# Can a DVD wear out **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 7, 2012, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-dvd-wear-out/621181 "2012-05-07T15:25:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2012, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-dvd-wear-out/621181/21 "2012-05-08T05:48:15Z")
I have occasionally encountered disks that were too dirty (literally, not referring to the content 🙂 ) to play in some players. Very gently washing with soap & water, and air-drying restored them to a working state. Usually it was obvious from looking at them that they needed cleaning. You might try that. ---
**Author:** ![MindsEye\_Watering](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mindseye_watering/32/3619_2.png) [@MindsEye\_Watering](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MindsEye_Watering)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2012, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-dvd-wear-out/621181/22 "2012-05-08T12:10:38Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > To be fair, the master copy is burned in, but the commercial copies are just that…copies, pressed much like an LP (remember those?). Beg to differ: the Master begins as a “glass master” which is a round glass plate, usually 160 - 240 mm in diameter that is coated with a very thin layer of photoresist. The Laser Beam Recorder (LBR) _exposes_ (not burns) the pits into the photoresist. The photoresist is then developed and all of the pit areas exposed by the LBR are washed away. The glass master is then “metallized”, which means a very thin layer of metal (usually nickel) is deposited on the surface of the exposed side of the glass master. Through electroforming, the glass master is used to “grow” the Metal Master, or “Father”; the Father is used to grow the Mother, and then the mother is used to grow the stamper. The stamper is used on the injection molding machine to make the actual disc. Note that the “Father” can be used as a stamper in order to save time. ---
**Author:** ![MindsEye\_Watering](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mindseye_watering/32/3619_2.png) [@MindsEye\_Watering](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MindsEye_Watering)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2012, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-dvd-wear-out/621181/23 "2012-05-08T12:18:27Z")
> [@MindsEye\_Watering](#): > > Through electroforming, the glass master is used to “grow” the Metal Master, or “Father”; the Father is used to grow the Mother, and then the mother is used to grow the stamper. Missed the edit window. This should be "and then the mother is used to grow the **“Son” or more commonly** , the stamper. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2012, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-dvd-wear-out/621181/24 "2012-05-08T12:18:55Z")
> [@MindsEye\_Watering](#): > > Beg to differ: the Master begins as a “glass master” which is a round glass plate, usually 160 - 240 mm in diameter that is coated with a very thin layer of photoresist. The Laser Beam Recorder (LBR) _exposes_ (not burns) the pits into the photoresist. The photoresist is then developed and all of the pit areas exposed by the LBR are washed away… I have no problem with your excellent description, since we use the term “burn” to mean something other than literally “burning” anyway. ---
**Author:** ![MindsEye\_Watering](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mindseye_watering/32/3619_2.png) [@MindsEye\_Watering](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MindsEye_Watering)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2012, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-dvd-wear-out/621181/25 "2012-05-08T12:33:49Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > I have no problem with your excellent description, since we use the term “burn” to mean something other than literally “burning” anyway. And you are right. In this case, it isn’t _heat_ that’s doing the work, but blue/violet/UV laser light on photoresist that’s driving the process. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-dvd-wear-out/621181.md?page=1)