Solve a Problem

One of the worst problems when gaming is having a cd that is scratched up. A scratched cd can make your game lag, glitch, and in some case your game might not work. In this page I will explain how someone can prevent scratching and if scratched how to remove it. I have also included some background on what cause game scratches.  
First thing you need to know is if the game can even be fixed. One of the most common scratches are from moving a gaming console when it on. When playing a game on a disc, the cd is spinning around at over 100rpm. Any slight movement to the console can cause the disc to have a permanent scratch. When the cd is spinning it is being read by a laser, when moving the console the laser moves just a tiny bit, but it will engrave a solid circularly scratch the goes around the disc. If this happens to you, you are better off selling or throwing the game away. There is no why to fix a laser burnt cd. Since the laser is so powerful, it burns the data off the game making it impossible to read. This is the worst way to scratch a cd, since it basically breaks the game.  Another type of scratch that can ruin your favorite game, I call the 3cm scratch. The 3cm scratch is a single scratch that has a length of 3cm or more. A game can still be playing if a scratch is less than 3cm, so anything larger than the 3cm can and will cause problems.  I call it 3cm scratch because it can harm your game if not taken care of.
One of the ways to prevent a scratched cd is by cleaning it gentle with a micro cloth. This is used to remove any games with dust particles that can lead to scratches. It is an important step when playing a game on a cd; it must be cleaned before and after it’s been in the console. Taking good care of your disc will make them last longer, simply putting the game back into its case can prevent damages. That brings me on to my next point, never leave your game in the console when you are not playing. I know everyone does this thinking the console will protect the cd, but it can cause a laser burn. By removing the cd you can prevent accidently laser burning your favorite games. Another way of preventing scratches is by ending a game completely and then removing it. I have seen too many people press the eject button on their console when a cd is spinning. The eject button forces a console to open its tray and remove a cd that was still spinning at over 100rpm. Again this can cause a 3cm scratch and or a laser burn. One way to prevent this is by dash boarding.  Dash boarding is when you stop the game and go to the home screen of your console. It basically slows you disc’s rpm down and removes the possibility of causing damages.
Now that we know how to prevent a scratch, let’s talk about how to remove one. Not all of these methods have a 100% of working, but it worth a try. The first method is soap and water. Make sure to use soap is unscented; you don’t want your cd’s smelling like flowers. Apply a tiny amount of soap onto the scratched surface and use a micro cloth and some warm water. Make sure you are washing in from the center to the rim. I have also heard this can be done with toothpaste, a banana, hair gel, wax, and even peanut butter! After washing and drying the disc, you should check if the game is working.  If not, do another method. The second method is rubbing alcohol. Apply a micro cloth with a good amount a rubbing alcohol, and then dap the cloth onto the entire cd, let it dry out and then try to play the game. This method is the one that works for me; it has a high success rate. If you really need your cd to be repaired you can take it into GameStop and they will clean it for a fee. The third method is buying a product designed to remove scratched, you can find this a most GameStop’s and places that sell office supplies. Just follow the directions and then test the game out to see if it works. The final and most desperate method is to cover the scratch with a small about of ink from a sharpie. I would recommend this method, since it can ruin the disc and maybe even the console, but I have friends who this method worked for. Remember to dry the disc completely; putting a wet disc into your console can damage the console. Again these methods are not 100% effective, if it is a small scratched, less than 3cm, it should work, but cd with many scratches might not.
The last couple things you can do are try to install the game onto the hard drive of your console and attempt to play the game again. If the game isn’t installing you might have to use a friends or an undamaged copy. This method has been known to work for many people I personal haven’t tried it. Purchase games that are online or can be downloaded to the hard drive, it can circumvent the entire problem of scratched discs. I hope at least one of these methods saved your cd, and that people will learn how to prevent cd for scratched in the first place. The best way to get rid of scratches is by preventing them. It is simple thing to do, and will save you time, money and your cd’s.


P.S. Please comment on what method works best for you and if you have any other suggestions please left them in the comment section. 

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