Repair Scratched DVD

Before we begin, not all DVD’s can be repaired, it all depends on the depth of the scratch or scratches. Most small to medium scratches can be repaired using household items, but anything larger than this usually means the DVD is now no more than a Frisbee.

It inevitable DVD’s do get scratched and for some reason data DVD’s seems to suffer more with read errors from even small scratches than other types such as movie DVD’s, this is generally down to the DVD player, standalone DVD players are much slower than the type in computers which read and write at higher speeds.



What actually happens is a DVD player uses a laser to read data from the disk. Each DVD has a protective plastic layer, and it’s actually this that gets scratched, “unless of course the scratch or gauge is so deep it cuts deeper than the protective layer” and then the laser is unable to pass though the scratched protective layer, and now we get these unreadable errors. 

computer adviser repair scratched dvd article

To remove and repair scratched DVD
To repair the DVD the following tips can be applied, but in actual fact they all perform the same thing, but at slightly different levels. Each repair technique basically involves re-scratching each DVD you wish to repair with smaller scratches thus removing the larger scratch with many smaller ones that the laser does not have a problem reading through. The scratches made by compounds below make very very fine scratches.

Toothpaste is the first compact disk repair solution to try, toothpaste being a very light abrasive is very good for removing DVD scratches, simply put a small amount on a cotton wool ball and gently rub, you may need to add a little water here. Once your happy with the DVD repair make sure you remove all toothpaste with water and dry the DVD.
Metal polish, such as Brasso, wipe gently with the wadding or cotton wool, when finished apply petroleum jelly and wipe with a clean dry cloth.

Baking soda can be used for cleaning many things, and is very good for removing slightly worse scratches, again use a soft clean cloth to perform your disk repair , remember to wipe clean before trying the DVD.

There are a number of cleaning solutions on the market that are very good at DVD repair , but remember to test any repair on DVD’s that you can afford to destroy.

If you really don’t wish to get your hands dirty you could always checkout your local video shop, many of these today offer a compact disk repair service, it’s usually pretty cheap, but at the end of the day the results are generally the same as what you can achieve at home.

One other point to think about, if a DVD does not work in one pc, if you can, try it in another before trying a disk repair, different CD/DVD drives have different tolerances and read speeds, so some may read a scratched DVD while others may not. 

One last tip, when attempting any DVD repair, don’t rush, it may take longer, but rushing it may actually cause more damage.

Search for more on how to repair scratched DVD and CD's

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