Resurface scratched CD's

[shaunak]

I came across a resurfacing tutorial >here<.

I have never tried it and will take no resposibility for data/ drive loss.

Just posting it coz i found it interesting.

step 1
Gather the Materials
1.) A scratched CD
2.) White toothpaste (not the gel kind)
3.) Warm water

step 2Get Er' Dun!
First get you CD and smear the toothpaste on the scratched surface (NOT TOO MUCH, ONLY ENOUGH). Then rub it around a little with your finger in an up and down motion, NOT A CIRCULAR MOTION, IT WILL RUIN THE CODING. Lastly, rinse it off with warm water in an up and down motion.
And Voila! A usable CD!

Note: there are expensive gel's and professionals available to to this. So it the CDs important GO TO THEM.

Try this if its an unimportant CD and you drive is on its last legs anyway.

 

[mikeon]

well I got an old cd rom & a few scratched cds... hmm I mite give it a try...

 

[xbonez]

i've got tons of scratched discs that don't work. worth a try

 

[phreak0ut]

I tried this with the gel kind. It worked for 2 out of 5 CDs. I thought the white one ruins the CD more, so didn't try it. I'll keep a small white toothpaste handy from now

 

[koolbluez]

White toothpaste (read old Colgate) was the method to partially restore data from scratched disks.

But the new disk retriver is Brasso.*www.srccoder.com/srccoder/posts/images/brasso%20test.JPG

The idea is that.. rubbing a scratched cd surface with a very fine particle immersion is the best way of smoothing out the scratches & making disc reading easier. Brasso is finer than white toothpaste, but abrasive enuf. Try it. U'll like it better than toothpaste.

 

[blackpearl]

Have to try brasso.

 

[iMav]

can this be used to reduce scratches on metallic surfaces?

 

[koolbluez]

On metal.... of course... but very smooth abrasive... go on rubbin till u get ur results. Brasso basically is used to smoothen (& hence bring lustre/shine) to brass items.
Wont work much on glass though..'ll cause a hazing effect.

 

[mikeon]

*www.om3ga.co.uk/2006/07/27/scratched-cds-no-problem/

hope it has not been posted b4...
heres another article regarding the same...

 

[vandit]

wouldnt the toothpaste remains inside the scratches damage the lense of the cd rom??

 

[SUYASH]

NOT A GOOD IDEA FOR SLIGHTLY DEEP SCRATCHED CDs.

 

[deepak.krishnan]

tried out the toothpaste method... but did not work out for me

 

[xbonez]

well, try it on cds that u've given up on. if it works, its good. otherwise, well it was useless anyways