CD/DVD Scratch Removal/Repair

Ishtim · 18th Apr 2008, 05:52 AM

I have audio CD's dating back since high school (1983

) and some are in need of repair. I have looked around a bit at the local stores and online and have seen many options including:

Memorex

CDSaver

Digital Innovations

Aluratek

...and some alternatives that I have seen on YouTube...
I tried using toothpaste, it made the CD unreadable in all drives I own (luckily, it was replaceable).

And this ONE that looks somewhat feasable like lapping a heatsink till mirror finish.

I know that CD/DVD's substrates are pretty much bullet proof, I just want to know what you have used if anything?

TIA!

Ish

Adrian Wong · 18th Apr 2008, 06:08 AM

I did try one of those "polishing systems" long ago but it didn't do anything. Not sure if they improved on that since then. However, I don't think toothpaste works at all.

CDs and DVDs are designed to function with scratches on the plastic underside. So they are generally readable unless the scratches are really bad.

More importantly are damage to the substrate layer (by scoring the top) or having the two plastic layers separate. If that happens, there's nothing you can do AFAIK.

Chai · 18th Apr 2008, 07:52 AM

My father bought a CD repair kit back in the 90s. It works quite well, repaired many badly scratched LDs (yes, LDs), and CDs.

lee_what2004 · 18th Apr 2008, 09:06 AM

I forgot where I have heard this, but banana would help

The_YongGrand · 18th Apr 2008, 09:09 AM

I heard of putting the CD into a pot of boiling water...

... neh, haven't tried that, I'm pretty sure it'll ruin it!

Zenphic · 18th Apr 2008, 09:36 AM

Don't know about repairing, but I usually clean my CD/DVD that have problems being read with warm soapy water.

Ishtim · 18th Apr 2008, 08:45 PM

Polishing out the scratches is what I am looking to do. I have some that skip and am willing to try something before replacing them. I just might try the polishing as described on UToob.

Trinity · 18th Apr 2008, 09:39 PM

A better cd player? Seems some can read though anything, and some can't even take a speck of dirt.

rogue_tomato · 18th Apr 2008, 11:27 PM

A buddy of mine had heard that green marker works pretty good. We tried it on a pretty big scratch on a music cd.... and we knew exactly where the song skipped. We applied the green marker on the scratch, and viola! No more skip! That was quite a while ago, haven't tried it since...

Adrian Wong · 19th Apr 2008, 04:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chai

My father bought a CD repair kit back in the 90s. It works quite well, repaired many badly scratched LDs (yes, LDs), and CDs.

Really? What kind of system is that? Polishing liquid?

18th Apr 2008, 05:52 AM	#1 (permalink)
Ishtim Super Moderator Join Date: 14 May 2003 Location: Alabama, USA Posts: 3,587 Reputation: 2567 Rep Power: 34	CD/DVD Scratch Removal/Repair I have audio CD's dating back since high school (1983 ) and some are in need of repair. I have looked around a bit at the local stores and online and have seen many options including: Memorex CDSaver Digital Innovations Aluratek ...and some alternatives that I have seen on YouTube... I tried using toothpaste, it made the CD unreadable in all drives I own (luckily, it was replaceable). And this ONE that looks somewhat feasable like lapping a heatsink till mirror finish. I know that CD/DVD's substrates are pretty much bullet proof, I just want to know what you have used if anything? TIA! Ish

