Gaming Way to fully test very scratched game without a full play through?

[Asriel8]

Want to test it before selling it as can't rip game even after using isopropyl alcohol; but it launches to title screen at least

 

[Disorarara]

Want to test it before selling it as can't rip game even after using isopropyl alcohol; but it launches to title screen at least

If you can't rip it with cleanrip that means you can't access all the data

 

[SaulFabre]

This was made for a PS2 DVD game but it works on many, many CDs/DVDs discs:

 

[Ouaz]

Thanks for the video.

I'm actually trying to repair a xbox 360 game that fails to install ("disc scratched or dirty" message at 37%). It is not heavily scratched, but there some tiny marks (like small duck pawns) radially, which seem to be too opaque, preventing the laser to read I think.

Tried the toothpaste and banana methods (with not much hope, as it sounds like a myth), and no surprises, it didn't work (it cleans the surface, but do not remove anything).

I was going to try the car polish, but wasn't sure about it, as it is a more aggressive substance. This video seems to show it is harmless, if done carefully.

 

[The Real Jdbye]

Want to test it before selling it as can't rip game even after using isopropyl alcohol; but it launches to title screen at least

Dump it, check the hash and see if it matches.

Thanks for the video.

I'm actually trying to repair a xbox 360 game that fails to install ("disc scratched or dirty" message at 37%). It is not heavily scratched, but there some tiny marks (like small duck pawns) radially, which seem to be too opaque, preventing the laser to read I think.

Tried the toothpaste and banana methods (with not much hope, as it sounds like a myth), and no surprises, it didn't work (it cleans the surface, but do not remove anything).

I was going to try the car polish, but wasn't sure about it, as it is a more aggressive substance. This video seems to show it is harmless, if done carefully.

If you know a place that does professional disc resurfacing for a small fee, that's the best way. Those resurfacing machines cost thousands of dollars, but they really work. Anything you can do at home is more likely to make things worse than better.

 

[KleinesSinchen]

If you can't rip it with cleanrip that means you can't access all the data

Wii and GameCube discs are a special case since they all have a padding filling the disc to the maximum regardless of game size. Cleanrip might fail on scratched disc at a point with no actual data. Testing the game only would be dumping it to WBFS with some USB loader.

Thanks for the video.

No way I'm going to watch the millionths long tutorial video. My apologies if I say similar things below.
Why does everything – suitable or not – come in video form nowadays?

Tried the toothpaste and banana methods (with not much hope, as it sounds like a myth), and no surprises, it didn't work (it cleans the surface, but do not remove anything).

It is a trial-and-error thing and something to practice on useless CDs/DVDs. Please don't try resurfacing on BDs (they shouldn't scratch up easily anyway).

I've had surprisingly good results with ultra-fine sandpaper. (Grain 3000, 5000, 7000 and 10000). Starting with 3000 sandpaper you can easily grind off enough of the polycarbonat to replace a fatal scratch with thousands of fine scratches. The disc will look horrible after that and probably won't work at all. With patience and finer and finer grain the disc gradually becomes shiny again. The least abrasive thing at the end is car polish and wax. The wax will fill scratches a little.

This procedure revived several seemingly hopeless discs for me. But be warned: Discs treated this way are prone to more damage afterwards and the only thing you should do with them is create a backup instantly and put them away afterwards. The surface is very far from good, but the errors are distributed evenly across and error correction usually has no trouble.

Here is the C1 error rate (no C2 errors at all!) of an original PS1 CD after resurfacing with the method I described above. PC drives make a beautiful maximum speed CAV mode read and struggle at no point. I did not create an analysis before resurfacing, but all of my drives failed dumping the CD.

Spoiler

Worth noting that the PS1 consoles don't really like this original CD anymore. Extremely long loading time and stuttering.

 

[Asriel8]

Dump it, check the hash and see if it matches.

If you know a place that does professional disc resurfacing for a small fee, that's the best way. Those resurfacing machines cost thousands of dollars, but they really work. Anything you can do at home is more likely to make things worse than better.

 

[Ouaz]

It is a trial-and-error thing and something to practice on useless CDs/DVDs

It's Batman Arkham City GOTY Edition (Xbox 360).

Disc 2 (with the DLC) installs correctly to the HDD (it's almost in pristine condition ^^).
Disc 1 (with the base game) launches correctly (I can navigate the menu, the bonus, etc), but I have "Disc unreadable" as soon I try to start a game (in any game modes, same without the DLC installed). The game install fails at 37%.

As it's a XGD3 DVD, and my 360 is from September 2008 (almost no used), I tested also with the base game (initial release) to be sure the console can read XGD3 discs. No problem, it installs and plays correctly (but the DLC are not recognized, they are only with the Disc 1 of the GOTY Edition... bummer).

