Suchadeal

[RHPConsult]

Tried to use my 2-year-old retail DVD of Tiger to set-up my daughter’s “new” G4 Igloo (her recent inheritance    ). Discovered when it wouldn’t load, that it had some kind of scratch on it. Needed a replacement fast, so I got one at MacWorld.

Subsequently, I’ve wondered if an “abraded” – however lightly – DVD is in any way salvageable? I doubt it, but thought I would ask here. Knowing what little I think I know about digital recording, I very much doubt that it’s worth anything.

However, if someone thinks they have a chance to “refurbish” it, send me a PM and I’ll mail it to you. First come, first served.

[Gregg]

It's probably missing a "0" somewhere. If you could just figure out where....

11100101001010101010101000101101011111010100101010100??

[Epaminondas]

RHPConsult


Cleaning 'em yourself can run into problems.  You are not supposed to clean CDs in circular motions - I dunno about DVDs.

Places that sell second hand CDs have a machine that buffs dirty old CDs and makes 'em clean and usable.

Works for fingerprints, peanut butter and jelly residue, soda pop and small scratches.

Might work for DVDs, too.

They'll probably do it for free.


If you do not frequent such establishments - how did I guess? - must be ESP - you can probably find one in the phone book under "CDs" or "DVDs."


Regards,

Epamninondas

[kelly]

Scratched top or bottom?

Top is usually fatal

Bottom. You can get machines. Might work.

http://www.discrescuer.com/index.htm?referrer=google

http://www.epinions.com/content_109571116676

[Xairbusdriver]

QUOTE

Top is usually fatal
Bottom. You can get machines. Might work.

Depends on what you call "top" and "bottom". The side that needs to be clean and scratch free is the side without the label or where you might write on it. It's usually on the bottom when placed in any CD/DVD player/reader I've ever seen, that's usually why it ends up with so many finger prints; the top side gets a thumb but the bottom gets three or four fingers! Of course, one should always pick these disks up by the edges — except when they fall into the peanut butter and jelly sandwich before the two slices of bread are mated...

Since you already have a new disk, why not experiment with the 'damaged' one. These things are basically coated with lacquer, so you'll need to be careful what you use for a solvent. Likewise, the cloth should have fibers as soft as a babies bottom after a good soak in a warm tub! Apparently wiping from the center out or vice versa is the standard advice for wiping. Seems counter-intuitive but who am I to argue?

Good luck! If you're successful, you might have a new job on some S.F. street corner!

[RHPConsult]

The Spirit of Experimentation has me in thrall.    

The scratch(es)/abraisons (not "deep") are on the "bottom" – the shiny side, the "apparently" recorded side – but they do suggest that if some polishing is effective they just might be erasable. Not finerprints, Not stains, Not oily.

We'll see.

[Paddy]

Er, well I beg to differ about the side on which damage is fatal, Jim! From Ryotec's site:

QUOTE

Contrary to popular belief, data on a CD is stored just beneath the label. The mass of a CD is in the polycarbonate plastic that protects the information. Damage to the label side (top) of a disc is unrepairable but doesn't necessarily mean the disc is ruined. Unless a label side scratch permeates the foil layer just under the label of the disc, the damage will not cause the disc to skip. Foil layer damage caused by deep label side scratches or exposure to extreme elements can permanently damage the disc. Fortunately, most damage that causes a disc to skip or freeze is caused by play side damage. This type of damage usually results from normal, repeated handling and play. Scratches, scuffs, marks and even fingerprints can cause a disc to skip or freeze. We can resurface and repair 99.9% of all discs with damage to the play side.

The foil is on the TOP - under the label - but still vulnerable to damage. If you hold a CD or DVD up to the light, you can often spot damage like pinholes or deep scratches. Those cannot be repaired, unfortunately.

[bobw]

My Tiger DVD became unusable to install from.
I was able to make a working copy using Disk Utility;

Step 1. Insert the retail Mac OS X Install DVD into your drive.
Step 2. Launch Disk Utility (Applications > Utilities).
Step 3. In Disk Utility, you will notice a white pane on the left hand side. In the pane, select the Mac OS X Install DVD by clicking on it once.
Step 4. Click New Image on the Disk Utility toolbar.
Step 5. A dialog box will appear. Give the new image a name. 'Mac OS X Install'. Select the destination where you wish to save it. Leave Image Format at Compressed (default) and Encryption at None (default).
Step 6. Click Save to begin creating the image.
Step 7. Once your image has been created DO NOT mount it. Leave the image alone and proceed to the next section.

Burning the Image
Step 1. Launch Disk Utility (Applications > Utilities).
Step 2. Click Burn on the Disk Utility toolbar (upper left).
Step 3. Navigate to where you saved the DVD image created in the previous section. Click on the image file, then click the Burn button. Do not drag and drop the image file into Disk Utility during this step.
Step4. Insert a DVD when prompted and proceed to Burn it. (use good quality media)

[RHPConsult]

Fantastic!

As iusual, from This Gang.

Thank you.

Several avenues to pursue in my "education"!  

[Xairbusdriver]

I stand corrected!

I'll accept that the foil is closer to the "top" than the bottom. However, I suspect that the bottom is what gets the most damage, especially when the disk is laid upon a desktop that is bound to have dust and invisible grit. Slide the disk around a bit and the 'bottom' will soon be covered with scratches. When the laser 'reads' those it can easily end up as unreadable when the check sums don't match.

Scratches bad enough damage the foil layer should be easily seen by naked eyes, unless it is a hairline crack caused by sitting on disks left on a chair to avoid that desktop!

[Gregg]

If you turn it over, does the top become the bottom - and the bottom the top?

Maybe we should designate one side as "heads" the other as "tails".

Or, maybe the shiny side and the side with printing on it would be the most accurate, and wordy, description....

[FLASH1296]

The fantastic new  "must have" application Toast8 has a "Disc Restore" option. Toast will attempt to copy discs that are unreadable due to scratches or other damages.

[()]

What's a G4 iGloo?

Never heard or seen one of those before.  Or did I?

[Xairbusdriver]

Apple has all those specs. Even pictures. Search, look and learn.