I’ve got myself a CD-ROM that’s too scracthed to work. I can’t install my precious Neverwitner Nights! :eek: I got a hankering to play it (especially since I have, but have never even played, the Hordes of the Underdark expansion) but alas, the scractehs are too much for my little drive to hadnle.
Do any of those scratch remover products work? I used one once on an audio CD years back and (visably, at least) the scratches were worse. It still played the same in a CD player (which is to say, crappy. Lots of skips.) Someone recomended to me to use a polishing compound, like what you’d use on a car to give it that factory sheen.
Good ol’ Windex usually does the trick for me. A used CD store near me also will buff the scratches out, but they only recommend doing that a couple of times before the CD is ruined. If the Windex doesn’t work, you could try to find a store that offers a similar service.
It’s been a while since I’ve had to deal with unplayably-scratched CDs, but what worked for me for a number of years was this: first, clean the disc with ordinary window cleaner, like Windex. Wipe from center out to edge. Then, apply some Turtle Wax (the cheapo kind that comes in a giant bottle for like $3) to the disc, using a soft cloth, in small circular motions. Make the application thick enough that you can see the stuff, but not so thick that it’s just a blob on the disc. Wait until it dries, then wipe the dried stuff off with a clean cloth, again going from center to edge.