Geeky stuff

How To Recover Data From Scratched CDs And DVDs

Most of you might have experienced problems with scratched CDs and DVDs. It’s due to scratches your DVD and CD player is unable to read the data in the disc giving rise to reading errors. In the case of audio CDs, the CD skips when we play it.

What really happens when you insert a scratched disc in your player?

A CD’s/DVD’s data is recorded on a metal layer inside it, a silvered layer on commercial CDs, which is usually golden on CD-Rs. The metal layer is located inside a transparent plastic covering known as polycarbonate which is used to protect the disc’s metal layer.
Your CD/DVD player utilizes a laser beam to read the metal layer. This laser beam passes through the plastic layer and reads the metal layer. If the plastic layer is scratched, the beam will be unable to pass through it, resulting in a read error or skipping the music.

So when your CD/DVD is scratched you don’t really lose your data permanently. In other words only the plastic layer of the disc is damaged. You can fix this problem by removing the scratches on the plastic surface which act as an obstacle to the player to read the data which is on the metal layer.

How to remove scratches from the CD/DVD?

1. Firstly whenever you see a scratch on a CD/DVD wash the CD gently with a little detergent, using your fingers to clean it. Make sure you don’t use sponges as they can scratch the CD/DVD more. Now insert in the disk in the drive and check if it’s working, if it doesn’t then follow the next step.

2. If the above doesn’t work then just polish the CD with a little toothpaste. This actually works wonders. Moreover you don’t need to buy any professional cleaning kits. Polish the scratches with a cotton swab, rubbing gently the paste-imbued swab over the scratches until they disappear or until you notice that you have removed them as far as possible. After clearing the scratches, wash the CD in water. Sometimes there is a possibility that the paste may create small scratches. Don’t worry they’ll be small and can easily be removed.

3. If the problem still persists then use a metal polish- Brasso in the same way as described above. After your done rub Vaseline on the CD, very gently (do not press hard), from moving out from the centre to the rim.

4. Now it’s time to test your disc. If the disc starts working then it’s great. But if it doesn’t, then repeat the above steps again.

STAY IN TOUCH WITH UPDATES | SUBSCRIBE VIA RSS or Email |

N/A