problems with scratched dvd

[gob14]

i have tied several times to backup the film dinosaur using dvd shrink but the original disc has a small deep scratch in the middle of the disc and dvd shrink gives an error message about half way through the process is it possible to drag the contents of the disc on to my harddrive and then use dvd shrink or is there any other way of backing this disc up(have tried cleaning the disc )the disc will play in my stand alone player but freezes for several seconds at the same point half way through the film

thanks

[txpharoah]

Try DVD Decrypter with ERROR SKIP turned on. If that fails too, you're screwed.

[ZippyP.]

I've heard of people polishing out scratches, apparently toothpaste works. Might be worth a shot as a last resort

[lordsmurf]

I've heard of people polishing out scratches, apparently toothpaste works. Might be worth a shot as a last resort

Yes, but...

Be VERY careful doing this. Toothpaste on the laser lens is a pain. But yes, it can work, though not often. Worth a try as long as you open your drive to be sure there is no residue (as it will QUICKLY react and destroy the laser and other parts of the drive). As soon as you'd finish this, you'd need to inspect/clean it.

Polishing with "DVD Genie" and such devices normally causes more harm than good, but again, worth a shot.

Just be wary that these procedures will ENTIRELY ruin discs whereas the pre-polished version may have just had a bad spot to prevent ripping or bad playing on that area. These methods will utterly kill the entire disc to an UNPLAYABLE status.

Not always 100% true, but very often, and often enough to consider the risks before doing it. Success is NOT guaranteed here. It may be best to buy another one! Or rent an error-free disc and copy that one (NOT illegal since you are only seeking to backup a disc's contents that you already own).