Damaged Compact Disk


Tutorial Home >Hardware >Storage and Drives >CD-ROM >How do I fix a damaged CD?
Tutorial Home >Hardware >Storage and Drives >CD-ROM >Troubleshooting CD Problems >Damaged Compact Disk

  Step 1:  Clean the CD

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Wipe the CD down with a clean damp cloth. Let it dry. Try again to read it.
  Step 2:  Wax the CD

Using another clean cloth, use a very small amount of wax applied across the surface of the CD (too much wax, and you gum your drive). This wax may help the CD surface to be read more evenly. Let the wax dry. Retry the CD.
  Step 3:  Buff Out Scratches

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Use a clean cloth and a minute amount of a substance like metal cleaner, toothpaste, or furniture polish (something with gently abrasive cleaning qualities), and attempt to gentle buff out scratches on the CD much as you might scratches on a pair of good shoes. Wipe the CD when done. Let dry. Retry the CD.
  Step 4:  Copy Files

If you can read the CD, use Windows Explorer to try to copy the contents of the CD to your hard disk where the files can be read if the CD fails again.
  Step 5:  Replace the CD

If all else fails, replace the CD – perhaps after trying to read it in another CD-ROM drive (in case the results are slightly better). Note: It's not wise to try often to read badly damaged compact disks. They can foul the drive mechanism and/or cause uneven wear.