How to Recover Data from Corrupted or Scratched CD/DVD
This article describes the top 2 CD/DVD recovery methods and guides you step by step to recover data from corrupted or scratches CD/DVD efficiently. Scroll down to learn more.
Remember the days when CDs and DVDs were our go-to for storing our precious photos, music, movies, or other files? Those shiny discs might seem outdated now, but they are still meaningful for many.
Unfortunately, over time, CDs and DVDs can get scratched, corrupted, or unreadable due to wear and tear. At this time, your data is not accessible as well. So many users want to perform a CD/DVD recovery and attempt to repair the scratched discs. Read on this article to learn more.
Recover Data from Corrupted or Scratched CD/DVD using Software
In this post, we recommend you use one of the best CD/DVD data recovery software - MyRecover to recover data from corrupted or scratched CD/DVD in Windows 7, 8, 10, 11, and servers. It integrates with two advanced scanning algorithms to thoroughly scan any recognized device and search as many files as possible to recover.
- It has a free edition that recovers up to 500MB.
- With a user-friendly and easy to navigate interface.
- In uphold of 1000+ formats, from images to audios (e.g. recover deleted MP3 files), videos, documents, compressed files, etc.
- Pause and resume the scanning process when needed.
- Quickly find and preview files to ensure you are grabbing the right ones.
- Selectively recover files instead of all.
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To get started, please download MyRecover to have a try!
Step 1: Select the CD/DVD disc to scan.
Open MyRecover. Select the CD/DVD disc and click Scan. It will run Quick Scan & Deep Scan automatically to find all recoverable files. This scanning time depends on data amount, disk type and size.
Step 2: Filter and preview files.
During scanning, click the Filter button to specify the data type and then search the file name or extension to recover specific files or folders. Once found, double-click them to preview and confirm. Or wait until the process is complete and select all of them.
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Type: It will contain all the data types you may have, such as images, videos, documents, mails, webpage, compressed files, etc.
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Data Modified: It supports today, yesterday, last 7 days, last 30 days, and custom.
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Size: It allows you to filter file size from less than 128KB to 128KB ~1MB to 1MB ~ 512MB and above, or custom.
Step 3: Start the CD/DVD recovery process.
Select the desired files and click the Recover button to save them. Avoid saving them back to the CD/DVD to prevent further data loss due to overwriting.
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The restore button displays the number of files to be recovered and their entire size.
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It allows you to perform a CD/DVD data recovery up to 500MB. To recover unlimited files, please upgrade MyRecover.
In addition, you still can use it to recover deleted files from Windows Server 2016, 2019, 2022, etc.
Manual CD/DVD Recovery Method to Get Your Data Back
Before trying to repair a corrupted or scratched CD/DVD which is not working in a CD/DVD player or computer, you need to do a manual check process. Often, minor scratches or dirt on the surface of a CD/DVD can prevent it from being read, but with a few steps, you can attempt to restore it and get your data back.
Step 1. Clean the discs.
Wash the CD/DVD with warm water to remove the dust on its surface, and rub it gently with your fingers. Or try a deep clean with a mild detergent, soap water, or alcohol. It's best to use a cotton swab to help. Then, shake it to drip off the excess water and let it air-dry, without using cloth or towel.
Step 2. Test your disc.
Reconnect the CD/DVD to the player or computer CD-ROM and check if it’s accessible. If yes, try to copy data from one hard drive to another one. If not, check the surface of the corrupted or scratched CD/DVD.
- For CD/DVD with a smooth surface, try to recover data using CD/DVD data recovery software.
- If there are any visible scratches, try to wax or polish the discs, a widely used but only temporary method. So please backup data to a different location afterward.
Step 3. Wax and polish the discs.
Prepare a lip balm, Vaseline, liquid car wax, furniture wax, or neutral shoe polish, and cover a thin layer of one on the shiny side of a scratched CD/DVD. When it is dry, try to wipe off the excess from inside to outside on the surface using a clean and soft lint-free cloth.
Conclusion
Many users still use CDs/DVDs to store their favorite music, movies, or other files, so there is a growing demand for CD/DVD recovery. Yes, it’s possible to recover data from corrupted or scratched CDs/DVDs if it can be accessible.
The most effective way is using the best CD/DVD data recovery software. We recommend you use MyRecover. It has two powerful scanning methods to help you find recoverable data and quick ways to locate them. Also, it’s worth trying the manual method.