How to Recover Damaged DVDs
Although DVDs are pretty sturdy and well-designed, there's probably going to come a point when you're going to find that you've got a DVD that's damaged. Depending upon the kind of damage done, you might be able to recover most, if not all, of the data on it. In some cases, the damage to the DVD is too severe, however.
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Instructions
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You can manually attempt to recover data from a damaged DVD by right-clicking on the CD/DVD drive that has the disk in it and clicking on the "Explore" option. In some cases, you can copy and paste the files to a new DVD.
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If you cannot locate any data from the CD/DVD drive, you will have to attempt a physical repair of the DVD. The first thing to try is simply cleaning the DVD. With a lint-free dust cloth, wipe down the DVD. When you wipe down the DVD, wipe from the center outward to the edge.
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You can use rubbing alcohol to remove any heavy smudges that need to be eliminated. Rubbing alcohol dries very quickly, making it ideal for cleaning electronic and electronic-related items.
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To find the scratches on the DVD, angle it toward a light source. Move the DVD around until you locate the scratches. Scratches that are in a straight line from the center to the edge are generally less damaging than scratches that go around the DVD in an arc.
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With a small amount of toothpaste, place it over the scratch. Gently rub it into the scratch area. Let stand for one to two minutes. Toothpaste has abrasive properties, and what it will do is actually remove a small amount of the clear coating on the DVD. This allows the laser to read the information on the DVD more easily.
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Using a soft cloth, buff the toothpaste off the disc, making sure that you move from the center outward; use gentle pressure.
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Repeat Steps 4 and 5 until the scratch has been eliminated.
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Copy the recovered data onto a new DVD.
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Tips & Warnings
You can determine the severity of a damaged DVD by holding it up to a very bright light. If you can see light coming through the DVD, the disc has probably been damaged beyond repair.
When using rubbing alcohol on the DVD, always make sure that it is totally dry before you place it back into the DVD player or DVD drive. Excess moisture in a player can cause a short circuit.
