disc repair

The removal of fingerprints and scratches from the non-label side of CDs and DVDs. Although lasers can read a disc with minor scratches, heavy scratches will cause read errors. The lowest-end repair kits provide a bottle of liquid and hand wipes for removing minor scratches. Consumer machines are widely available that buff the disc surface, while high-end prosumer and commercial machines resurface the disc by sanding or reshaping. See also data recovery.

Consumer Grade

Models similar to this unit from Aleratec are widely used in the home to clean and restore most discs. This unit performs a light sanding of the surface. (Image courtesy of Aleratec Inc., www.aleratec.com)

The Wet Sanding Method

Used by prosumers, this Aleratec machine sands the surface by bathing the disc in an abrasive liquid for several minutes. (Image courtesy of Aleratec Inc., www.aleratec.com)

The Dry Approach

Used by prosumers and disc rental organizations, this Venmill Skip-Away heats the disc to a temperature that enables a buffing wheel to reshape the surface without removing any material. Venmill also makes higher-speed commercial models for continuous use, and all units employ the reshaping method.