Here is how I repaired a bad CD.

Ok, the disk had so many cratches on it, it was frosted looking. I tried one of those CD cleaning kits and wasted my time for an hour.


So, since I had nothing to lose, I got one of those 6 inch rag buffing wheel kits, at Home Depot hardware store. The kit come with 3 grades of polish (IronOxide, AluminumOxide, and the other I can't remember). I attached the buffing wheel to a bench grinder.

Start buffing the CD carefully with the medium grade buffing compound (These compounds are like a waxy stick). Always let the buffing stroke start from the center of the disk to the outer edge, NEVER buff with the rotation of the disk.

Try to ahieve a mirror like smooth clear surface. No fogging should be seen. Use the softer (or light grade) of polish to finish the buffing.

Do't OVER BUFF, you'll melt a hole into the disk. Be gentle doing it. VERY lightly. It will take an hour to perfect this disk and make it work.

Clean the disk when done, to remove the polish with a window cleaner, again from the center of the disk to the outer edge. Let it dry.


Test the disk in your PC. If it works. MAKE a backup copy immediately and save the repaired disk as a backup.

For DEEP gashes that don't disappear, you many need to get some kind of special repair resin (clear expoxy?). I have never repaired a damage of that sort. I assume you would repair deep scratches first, then do the buffing.