How do you fix games with Scratches?

[Dog man 48]

I recently re-bought a old game, Fable II ( One of my MOST favourite games! ) ( Preowned ) Everything was going well untill I got onto the part where You and Hammer first head into Westcliff. The Game would start to load and then the disc stopped Moving, Then the sound died out and there was just the screen. 

 

Soon I got fed up with waiting and took the disc out to see what was wrong, turns out there is a faint laser mark and a bad scratch on the edge from the previous owner! 

 

So I was wondering, Do any of you ponys know how to fix these marks without having to pay for a new one? or can I get a refund ? Though I'd prefer not to drive All the way to bristol

 

EDIT: So I decided to go to blockbusters to get the game fixed, When i checked the disc in the car there was no laser mark from before but instead 3 big straches! So I went home to test it! I was able to continue the story until I got to the part where you,Hammer and Garth head to Wraithmasrsh. Same thing happened but on a different loading screen :okiedokielokie:   (Also Thank you everybody who posted a suggestion!)

Edited September 6, 2013 by Nye1254

[Proton 564]

Try with GameStop's Scratch Remover Fluid, maybe that'll work, although I haven't checked if it does myself. Maybe you can get a refund, but only if you convince the store that you weren't the one who made the scratch.

[Dan Loves You 38]

Hmm, Fable II is an Xbox exclusive right?

If you can borrow a working copy from someone then you can use that disk to install it to your hard drive and then use the scratched disc to play, as long as its readable it should work perfectly.

[Scootalove 10,685]

You could borrow a copy of the game from a friend or try to find something that removes scratches. Either one could resolve your problem.

[Gourgeist 262]

This is going to sound super mega ultra hyper ultimate weird but I lick the disk. I get a lot of saliva, lick it, and wipe with a soft cotton shirt gently. It usually works for me unless it's scratched to all hell.

[FoxyCryptid 4,328]

I think GameStop refinishes discs for a couple dollars. Family Video as well.

 

You can also get fairly cheap kits in places like Gamestop. 

[Mutemutt 772]

Did you try the glass window cleaner yet? That's what I used to do for all those old scratched up discs ( and trust me, I used to do this pretty often since I rented most games first). A little Windex along with some clockwise wipes usually did the trick for me. 

 

Edit: Though the manuals will tell you to wipe outwards as circular wiping apparently can damage the discs, but I didn't read manuals back then (still don't do it much now).

Edited August 31, 2013 by MuteMutt

[~Silver Essence~ 2,622]

One thing I recommend is to ask gamestop to refurbis the game if possible, I once asked if they can help me, and after that, it worked out for the best.

[Moonlight 7,279]

Personally, I have had great experience with these:

 

 

 

 

 

They work wonders and you should be able to find it at a local Walmart.

 

If not possible, then spray glass cleaner on a SOFT CLOTH and wipe inwards and then outwards...this:

 

You place the cloth at the center, right below the hole, and then wash OUTWARD, and continue doing that around the disk.

 

It works and cleaning in a circular formation can actually harm the disk.

 

You can always go get it cleaned at Family Video or Gamestop as well.

[Discordian 6,013]

Lots of places have rebuffer machines that will do the job as long as a scratch doesn't go too deep. (It basically strips off a tiny layer off the disc, enough to get the scratches but not enough to mess with the data unless it's rebuffed too many times to the point the data is wiped away)

This is going to sound super mega ultra hyper ultimate weird but I lick the disk. I get a lot of saliva, lick it, and wipe with a soft cotton shirt gently. It usually works for me unless it's scratched to all hell.

I've never even remotely heard of this tactic but it's just crazy enough that I'd totally try it if a disc didn't work right anyway.

[Radost 76]

i always try to clean it with toothpaste, and if that doesn't work, as weird as it sounds, you need to take a banana and rub it on the disc. Since its for xbox you can get a working copy and install it on your hard drive as well.

[Discordian 6,013]

Suggestions just keep getting weirder. I've heard some crazy stuff before though sometimes you gotta be careful cuz sometimes (not accusing anyone here) people tell you crazy stuff that can actually ruin your game or console like telling you to wrap your PS3 in a damp towel and dropping it on a pillow.

