Your meaty disc (CD) is scratched and won't play. Mayhap it is an album of music, mayhap you accept photos on the disc. Or perhaps information technology's a DVD that is scratched, with your favorite movie on it, or even a game disc.

Desire to go that scratched disc working again? Amazingly, yous tin can! Here'southward how to prepare a scratched CD or DVD, make information technology playable on any device, and what to do next.

Desire Data Off That CD? You'll Need to Fix It Get-go

Can a scratched DVD be fixed with toothpaste?
Prototype credit: Fred/Flickr

If your CD or DVD is scratched and won't play, information technology must be repaired before it will work over again. Repairing whatsoever type of optical disc isn't equally difficult as it might audio.

In almost cases, a scratch in the disc is only at the surface level. The actual information on the disc is stored on a fabric sandwiched between two layers of polycarbonate. That'south the transparent plastic of the disc, the surface prone to scratching.

Taking intendance of your discs is clearly a adept idea, so you should always put them back in the case when done. Also take the fourth dimension to ensure the within of the case is clean, too. Bits of dust tin can scratch the disc when it is apparently safely put away. As well, you should accept care removing a disc that gets stuck in the DVD bulldoze. This is another occasion when optical discs can be scratched or otherwise damaged.

Yet, if blemishes playback, there'southward a skilful adventure y'all can fix the scratched DVD or CD and make it playable again.

Several methods have been found to work. None of them require any special materials or skills, and all can be washed with household items.

five Ways to Repair a CD or DVD

If the disc has scratches preventing successful reading, yous can endeavor to repair them to make the disc playable again.

Here are five means you might (temporarily) repair a CD, DVD, or even Blu-ray disc.

i. Fix Your Optical Disc by Cleaning Information technology

Clean your scratched CD

Much of the fourth dimension, discs we call up are scratched---and therefore unreadable---aren't all that bad.

Often, the scratches are merely surface scuffs. Rather than deep gashes that divert the laser in the disc reader away from the encoded data on the metal layer, some scratches might simply exist dirt.

The bank check this, clean the surface of the disc with a soft lint-free cloth. You can use a gentle detergent (or rubbing alcohol) if at that place are grease spots. Make sure there are no fingerprints or dust particles. Don't scrub too difficult as you may do more than harm than skilful this way.

Where children, pets, and/or fast food is regularly found, look out likewise for food and liquid debris.

With any luck, your disc volition work once cleaned.

2. Repair Scratches on Damaged CDs with Toothpaste

Incredibly, this is possible using a whitening toothpaste or some polish (specially those used by opticians) although Brasso as well works.

But how does toothpaste fix scratches on your CDs? The principle here is simple: the toothpaste fills the gap acquired by the scratch. The laser is then correctly focused to accurately read the data on the disc. Follow these steps:

  1. Clean the disc as described above.
  2. Deposit a small amount of toothpaste (or your chosen filler) onto a plate. With a wooden toothpick, utilise a petty filler forth the scratch.
  3. Rub gently with a suitable cloth, from the middle of the scratch outwards.

After a few moments you will see the scratch diminishing. Information technology might even disappear.

While the cosmetic results might be satisfactory, the applied impact tin can exist hit and miss.

3. Can a Lite Bulb Set up a Scratched DVD?

Some other DIY scratch fixing technique is to employ a lamp with an incandescent 60W light bulb.

With the optical disc threaded onto your index finger, shiny side upward, hold the disc around 10cm from the lamp. Rotate the disc for a maximum of xx seconds, so remove. Note that too much exposure to the oestrus can impairment the disc.

Play the disc while it is still warm, immediately copying the data to your computer.

If you lot're not getting any joy so far, this might exist worth a get.

four. Fix a Scratched Disc With Wax

Incredibly, scratches in the surface of a CD or DVD tin can be fixed with softened wax!

As with the toothpaste fix, you can use shoe smoothen, lip balm, article of furniture wax, or even petroleum jelly. Again, rub it into the surface of the disc to fill the scratch. With a lint-free cloth, wipe of the backlog wax, with a radial action.

In one case you lot're done, endeavor and play the disc. If information technology works, re-create the data to your PC.

5. Fix Holes in the Disc With Scotch Tape

Fix holes in old CDs and DVDs

Non all disc issues are limited to the plastic layer. In some cases, holes can appear in the aluminum layer. As this is where the information is stored, it can prove devastating.

If a hole is establish by the laser, information technology will but stop reading.

The reply is to encompass the holes, thereby prompting the laser to keep reading. Hold the disc shiny side up and find the holes. So flip it over and mark the gaps with a permanent marker. Cease past placing two small-scale strips of tape over each whole you find.

With this done, the disc will play, allowing yous to recover nearly of the data. Of course, whatsoever data stored where the holes appeared will exist lost.

What to Exercise Next With Your Scratched CD

So, what have we learned? Well, yous don't demand to bin those scratched CDs and DVDs correct away. Instead of using them as coasters or windchimes, use ane of these methods to overcome the scratches and retrieve data.

To recap, you tin can set up a scratched CD using the post-obit techniques:

  1. Clean the disc with a soft textile, warm water, and soap
  2. Use toothpaste to fill the scratches
  3. Soften the polycarbonate afterwards with a hot lamp
  4. Fill the scratches with wax
  5. Find and cover any holes in the data layer with a Sharpie and tape

With the disc spinning and the thespian reading it, yous tin can be reasonably happy. The disc is repaired, albeit temporarily. It'due south time to have the time to go the data off it.

Whether you're trying to rescue audio, data, or video discs, don't residue on your honour. Instead, copy the information to some other disc, your hd, or whatsoever your preferred storage solution is.

Not sure how to do this? Find out how to recover data from a scratched CD or DVD.