Help extracting data from scratched DVD.

[nemy009]

I'm not sure if this is the correct place to post this, but I hope someone here could be of some assistance to me.

Here's my problem.

I have an old single-layer DVD that has a number of surface scratches and I'm trying to rip it to my HDD so that I may burn it to a new blank DVD. While using DVDDecrypter Ver. 3.5.4.0 the ripping process will make it to about 2% then the read failures start to pop up in the log. I set the program to ignore the read failures, thus it will continue to attempt to read the file indefinitely.

With this setup, data is still being read and saved just at an extremely low level of about 3KBs every 20 seconds or so. Example, after about 5hrs. 30mins. I was able to extract about 125MBs from the DVD which contains about 3GBs of data total.

So, I'm wondering is there a ripping program out there that has basically the same functions as DVDDecrypter Ver. 3.5.4.0, but also has a 'resume' function so that I don't have to have my DVD drive running for days trying to rip this disc? That way I'll be able to rip pieces of the disc at a time, and I don't have to risk burning out my drive in the process.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[redwudz]

No ripping program can rip what isn't visible under the scratches. It might rip the rest of the undamaged parts of the DVD, but that would be very slow and you might just end up with a lot of junk and little usable video. Maybe ISOBuster could do a bit better.

But really the best way is to polish the scratches out of the disc. Some CD shops can do that. That way you 'might' be able to get 100% of the data, though no guarantees if the scratches are deep gouges or the reflective layer is damaged.

And welcome to our forums.

[nemy009]

Thank you for the reply.

I'm currently giving ISOpuzzle a go and it appears to be working (after 15hrs. it's at 50%). The "cooldown" function is pretty much what I needed so that the drive wouldn't be running continuously for hours.

If ISOpuzzle doesn't work I'll give ISOBuster a go, and probably look into contacting some nearby audio/video shops and see if they offer a disc repair service.

Again, thanks for the help.

[CobraPilot]

When I've had this problem (nothing recently), I used DVDFab / DVDFabHDDecrypter in its earlier 4.x and 5.x versions, which *seemed* to use a "brute force" approach to overcome those problem scratches. I seem to remember a success rate of over 90% when other software choked on the discs.

I don't have any recent experience with the software to know if the current 8.x versions will perform likewise. Worth a try and DVDFabHDDecrypter is freeware . . . . no risk. The older versions are available, too.

Good luck, and please let us know what worked for you, in the spirit of "VideoHELP"!

[AlanHK]

Isopuzzle is your best bet.
It's stubborn and doesn't crash when it can't read a disc.

When the new data added gets down to a trickle, I stop it, take the disc out and polish it with Brasso, do it with the disc on a flat hard surface so it doesn't flex.
Rub radially or in small circles, not concentric with the disc. Wash with some dishwashing liquid, rinse, dry and pop it back in and Isopuzzle continues, if you follow the default ISO filename.

[Bharathnat]

Buddy,try ripit4me if you want to extract only undamaged parts of dvd.If you want whole dvd data try this but iam not sure,
1.apply toothpaste in dvd and wash it.
2.Reboot your system,and suddenly insert your dvd
3.buy this program any reader(my suggestion) and make maximum read speed in settings and copy.
It worked for me while copying movies like dark knight,lord of the rings...

[dragonkeeper]

I find brasso to be to abrasive and have seen disk with deep scratches damaged beyond repair. like I've had the best results by polishing damaged disk with 100% carnuaba wax.
http://www.ehow.com/how_2322638_fix-cd-car-wax.html

[AlanHK]

I find brasso to be to abrasive and have seen disk with deep scratches damaged beyond repair. like I've had the best results by polishing damaged disk with 100% carnuaba wax.
http://www.ehow.com/how_2322638_fix-cd-car-wax.html

Of course Brasso is abrasive, that's the whole point. And you can take it too far, but if there are "deep scratches" it's probably already "beyond repair".


Basically scratches make the plastic not transparent so the laser can't reliably read to the layer below with the data.

Scratches accumulate dust and dirt, so first you wash it. I use dishwashing detergent.

If it's still unreadable, then you can try to either grind the scratches away, which is what a polishing machine does, or Brasso by hand, or you can try filling the scratches in with something like a car wax.

But I've never had a disc get worse from polishing with Brasso. It loses its mirror shine, but that doesn't seem to be a problem. Several discs that Isopuzzle couldn't read more than 80% of went to 100% after a few minutes' polishing.

[SLK001]

IMO, Brasso is probably too aggressive of an abrasive to use on a DVD. If it is used, follow it up with the same polishing using a toothpaste brand that has diatomaceous earth in it - like Crest, or Colgate. Once you are satisfied with your polishing efforts, follow that up with a paste furniture wax that has a high carnuba wax percentage. Once dry, buff to a mirror finish.

[The Al bundy]

IMO, Brasso is probably too aggressive of an abrasive to use on a DVD. If it is used, follow it up with the same polishing using a toothpaste brand that has diatomaceous earth in it - like Crest, or Colgate. Once you are satisfied with your polishing efforts, follow that up with a paste furniture wax that has a high carnuba wax percentage. Once dry, buff to a mirror finish.

+1 for Colgate. Works for minor scratches.

I registered today to drop this tip from my scale model making experience. You can use Tamiya polishing compund to polish out the scratches. It works for clear model parts like canopies and it should work for CD's/DVD's too.

It's a 3 step system, start with Coarse move onto Fine and finally use Finish for the really fine scratches though the last one may not be necessary. DVD readers seem to cope fine with slightly hazy discs.