RE: Cleaning a DVD
I'll see if I can help you. First, nearly all freezes are the result of a fingerprint or dirt on your disc. Simply cleaning the disc will usually solve the problem. 99% of all disc we get back test out just fine. So, the first thing to do is try cleaning the disc reall well. I'll list some cleaning/repair instructions below. We only expect our customers to try the basic cleaning and not the repair instructions. If cleaning does not work try playing the disc on another player if possible. Though the problem may be the disc, the player is at fault a lot of times. This will help determine which it is.
Cleaning and repairing DVDs
If you notice problems when playing a disc, you may be able to correct them with a simple cleaning.
• Do not use strong cleaners, abrasives, solvents, or acids.
• With a soft, lint-free cloth, wipe gently in only a radial direction (a straight line between the hub and the rim). Since the data is arranged circularly on the disc, the micro scratches you create when cleaning the disc (or the nasty gouge you make with the dirt you didn't see on your cleaning cloth) will cross more error correction blocks and be less likely to cause unrecoverable errors).
• Don't use canned or compressed air, which can be very cold and may thermally stress the disc.
• For stubborn dirt or gummy adhesive, use water, water with mild soap, or isopropyl alcohol. As a last resort, try peanut oil. Let it sit for about a minute before wiping it off.
• Try Lemon Pledge. It sometimes works wonders on problem DVDs.
• There are commercial products that clean discs and provide some protection from dust, fingerprints, and scratches. Cleaning products labeled for use on CDs work as well as those that say they are for DVDs.
If you continue to have problems after cleaning the disc, you may need to attempt to repair one or more scratches. Sometimes even hairline scratches can cause errors if they just happen to cover an entire ECC block. Examine the disc, keeping in mind that the laser reads from the bottom. There are essentially two methods of repairing scratches: 1) fill or coat the scratch with an optical material; 2) polish down the scratch. There are many commercial products that do one or both of these, or you may wish to buy polishing compounds or toothpaste and do it yourself. The trick is to polish out the scratch without causing new ones. A mess of small polishing scratches can cause more damage than a big scratch. As with cleaning, polish only in the radial direction.
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