A friend of mine has just tried installing an Xbox360 game he found at work, only to find there was a circular scratch all around the edge of the disc. This prevented him from completing the install and even playing the game, here is how he repaired the disc to near brand new quality.

Scratched GTA4 disc, caused by Xbox360 DVD drive.


First off I told him to get some toothpaste, preferably bicarbonate of soda based and a glasses cloth (you can use thick toilet paper too!) to rub it in with. He needed to apply a small amount of toothpaste onto the scratched area, then gentley but firmly use the cloth to rub in a circular motion, while avoiding the groove of the scratch. Patience is required here, don't rush it, I said!

After a few minutes worth of rubbing, the disc could be read by the Xbox360 DVD Drive much quicker, plus it could now read past the circular scratch and install successfully. This simple fix will cost less than a CD cleaner, but results may vary depending on the depth of the scratch.

It's worth a go, before you think about spending any money on a CD cleaner or repair services!