How to fix scratched game discs

It has that circle scratched near the edges. I just bought it from ebay. It plays most of the time then bam! It reads disc error.

A compact disc (CD) is a plastic molded disc that contains digital data. The data is scanned onto it by a laser beam [source: Britannica]. A digital video disc (DVD) uses laser technology to read digitalized data that has been encoded on it. Since it uses a digital format, a DVD can store any kind of data, such as movies, images or text [source: Britannica].

As a DVD stores its data externally on a disc it can easily get scratched, which can affect the data. Scratches are a disc's worst enemy. Whether or not a scratched disc can be repaired depends on where the scratch is located. If the scratch is on the top, shiny part of the disc, the disc is not repairable and all the data is lost. If the scratch is on the bottom, plastic part of the disc, you may be able to repair the disc by resurfacing and polishing it. Today, some disc manufacturers are developing scratch-resistant discs. This will eliminate the necessity of trying to repair them [source: TDK]. Professional companies actually advise you to discard any scratched discs [sources: Roksan, Iomega]. However, if you'd like to try to fix the scratches, you may want to follow these instructions.

1. Clean the disc with a mild soap and warm water. This will remove any oils and finger marks.
2. Dry the disc with a lint-free cloth.
3. Squeeze toothpaste on the disc.
4. Rub the toothpaste on the disc in a straight motion (not in a circular motion) from the center to the outer edges.
5. Wash off the toothpaste and dry the disc.

Originally Published: Jun 29, 2011

How do you fix a scratched game disc? You take the game disc out to play it and there is a giant scratch going through the “read” side of the disc. You put the game in your console and it won’t start. The scratch or scratches on the game disc are preventing the console from reading the game. Therefore you cannot play the game. How do you fix the scratched game ASAP so you can play it? Below we have many tips and tricks to help you to fix your scratched game disc. These methods will work on ALL game discs including discs for the Xbox ONE, Xbox 360, PS2, PS3, and PS4.

Please note: A video game disc with major deep scratches will most likely need to be professionally resurfaced by a machine that buffs and fixes CD discs. If the game has a very deep and big scratch, it probably can’t be fixed at home.

Here are a few methods to try to fix your scratched disc at home:

1. Rubbing Alcohol Method:
Get a lint free non scratching cloth. Put a small amount on the “read” side of the disc. Rub outward from the center lightly and gently. Do not rub with extreme force or this could damage the game further. Rub gently outward until the scratch either disappears or becomes less visible. Once clean and dry, put the disc in the gaming console and see if it worked. Repeat this method if necessary.

2. Toothpaste Method:
Use a small dab of the gritty type of toothpaste. The gritty toothpaste can act as a mild abrasive and will remove scratches from the disc. To use the toothpaste method, get your finger wet first. Slowly wipe and move the toothpaste into the scratch on the disc. Do this using an outward motion always in a straight line. From inner to outer. If you rub the toothpaste in big circles it can make more scratches. So always rub from in to out or out to in, never left to right or in circles. Rub the paste for about one minute. Once you have rubbed the scratch for 60 seconds, put the disc under the faucet and wash off all of the toothpaste. Use a clean soft lint free cloth to dry it once washed. After this method, try putting the game disc in your console and see if it fixed the issue. Repeat this method if necessary.

3. Banana Method:
Use a banana that is peeled and cut in half. Use a half of the banana and gently rub it into the disc scratch from inwards to outwards. Repeat many times. After you have rubbed the banana on the disc, run the disc under warm water and remove any banana residue. Dry off the disc and see if it plays in your console. Repeat this method if necessary.

4. Skip Scratch Fixer Method:
Purchase a small disc scratch remover machine that is made to clean and buff your game disc to remove a scratch. These inexpensive machines can be found online for cheap. This is a good investment as if you have this issue again you have the machine to clean the disc to remove the scratch.

5. Petroleum Jelly Method:
Rub a small amount of a product such as Vaseline into the scratch. Let sit for 60 seconds. Next gently rub the Vaseline off of disc by using an inward to outward motion in a straight line. Remove as much of the jelly as possible. Make sure disc is clean and dry and put it into console to see if the jelly method worked. Repeat this method if necessary.

Try The Professional Method:
Go either to a place like Gamestop or a professional disc scratch repair company. They will usually charge around $4 to 5 dollars to rebuff your game disc and remove the scratches. This will make it so the console can read the disc and you can then play your game.

Do you have any other methods for fixing a scratched video game disc? Please let us know by leaving a comment below.