Game disks, either CDs or DVDs are especially designed to be amazingly durable. Nevertheless, it is almost impossible to prevent scratches and scuffs from destroying your favorite game. And it is extremely frustrating to wait anxiously to continue to next level and get the ‘unreadable or bad disc’ sign flashing on the screen. Relax! There are still some things you can do to repair your precious game disk. In particular:
1. Before trying anything else, clean the disc thoroughly. There are times were dust and oil have accumulated on your disc’s surface preventing it to function properly even though it has no actual scratches. To clean the disc, use warm soapy water to remove any residues and wash it gently by rubbing it with your finger. Avoid washing it with a cloth to prevent further scratching. For the same reason, do not wipe out the disc even with the softest cloth but instead, let it air-dry away from the sun. After there are no water residues, try it again.
2. If the disk is still unreadable, then try polishing it. Before purchasing any polishing product from the market, try using your toothpaste! Soda based toothpastes are said that successfully recover scratched discs by removing some of the outside plastic layer making existing scratches shallower. Let it dry and then clean again the disc but this time, using only plain water. Try again! If it does not work, then polish it again to cover scratches more effectively.
Important tip: when cleaning or wiping your game disc, always do it in radical motion to prevent additional scratching.
3. If that does not work either, then try again but this time use a professional polishing kit. You can almost at any market and it comes in various prices according to the depth of your scratches. All of them come with detailed instructions but they are pretty much the same as applying toothpaste.
4. Still not working? Well, then you need professional help. Take your disc to a music or a DVD rental store and ask them if they can remove the scratches. Most of these stores are equipped with professional CD and DVD refinishing machines that, in most cases, make your disc brand new even if it has really deep scratches. You do not have to worry about the cost as they charge you 1 to 2 dollars per CD or DVD.
All of the above solutions are guarantee to help you repair your unreadable game disc. If all of the above fail, then you should definitely consider buying a new one. Good luck!
Sources:
1. http://www.ehow.com/how_5807509_fix-unreadable-xbox-360-disk.html
