Tech Files
The Care and Cleaning of CD-ROM Discs
Most folks don't treat their CD-ROM discs quite as nicely as they should. Heck, we're probably all guilty of neglecting our CD-ROMs at one time or another, either handling them too roughly or leaving them unprotected and subject to scratches and other abuse.
On the plus side, CD-ROMs are rather sturdy beasts; a disc with a scratch on it might serve its purpose for years and never miss a beat. Often, though, the accumulation of scratches, dust, or dirt on a CD-ROM can cause problems.
If a CD-ROM disc is giving you trouble, it may just need a little cleaning. If you're less fortunate, problems with dirt or scratches can make a CD-ROM permanently unreadable. In any case, you'd probably rather save the disc than lose that important financial data or your spouse's favorite computer game.
Has your computer ever given you a message that your CD-ROM needs to be cleaned? When this happens, you're not getting any data off that disc until you figure out how to clean it.
Cleaning Methods
One cleaning method is to use a smooth clean cloth and gently wipe the CD-ROM, starting at the center and moving to the edges. Never use a circular motion when cleaning a CD-ROM.
If your computer still can't read the CD-ROM, try dipping your smooth clean cloth in warm water and mild soap, then wipe the CD-ROM the same way, from center to edge.
This may sound a little drastic, but with an unreadable disc, drastic measures are in order unless you're ready to downgrade that CD-ROM to a coaster.
After wiping the disc with water, use a dry part of your cloth to wipe the water off the CD-ROM. Try to read the CD-ROM again only after it is completely dried.
If this still doesn't help, and you're considering throwing that badly scratched CD-ROM in the trash, first try one more thing. Place a little toothpaste (any brand, tartar control optional) on a smooth clean cloth and gingerly rub the scratches, starting at the center of the CD-ROM and moving out to its sides. Wipe off the toothpaste with warm water, and when the CD-ROM is completely dry, try to read it.
If you prefer, you can buy commercial CD-ROM cleaning products at your local computer store instead of using these methods.
Good Habits for CD-ROM Maintenance
They say that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and that's certainly true here. To avoid having to do an emergency rescue on your CD-ROMs, you can follow these preventive measures when handling discs.
- Keep your CD-ROM discs in jewel cases or paper sleeves when they're
not in the CD-ROM drive.
- Always hold a CD-ROM by its edges or in the center to avoid smudging
or scratching the disc.
- Periodically clean the discs you handle or use most often, to help
ensure that they'll work when you need them.
- Keep your CD-ROM discs out of the hands of small children with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, out of the mouths of dogs of any breed, and away from the sharp teeth and claws of small rodents. Lizards, well... It's up to you!
- Dana Ribble