what a Disc Doctor does, except it's messier and leaves a less-attractive result. <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo--> Plus you have to rub and buff until however long, instead of just turning a crank until the mark comes back to the start-mark. It also doesn't work if you use gel toothpaste, or a non-abrasive toothpaste. And let's not even get started with the 'whitening agent' toothpastes.

    Or hell... just get a motorized DD, and hit the button. Watch it spin and just wait for it to be done. Easy as caek. Piece of pai. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo-->
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  • ChronoChrono Local flyboy Join Date: 2003-08-05 Member: 18989Members
    <!--QuoteBegin-brute_force+Aug 10 2004, 08:36 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (brute_force @ Aug 10 2004, 08:36 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> I found toothpaste works pretty well <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    i agree it saved my original half life <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->
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  • BlackMageBlackMage [citation needed] Join Date: 2003-06-18 Member: 17474Members, Constellation
    nanites.

    use disc doctor, teh talesin speaketh the truth
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  • PalmaneenPalmaneen Join Date: 2003-01-02 Member: 11727Members
    Toothpaste all the way <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo-->
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  • DefianceDefiance Join Date: 2003-12-01 Member: 23847Members
    <!--QuoteBegin-Quaunaut+Aug 10 2004, 06:44 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Quaunaut @ Aug 10 2004, 06:44 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> I dunno, I just use the light cloth things that you can buy with CDs. If that doesn't fix it, your generally screwed, 'cause that thing fixes almost everything.

    For keeping 'em good though, theirs <a href='http://www.d-skin.com/' target='_blank'>D-Skins.</a>! <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Yes, these things are ******* awesome Quad. I bought some the other day, gonna buy some more soon. Great idea, great product.
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  • panda_de_malheureuxpanda_de_malheureux Join Date: 2003-12-26 Member: 24775Members
    <!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->For keeping 'em good though, theres D-Skins.! <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Just a little question however, if 5 of these covers cost $6 and cds are 50 cents each, wouldnt it be cheaper just to copy it? (I see how it would be good for DVD/Bluray though).
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  • sheena_yanaisheena_yanai Join Date: 2002-12-23 Member: 11426Members
    edited August 2004
    <!--QuoteBegin-version91x+Aug 11 2004, 06:21 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (version91x @ Aug 11 2004, 06:21 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->For keeping 'em good though, theres D-Skins.! <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Just a little question however, if 5 of these covers cost $6 and cds are 50 cents each, wouldnt it be cheaper just to copy it? (I see how it would be good for DVD/Bluray though). <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    i think for my ORIGINAL windows xp and my very expensive ORIGINAL 3d software packages its worth the money..they dont cost 50 cents. i think this system is not meant for burned roms
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