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Any good fixes for a scratched disk?

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LAN_403

Arcstarter

Sun Nov 21 2010, 08:50PM

Registered Member #1225 Joined: Sat Jan 12 2008, 01:24AM
Location: Beaumont, Texas, USA
Posts: 2253

Well, today i turned on my Xbox360, and i heard a bad noise, and my brand new 60 dollar game, Call of Duty: Black Ops had a perfectly round scratch. My mom is equally as pissed, and she keeps blaming me an my brother, even though not once since being bought has it been out of my Xbox.

Are there any 'real' ways to fix a disk? Something that actually fixes scratches instead of only cleaning? The only way i could think of is to either fill in the scratch, or take a tiny layer of plastic off of the back, which both are impossible at home with random tools.

My mom told me to ask here, kinda funny if you asked me.

Myke

Sun Nov 21 2010, 09:03PM

Registered Member #540 Joined: Mon Feb 19 2007, 07:49PM
Location: MIT
Posts: 969

I've heard that bananas can be used to clean a disk but I haven't actually used one to fix a disk. You might want to look into it?

Adam Munich

Sun Nov 21 2010, 09:29PM

Registered Member #2893 Joined: Tue Jun 01 2010, 09:25PM
Location: Cali-forn. i. a.
Posts: 2242

Oh man I've had that happen before. It's a known problem.

Weston

Sun Nov 21 2010, 09:31PM

Registered Member #1316 Joined: Thu Feb 14 2008, 03:35AM
Location: Cambridge, MA
Posts: 365

I have heard that the xbox 360 scratching disks is a recorded problem and for a while microsoft had a program to get disks damaged by an xbox360 replaced. i would check if the program is still running before doing anything else.

Toothpaste cleans disks of minor scratches well. Depending on which part of the disk is scratched, you might be able to borrow a copy of the disk from a friend, copy it to the hard drive, and only use your disk for authentication. That's what I did when my copy of modern warfare 2 got scratched.

Martin King

Sun Nov 21 2010, 09:38PM

Registered Member #3040 Joined: Tue Jul 27 2010, 03:15PM
Location: South of London. UK
Posts: 237

I'm assuming the scratch is on the non-label side ? Scratches on the label side are bad as they are much closer to the layer that contains the data. The only realistic way of repair (unless you can get hold of some polycarbonate resin) is to polish the disc either abrasively or you could try CAREFULLY flame polishing it but I'd try experimenting with some DVD ROM's first.

Martin.

Ruben

Mon Nov 22 2010, 03:04AM

Registered Member #3263 Joined: Sat Oct 02 2010, 04:43AM
Location: Sydney, Australia
Posts: 34

Check out your local rental shop, they often sell diy scratch repair kits (of dubious effectiveness) but also have their own polishing/repair gear

EEYORE

Mon Nov 22 2010, 03:30PM

Registered Member #99 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 06:10PM
Location: florida, usa
Posts: 637

You need to get some fine grit sand paper from walmart and sand on a flat surface. If you can feel the scratch with your finger nails, then start with something like 400 grit. Then move up to 600, then 1000, then 2000. Finish with some Plastx plastic polish. You need to make sure that each new grit removes the scratches from the last grit.

You could first try JUST the Plastx. Get some foam applicators (walmart) and rub the Plastx into the scratched area. Then buff off the residue with a micro fiber cloth. Repeat. Plastx is a very fine abrasive meant to remove very fine scratches. (The kind left from 2000 grit sandpaper).

Matt

Nicko

Mon Nov 22 2010, 05:41PM

Registered Member #1334 Joined: Tue Feb 19 2008, 04:37PM
Location: Nr. London, UK
Posts: 615

Personally, I think the kits are a con - they are essentially expensive packaged versions of what I'll write bellow - this technique works for me for mild scratching...

I've had success with jewellers' rouge, but if you don't have that to hand, toothpaste is pretty good, so long as its a mildly abrasive one, not a cream. DO NOT use a cream-cleaner (e.g. "Jif" or similar).

Test this process on an old, unwanted, disk first... (though it works for me)

Wet the disk, tiny bit of toothpaste on a CLEAN bit of cotton cloth (NOT a paper towel). Make absolutely sure there is no dust on the disk, then rub lightly using a circular motion - rinse occasionally to see how you're doing.

Buff up with a clean new cloth before re-using the disk. Do NOT do any of this on the printed side - as has been noted above, that is much closer to the data - if you get to the aluminium, you're lost...

Cheers

Bjørn

Mon Nov 22 2010, 06:10PM

Registered Member #27 Joined: Fri Feb 03 2006, 02:20AM
Location: Hyperborea
Posts: 2058

DVDs are two disks glued together with the data in the middle so the data should be safe. I tried to destroy a DVD the other day with a knife and had to resort to pliers to get to the data layer.

The options are to smooth out the scratched area or fill in the scratch with something transparent that has the same density as the plastic.

Conundrum

Mon Nov 22 2010, 06:50PM

Registered Member #96 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 05:37PM
Location: CI, Earth
Posts: 4061

i'd send it back, as it would still be under warranty..
not worth the risk of doing further damage to the disk.

-A

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