[Cactus 155]

The easiest and cheapest, though temporary solution is toothpaste. Rub it on the scratch, let it sit, then rinse it off. Toothpaste is made to fill small holes in teeth, so it can fill the scratch for a while so that the laser doesn't reflect off of it.

Edited August 31, 2013 by TheDarkCynder

[Dog man 48]

 

 

I lick the disk

  I never knew that other people did that, And there I was thinking I was the Only one that licked their discs...

 

 

 

Also Thanks everyone for the suggestions Ima try them In the morning

[Discordian 6,013]

I would also like to suggest bringing the disc back to wherever you got it and asking if you can exchange for a clean disc. If you're polite enough, and if it's within the accepted timeframe, they might do it with no hassle.

 

This is probably the easiest and most pain-free way to do this and may wanna try it first cuz they may not take a disc that's smothered in banana and toothpaste.

Edited August 31, 2013 by Discordian

[Dog man 48]

 

 

I would also like to suggest bringing the disc back to wherever you got it

Well I live in Swansea and I bought the game in Bristol, so I really don't see myself driving all the way there just to have a refund though

[Discordian 6,013]

I don't know the distance between those places. Never even heard of them. I suppose if it's not a viable option due to distance then it's maybe not the best plan.

[Lost 1,410]

Well I live in Swansea and I bought the game in Bristol, so I really don't see myself driving all the way there just to have a refund though

Game will clean disks for you usually, or CeX if you have one in your city. It costs a few pounds though. With it being such an old game, it could even work out cheaper to buy it again than to have the scratches removed.

 

The easiest and cheapest, though temporary solution is toothpaste. Rub it on the scratch, let it sit, then rinse it off. Toothpaste is made to fill small holes in teeth, so it can fill the scratch for a while so that the laser doesn't reflect off of it.

I can see how this would work to fill the ridge created by the scratch but the laser wouldn't be able to read the data underneath the toothpaste at all which would just cause the disk to either skip or stop anyway. This would only work if you covered a section of the disk that had no data on, with a game disk that's rather rare.

[Megas 27,192]

As many have said, toothpaste works suprisingly well, plus it's a cheap option. and if that doesn't work you could always try to get it buffered

[Cactus 155]

 

I can see how this would work to fill the ridge created by the scratch but the laser wouldn't be able to read the data underneath the toothpaste at all which would just cause the disk to either skip or stop anyway. This would only work if you covered a section of the disk that had no data on, with a game disk that's rather rare.

It has worked for me before. My Xbox 360 scratched a clear ring around a disc and it worked again after doing the toothpaste trick. 

[Lost 1,410]

It has worked for me before. My Xbox 360 scratched a clear ring around a disc and it worked again after doing the toothpaste trick.

 

  

 

I stand corrected, while what you described is incorrect about it working because it fills the hole, toothpaste does actually work.

 

http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/geeks-weigh-in-can-you-fix-a-scratched-cd-with-toothpaste-nb/

 

 

 

Well I live in Swansea and I bought the game in Bristol, so I really don't see myself driving all the way there just to have a refund though

Try the guide on that link above.

[Cactus 155]

  

 

I stand corrected, while what you described is incorrect about it working because it fills the hole, toothpaste does actually work.

 

 

I'd find the article if I could, but I can't. I read it a long time ago. Toothpaste scratches tooth enamel to polish, then fills the scratches and small holes to protect it.

[Marceline 187]

I reccomend using a plain white toothpaste on the disc.  A few summers ago, I had to keep my 360 vertical (unfortunately) and I was putting Red Dead Redemption in when I bumped the tray and it started to close, while the game was only part-way in . . .  Needless to say, there was a huge gouge there.  I had some really weird glitches going on because of that, like my horse going under the map and running without its legs moving and stuff.

 

Anyway, take the plain white toothpaste and spread it on the scratches.  Wait about 15 minutes.  Clean it off with a damp cloth (microfiber is best) and make sure it's not all streaky or anything.  It should work after that.  My RDR worked just fine after doing this.

[ChoroChii 284]

I remember when I was a kid and one of my games or something got scratched, I'd wash it in the sink with soap and water because I thought it was dirty. Somehow, it worked.. but I don't know how I'd do it these days.