How do you damage a CD's data by damaging the top side?
2006-09-26 13:38:33 · 4 answers · asked by ... 1 in Computers & Internet ➔ Other - Computers
Take a look at the cross section of the CD:
http://www.howstuffworks.com/cd1.htm
As you can see, the data layer is closer to the top of the CD then the bottom, so if there is physical damage to the top layer, the data is gone vs if you scratch the bottom layer, you may be able to buff out the plastic and read the data again.
If you are talking about CD-R, it's actually worse. The bottom of the lable has the die that the data is burned onto. On some cheap CD-R, the lable can peel off or the ink from some pen can soak to the data layer, in which case kiss your data good bye.
2006-09-26 13:54:11 · answer #1 · answered by RobK 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The silve coating on the top of the Cd is what reflects the laser beam back, allowing the head to read the data within the disc. If the coating is damaged or removed, the beam does not reflect and the disc is not read.
2006-09-26 13:47:25 · answer #2 · answered by dewcoons 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I believe that is where all the data is actually stored. The bottom should be cared for so that your device can read it but if the data is damaged, it won't matter how shiny the bottom is. :o)
2006-09-26 13:42:40 · answer #3 · answered by sandy81676 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
lasers burn data from the bottom thru the plastic to the underneath of the topside. so the topside is what hold data.
does that make sense.....?
2006-09-26 13:48:59 · answer #4 · answered by Jay N 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