scratched cds

[sharonlouise]

we have got an secondhand cd which my son loves but it is scratched is there anything anyone can suggest to cure this problem my husband usually uses metal polish but its not working this time.

[Skids]

Its probably scratched beyond repair then, but CD/DVD scratch repair kits are commercially available.

[Ashley]

On compact discs many people are under the incorrect impression that when the bottom of it is scratched, this is permenant damage - infact, the data is stored on the side with the label - thus to really destroy a cd beyond repair - just scratch on the label of one.

Anyway, back to the point - as Skids suggested, you can buy kits which sheen a very thin layer off the bottom of the cd in order to remove the scratches (which deviate the laser beam, which reads the cd data). Naturally there is only so many times you can do this/or so much you can take off - but you can usually fix even the worst of scratches.

Hope his helps

[ian.miller]

Ashley - the side with the label???

The dye (on a CDR) or the pressed layer (on a commercial CD) is sanwiched in the middle of the CD isn't it? the label side of that half also usually contains a mirrored layer to reflect the beam back after it's crossed the pits of the track.

I have never heard anyone say the pitted data track is in the side with the label before, have you got a web link about it?

As for repairing the CD - I have seen those CD repair kits in PCWorld, about �10 I think

[corganiser]

this may add further detail to Ashley's answer:

http://www.cdman.com/technical/howdocdswork1.html

[greenster]

ToysRus offers a reconditioning service. Dunno how much it is though.

[Hammer]

Try rubbing it with some kitchen towel and toothpaste to work out the scratches.

 

Also, filling in whatever's left of the scratch with vaseline can help your CDRom player to read it better so you can rip it to your hard drive and make a backup copy.

[PunkDaddy]

When I had scratched CD's I used to spray them with lynx deodorant and then wipe them clean, they smelled terrible but it seemed to work. I don't suppose the brand matters too much, but it was definitely deodorant and not anti perspirant.

[Potatoman]

Sounds silly, but toothpaste (from centre to edge) works wonders.

[stevie21]

Toothpaste??? Toothpaste is an abrasive so even if other people have lots of success stories of using this I'd never ever attempt this myself. I'd fully expect it to create more scratches (as it does if you rub it into a nice shiny painted surface like an expensive guitar).

Also, if the music is stored on the side with the label, how do CD players with flippable lids play them? With them you can clearly see that the laser is under the CD.

[slimfandango]

The laser does come from under the CD, on the non-label side. However we're talking about damage and repair here, which is where all the confusion seems to come from. On the bottom side there is a ton of polycarbonate, and if you scratch it there is plenty to remove so that the scratch is gone and the beam can pass to its target. But it's a laser reader, so when it sends out the beam it wants it back so that it can read how it has been distorted. Thus, you put a reflective layer, that can, in damage terms, be ripped up from the topside. Scratch the topside heavily enough (Robby Williams/Radiohead are amongst my collection of mirror top cds) and that CD can't easily be repaired at all.

AB, please delete this message for slagging off Robby Williams. Thanks.

[PunkDaddy]

Toothpaste? I wouldn't. but then again Deodorant does sound mad, I just know its worked for me.

[landie]

I've seen a service offered at a local (to me) Virgin Music Store which can repair scratched cd's for about �2.50

[PunkDaddy]

See �2.50, they just go and buy a can of Lynx.

[oligopoly]

i work for these guys: www.totaldiscrepair.com. all you need on there