How do you fix CD's that won't play because of scratches?

Answer 1

there is a solution available commercially for that. But I also heard peanut butter but don't quote me on that.

Answer 2

Fixing Scratched CDs
A simple and safe-to-do-at-home repair for scratched and scuffed CDs
When CDs first came out, there was a remarkable amount of sales hype about how indestructible they were. Those of us who work in radio stations soon found out! CDs are easily rendered unplayable by a small scuff or scratch to the playing surface. Fortunately, these minor abrasions can be easily fixed.

I'm making the distinction between scuffs and scratches because they interfere with the laser tracking and reading mechanism in two different ways:

a scuff mark renders the surface of the polycarbonate milky, rather than clear. This diffuses the laser beam, making it impossible for the tracking mechanism to locate and focus on the pits which carry the sound and tracking information.
a scratch which runs at an angle to the track usually poses no problem for the tracking mechanism. Indeed a well adjusted CD player should be able to track a disk on which a 1mm strip of black tape has been stuck - providing it is stuck on radially. But if a scratch is approximately tangential or circumferential, it can obscure the track below for enough time that the tracking or error correction cannot cope.
Both scratches and scuffs can be removed by the same method - by polishing them out using Brasso. Engineers have been using Brasso as a polish for plastics ever since it was released as a polish for brass.
Use the Brasso in the normal way. A drop or two is usually sufficient (one tin will last you a lifetime of great listening!). Use a soft clean cloth to rub the affected area with the Brasso until the mark is almost gone. Polish scuff marks radially. Scratches are best handled by rubbing along the direction of the scratch. With a scratch it usually is not necessary to polish it completely away - just clean it up enough for the laser to be able to see through it.

Finish up by letting the Brasso dry on the surface, then use a fresh soft cloth to rub it off. Just for good form's sake, do this last stage radially. Remember radial scratches won't generally interfere with the tracking mechanism.

When trying to work out which scratch is to blame for a mistracking, keep in mind that ones at an angle to the direction of rotation are not likely to cause problems. Also keep in mind that a CD plays from the inside out, so that a problem on an early track is more likely to be near the centre than the edge.

So far I have not found a scratched or scuffed CD I cannot fix using Brasso. I hope it works for you too!

Terry McGee

Answer 3

You have two options, well three kind of.

You can buy one of those buffing machines, but I've never really put much stock in them.

You can go to a place that will buff your discs for you, though, most of them use those buffing machines. The place I used to work for used a bench grinder and jeweler's wheels. I have one in my video store for DVDs, but I need a new buffing wheel and ... whatever it's complicated.

You can also buy CD cleaner spray. There's this awesome stuff called Clear Kote that you can buy that does a wonderful job.

http://www.clearkote.com/

The only draw back to the Clear Kote is that it will not remove the scratches. If you have very shallow scratches, though, it will fill them in because it is silicon based. I use and sell it in my store and I absolutely love the stuff. I really does improve the play quality of all your discs. I'd pick up a bottle of it if you have a lot of CDs/movies/video game discs, etc.

:) Hope that helps.

Answer 4

Pick up a Disc Doctor at Wal-Mart. Cost About $30.00. They fix a lot of scratches but not all.

Just saw the previous answer. I have never tried that but it sounds very interesting.

Answer 5

Get some neutral shoe polish and lightly buff it into the scratches.

Answer 6

If it isnt a very serios scratch u can put toothpaste on it or buy a sctatch fixer.

Answer 7

U can take them to a music or computer store and they'll fix it for dirt cheap for u.

Answer 8

Cheap hand lotion is the rumor I've heard. Haven't tested the theory yet. Let me know how it turns out.

Answer 9

YOUR ALL GAY AFTER SOMEONE ANSWERED IT DONT SAY THE SAM FUCI