How to Fix a Bad CD
CDs are among the most delicate types of media you can use on your computer. If enough of the CD is damaged, it will no longer read properly in your computer, and you could end up with an unusable CD. Repairable CD damage can be done on the side that the computer reads from. If you have damage on any other part of the CD, you are better off not trying to repair it. Fixing a bad CD is a very simple process, but the steps must be followed properly to actually come out with a final product you want.
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Instructions
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Simple Maintenance
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1
Take your damaged CD and place it on a flat surface with the side that the computer reads from (the really shiny part) facing up.
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2
Mix some soap with water and dip a small cloth in it.
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3
Wipe the disk with the cloth, from the center of the disk to the outer edge of it. Be sure to wipe very gently or else you might end up scratching the disk with the cloth.
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4
Take a dry cloth and gently dry the disk, wiping it from the center to the edge.
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5
Test the CD in your computer.
Fixing Deep Scratches
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6
Follow step 1 in the previous section.
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7
Put a small amount of toothpaste on the deep scratch on the CD. The amount should be small enough so that you can cover the surface (kind of like spreading butter on bread). You do not need more toothpaste than this.
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8
Rub a soft cloth very gently from the center of the CD, through the scratch, and onto the edge until the scratch begins to reduce.
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9
Wash off the residue with water and gently dry it off with a clean dry cloth.
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10
Test the CD to see if it reads now.
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1
Tips & Warnings
If you previously repaired a CD with toothpaste, you should take note of the fact that attempting to repair it once more might ruin the polycarbonate plastic that protects the data marked on the disk.
Always keep a duplicate of your data after you finish repairing a disk. Since you wear out the polycarbonate plastic exterior of the disk when cleaning it with toothpaste, your disk's lifetime will be much shorter than a brand new duplicated disk. You should make a habit of making copies of every CD you repair successfully.
As an alternative to toothpaste, you can use baking soda with water also. This is a little more granulated and might make small scratches on the disk while scraping off the outer layer enough to get the large scratch off. If you are gentle enough, the small scratches you make while repairing the disk will not affect how the computer reads it.
If you do not handle the disk gently while fixing deep scratches on the surface, you will end up scratching the disk again. Toothpaste will scrape the disk when not used carefully.
