Why did my CD or DVD fail?

While CDs and DVDs are rugged compared to magnetic computer storage media, they are not indestructible. If your CD or DVD is warped or scratched, the drive may not read it correctly. Unfortunately, there is no easy way to recover data from a damaged CD or DVD. If the disc is so damaged that the drive can't read it, it is ruined and your data is lost.

Following are some simple precautions you can take to protect your CDs and DVDs from damage:

• Store your media properly: Keep your discs inside an appropriate case (jewel box) when you aren't using them. If a CD or DVD comes without a case, buy a case for it. Empty cases are available at many office supply or computer stores at low cost, and are cheap insurance against data loss.
  
  
• Avoid extreme heat: Optical media are made of plastic and can warp in extreme heat. Avoid leaving your CDs and DVDs in direct sunlight or inside a car on a hot day.
  
  
• Clean your CDs and DVDs properly: Be careful when cleaning the data surface (the shiny, unprinted side) of your discs. Use only a soft cloth, and water or rubbing alcohol. Wipe outward from the center of the disc to the edge (like the spokes of a wheel), rather than wiping parallel to the edge of the disc. Cleaning a disc improperly will leave scratches on its surface. If the scratches are too severe, the CD or DVD drive will be unable to read the media. By wiping "across the grain" you lessen the chance that a given track of the CD or DVD will be scratched.

Also see:

• What is a DVD?
• Why won't my CD or DVD drive recognize my disc?
• In Mac OS X, how do I troubleshoot problems reading CD and DVD media?
• Where can I find information regarding CD-R and CD-RW technology?