Picked up a box of old PC games from a yard sale, but some disks are unreadable

I found this whole set for cheap, and most games work fine. However, a few like 'Myst' won't load past the title screen. Any tips on restoring scratched CDs without fancy tools? I'm hoping to add them to my growing collection (you know, like using toothpaste or something?).

4 comments

4 Comments

ross.lucas1mo ago

Yeah, the old toothpaste trick is a thing for light scratches. You rub a tiny bit of plain white paste on the disc in straight lines from the center out, not in circles, then rinse it off really well. I've also heard of people using a banana, smearing the inside peel on it and then polishing it off, which sounds weird but apparently works. Just be careful with anything abrasive, because if the scratch is too deep or it's the label side that's damaged, you're probably out of luck. Good luck saving those old games.

the_ben1mo ago

Label side scratches, why can't they be fixed?

phoenix_fox541mo ago

Ever try car wax on a deep scratch?

jana_sanchez961mo ago

My uncle swears by peanut butter for light scratches, just rub it on and wipe it clean.