I used toothpaste to try to remove these white opaque stains (the most basic toothpaste, white, no perfume, no micro-particles), rubbing gently from center to outer edge, for a few minutes. It did absolutely nothing, except the disc being shinier now

The day after, I tried again (having read that multiple passes can be necessary to have result), except I rubbed in circular motion. I knew it would create some scratches, but they are very subtle, so no big deal. No change anyway, stains are still here. Disc still readable, but install still fails at 37%.

I didn't used isopropyl alcohol (I only have medical alcohol at home with isopropyl alcohol and water in it, I'm not sure it's suitable), as I was worried to fog the plastic.

So, the car polish is the next step. The video shows the guy rubbing up & down with a soft fiber (from center to outer edge), with some pressure. The DVD was REALLY in bad state, and the result seems convincing.

I have nothing to lose anyway, otherwise the GOTY edition is useless without a working Disc 1 (that I want to install, so it will be only used after to recongnize the game and and launch it from the HDD).

If you know a place that does professional disc resurfacing for a small fee, that's the best way.

Unfortunately, living in a small town, I'm not aware of a shop that could do that in a close area.

So, DIY is the only solution.

@Asriel8

Those shiny stains on the right are... ugly.

 

[The Real Jdbye]

@Asriel8
Doesn't look too bad really, the scratches don't look deep. Looks like a lot of that could just be dirt too. I've seen much worse discs that worked perfectly.

It's Batman Arkham City GOTY Edition (Xbox 360).

Disc 2 (with the DLC) installs correctly to the HDD (it's almost in pristine condition ^^).
Disc 1 (with the base game) launches correctly (I can navigate the menu, the bonus, etc), but I have "Disc unreadable" as soon I try to start a game (in any game modes, same without the DLC installed). The game install fails at 37%.

As it's a XGD3 DVD, and my 360 is from September 2008 (almost no used), I tested also with the base game (initial release) to be sure the console can read XGD3 discs. No problem, it installs and plays correctly (but the DLC are not recognized, they are only with the Disc 1 of the GOTY Edition... bummer).

I used toothpaste to try to remove these white opaque stains (the most basic toothpaste, white, no perfume, no micro-particles), rubbing gently from center to outer edge, for a few minutes. It did absolutely nothing, except the disc being shinier now

The day after, I tried again (having read that multiple passes can be necessary to have result), except I rubbed in circular motion. I knew it would create some scratches, but they are very subtle, so no big deal. No change anyway, stains are still here. Disc still readable, but install still fails at 37%.

I didn't used isopropyl alcohol (I only have medical alcohol at home with isopropyl alcohol and water in it, I'm not sure it's suitable), as I was worried to fog the plastic.

So, the car polish is the next step. The video shows the guy rubbing up & down with a soft fiber (from center to outer edge), with some pressure. The DVD was REALLY in bad state, and the result seems convincing.

I have nothing to lose anyway, otherwise the GOTY edition is useless without a working Disc 1 (that I want to install, so it will be only used after to recongnize the game and and launch it from the HDD).


Unfortunately, living in a small town, I'm not aware of a shop that could do that in a close area.

So, DIY is the only solution.

@Asriel8

Those shiny stains on the right are... ugly.

I think there are online services you can send discs in for resurfacing, don't know any names off the top of my head. May be like $5 a disc, so not worth it with every game. Edit: I see you're in france, the services I heard of were in US. I'm not in US myself, but it's a much bigger country, so wider availability of niche goods and services.

 

[KleinesSinchen]

I've seen much worse discs that worked perfectly.

Does not say much. A scratch may look harmless to the human eye and is beyond redundancy… or the other way round.


@Asriel8
However those scratches following the spiral track have the most potential to be fatal. I've marked a few visible at first glance on your image.

 

[Asriel8]

Recently bought some Brasso polish that's suitable for multiple metals, could it work?

It was around mid way the ripping process consistently unceremoniously stopped

 

[master801]

Stop what you're doing and get professional help.

You're going to ruin the BCA on the inner ring.

https://wiibrew.org/wiki/Wii_disc#Differences_from_DVD

 

[KleinesSinchen]

You're going to ruin the BCA on the inner ring.

That doesn't sound plausible. It is macroscopic compared to DVD data. In my long gone youth I could see GameCube markings easily without any magnification, while CD (not DVD) data becomes visible roughly at 1000x.

I've polished Wii and GameCube discs before and never got the the point that the copy protection check would reject them. Not saying it can't happen. Resurfacing carries risks, no doubt.

 

[Asriel8]

Not fussed about buying a new copy of the game but apparently game the uk version of GameStop here does disc resurfacing