Is there a way to fix a DVD that seems to have erased itself?

[FunkyMonkee]

I have a few pre-recorded DVD's in my collections where, after a few years, they refuse to play and all you can see of them is what looks like a plate-iron wall with the rivets showing. Or, it'll play SOME of the DVD but the rest is that wall.

[jshm2]

If they are cheap DVD's then it's likely the dye layer has gone bad.

But you can try loading it into a windows PC and using software like CDroller to recover the data off them.

[FunkyMonkee]

Pressed by Warner Brothers in both cases.

[genericname85]

dvds are perishable goods. they will just not work after a few years and nothing can be done about it. that's why they're not a good long term media storage.

[FunkyMonkee]

Then, they shouldn't have sold them to us as one. I guess bluray's also no good.

[genericname85]

yeah blurays are the same. you're better off with hdds or ssds but even these will fail after a decade or 2 at best.

[Jessica405]

Try cleaning with a fine damp cloth. Be careful not to make scratches.

[FunkyMonkee]

How would they get dirty? The only times they left their cases was to play them 2, maybe 3 times, so far. And I never touch the playing surface. About 2 years ago, I bought the James Bond boxed set of every JB movie (except the last 2 or 3, which hadn't been made when this set was created). The first time I played "Goldfinger", the last couple minutes wouldn't play and I got the same wall! They're on the plane, the fight scene begins and then that wall shows up! I've had to watch the ending on YT each time I play it!! Apparently, it's something to do with Warner Brothers DVD's from a certain era.

[TrueConfection]

That’s very strange! Are you sure it’s not the dvd player?

[FunkyMonkee]

Absolutely. I've tried it on 3 different computers and an external DVD drive. They all choke at the exact same spot.

[TrueConfection]

The plate iron wall is odd. You can try cleaning the disc with Windex and a soft cloth. I’ve heard of people using toothpaste, but that sounds abrasive to me.

[FunkyMonkee]

As far as I know, the tothpaste is just for filing in bad scratches. These have none. They're all either brand new or only played 2 or 3 times. the first time I played the one set, they were perfectly fine but either the 2nd or 3rd play, one of the discs in the set would only play part way through. "Goldfinger" in the James Bond set was screwed up on the first play. I've had other DVD'S that just completely erased themselves over a couple years.

[DryGermanGuy]

Have you already tried these DVDs in another player/hardware?

[FunkyMonkee]

Yes, as many as 3 or 4 different computers and 2 different DVD players. They all screw up in the same spot.
In the meantime, I have a home made DVD of a Jackie Chan movie and it looks like someone played Frisbee with it and is loaded with scratches but, it plays without any problems at all.

[DryGermanGuy]

If you haven’t left them in direct sunlight/heat, it really sounds like a defective print. You should put in a complaint. I assume that regards a whole batch and they already know about it.

[Cidknee]

Cool, a portal. A sound portal in a different dimension!

Nah, I don’t know.