Hello folks,
I have a CD that is cracked from the outside to the center to about 1/2" long. Can the data be retrieved?
I saw lots of solutions on repairing cracked disk, all seem so ridiculous I won't even try them. I just need the data from the disk.
Would this be possible?
Cheers
Is this a software disc? or Game disc from a manufacturer?
Or is it a burned CD that you burned or someone gave you?
If this is a disc from a manufacturer, there is probably a download you can access to install the Game or Software. It would also be a newer version than what is on the CD.
If a burned CD, do you have access to the original files this was created from?
Other than that, if you put a cracked CD in your drive when it starts spinning it will probably disintegrate into several shards and destroy your CD drive.
Data are written from the centre toward the exterior, so if the crack does not reach the written data and the disk doesn't explode while spinning up... It could be possible.
Depending on the value of the data on the disk a mere 35$ to replace a dvd writer could be a risk I would take.
I managed to do so a couple of times.
I failed to do so on another occasion. I think that was a DVD rather than a CD.
On a couple of occasions, I kept using my fingers to re-press the cracked sides level with each other as best I could inbetween attempts & then retrying the cracked CD.
I think I also tried putting the problem CD between two other flat things whilst I tried pressing down on the crack.
Eventually, it worked once & I immediately copied everything into a folder on my computer.
The crack had been over half an inch long coming outwards from the centre on one of those occasions [I cannot remember the other occasion well enough].
I once used some gunge described as being CD repair solution or similar but I think the CD was scratched rather than cracked on that occasion [it was a long time ago].
It worked for me. I managed to recover my MSOffice 97 disks [which were not available to download].
Ever since those two incidents, I have copied all CDs onto my computer as soon as I have got them.
And then onwards onto my set of external HDDs.
Best of luck,
Denis
Try ---videohelp.com --- specializes in discs and is a safe site.
CDs spin pretty fast. Like 4800rpm and up.
They also shatter.
NOT a good idea to put a cracked CD in an optical drive.
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