18th Apr 2008, 06:08 AM	#2 (permalink)
Adrian Wong Da Boss Join Date: 10 Oct 2002 Location: In front of my BenQ Joybook 7000 notebook! Posts: 29,177 Reputation: 2830 Rep Power: 63	I did try one of those "polishing systems" long ago but it didn't do anything. Not sure if they improved on that since then. However, I don't think toothpaste works at all. CDs and DVDs are designed to function with scratches on the plastic underside. So they are generally readable unless the scratches are really bad. More importantly are damage to the substrate layer (by scoring the top) or having the two plastic layers separate. If that happens, there's nothing you can do AFAIK. __________________ Dr. Adrian Wong Tech ARP \| Blog @ Tech ARP \| The Free Trade Zone DYKT : The only offshore account I have is at the sand bank? Keep Tech ARP free! Visit our sponsors! We need PROGRAMMERS and TECHNICAL WRITERS! Contact us if you are a hot shot programmer or technical writer! My items for sale : 50x SD Card \| Memory Stick PRO \| Cyclone Energy Saver \| Seiko SS watch \| Tiger/Carlsberg beer jugs \| Travel Speakers \| Motorola V600 \| Nokia N90 SOLD! \| New Lowepro Mini Trekker AW Other items for sale @ the FTZ : Zalman CNPS9500 LED @ $20 \| Zalman CNPS7700 Cu @ $20 \| Zalman CNPS7000 Cu @ $20 \| Swarovski bracelet watches \| Dell 17" LCD \| Hi-Fi speakers \| English DIVX movies \| HP LaserJet toners! \| Office chairs

18th Apr 2008, 07:52 AM	#3 (permalink)
Chai Administrator Join Date: 6 Oct 2002 Location: Maranello Posts: 25,809 Reputation: 3674 Rep Power: 67	My father bought a CD repair kit back in the 90s. It works quite well, repaired many badly scratched LDs (yes, LDs), and CDs. __________________ Chai (Contributor & Forum Admin) http://www.techarp.com/ Intel E8400 o/c 4.05GHz, Abit IP35 Pro, Corsair TWIN2X4096-6400C5DHX, Asus EN8800GTS 512MB, WD Raptor WD740, WD 5000AAKS x2, Antec TPII-480, EMU 0404 PCI

18th Apr 2008, 09:06 AM	#4 (permalink)
lee_what2004 I'm a regular Join Date: 28 Dec 2007 Location: Melaka Posts: 424 Reputation: 291 Rep Power: 3	I forgot where I have heard this, but banana would help __________________ Theory is when you know something, but it doesn't work. Practice is when something works, but you don't know why it works. Programmers combine theory and practice : Nothing works and they don't know why.

18th Apr 2008, 09:09 AM	#5 (permalink)
The_YongGrand Super Active Join Date: 12 Feb 2005 Location: Somewhere in 甲洞... Posts: 2,065 Reputation: 611 Rep Power: 12	I heard of putting the CD into a pot of boiling water... ... neh, haven't tried that, I'm pretty sure it'll ruin it! __________________ Intel Pentium Dual-Core E2140, 2GB DDR2-667 RAM, Asus P5NSLI, Galaxy Geforce 8600GT AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+, 2GB DDR2-667 RAM, Biostar Geforce 6100 AM2, Galaxy Geforce 7300GT

18th Apr 2008, 09:36 AM	#6 (permalink)
Zenphic Active Join Date: 23 Apr 2006 Location: Quebec, Canada Posts: 691 Reputation: 176 Rep Power: 4	Don't know about repairing, but I usually clean my CD/DVD that have problems being read with warm soapy water.

18th Apr 2008, 08:45 PM	#7 (permalink)
Ishtim Super Moderator Join Date: 14 May 2003 Location: Alabama, USA Posts: 3,587 Reputation: 2567 Rep Power: 34	Polishing out the scratches is what I am looking to do. I have some that skip and am willing to try something before replacing them. I just might try the polishing as described on UToob.

18th Apr 2008, 09:39 PM	#8 (permalink)
Trinity Little Kiki Join Date: 5 Jan 2003 Location: Ohio,usa Posts: 6,609 Reputation: 4831 Rep Power: 60	A better cd player? Seems some can read though anything, and some can't even take a speck of dirt. __________________ E6600, P5B-D, 1Gbx2 Crucial PC2-8500, 7600GT, WD 500GbHDD Conroe Bay-Bee! (\__/) (-. - ) (> < ) Vsya Moya Lyubov' http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zo5n0HwaRmQ

18th Apr 2008, 11:27 PM	#9 (permalink)
rogue_tomato Getting there Join Date: 1 May 2006 Posts: 151 Reputation: 15 Rep Power: 3	A buddy of mine had heard that green marker works pretty good. We tried it on a pretty big scratch on a music cd.... and we knew exactly where the song skipped. We applied the green marker on the scratch, and viola! No more skip! That was quite a while ago, haven't tried it since...