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View Full Version : Is it possible to repair a game disc cracked in half?


Harkunan
05-31-2008, 04:02 PM
I recently brought that gun game for the PS2 ( time something. I have it in storage now ) and the game disc is in two pieces on purpose. I was wondering if there is a special kit to repair such a disc.
joshnickerson
05-31-2008, 04:52 PM
Nope.
majinbuu
05-31-2008, 05:17 PM
that's right, once the data layer of the disc has been broken it's finished. It is not possible to stick the two halves of the data layer back together because
a) When the disk cracked in half some of the data layer may have flaked off the disc or may have been damaged but still stuck on
b) Realigning the tracks on both halves would probably require an electron microscope and a 100 years worth of patience.

Sorry about your loss. What do you mean "on purpose" though?
Harkunan
05-31-2008, 08:58 PM
Well image if it was a perfect cut and all you needed to do was just glue enough with no residue leaking out. Like I would just get a micro glue gun and let is set with no spilling then play?
OldSchoolGamer
05-31-2008, 10:15 PM
not likely as there would still be data missing or damaged at a microscopic level
and just one screwed up 1 or 0 and it's game over................sounds more trouble than it would be worth anyways..............
majinbuu
05-31-2008, 10:16 PM
Seriously man, it just won't work. Just by being cut in half would have irreversibly destroyed a crapload of data.
majinbuu
05-31-2008, 10:16 PM
just beat me to the punch there OldSchoolGamer
SkiDragon
05-31-2008, 10:24 PM
Impossible by normal means, but I bet future archivists would be able to recover most of the data via some sort of microscopic analysis of the pieces.
COUNT SMRIFNACK
06-01-2008, 12:37 AM
Yeah try it, then watch your laser jam at the outer most end of it's travel.

No seriously, don't try it, it can't work.
ErmangelnSeelen
06-01-2008, 05:33 AM
not to mention, the added weight of the glue + slight shape change could cause the disc to spin strangely...

but yeah, I don't see this ever working :(
majinbuu
06-01-2008, 05:39 AM
not to mention, the added weight of the glue + slight shape change could cause the disc to spin strangely...

but yeah, I don't see this ever working :(

also, when the disc is spinning fast a lot of force is generated on the disc and it could shatter inside your ps2 if the glue doesn't hold.
ErmangelnSeelen
06-01-2008, 03:45 PM
ok...i just gotta say it... by that time, what makes you think we'll still be using discs ^_-
FABombjoy
06-01-2008, 05:06 PM
Presumably, you'd just put the disc pieces into your Black & Decker & Yutani scanning electron "magic box" and it would automatically detect, reassemble, and provide you with the data.
majinbuu
06-01-2008, 06:08 PM
Presumably, you'd just put the disc pieces into your Black & Decker & Yutani scanning electron "magic box" and it would automatically detect, reassemble, and provide you with the data.

All this for just one thousand easy payments of $29.95 per day. Call now and get a free chinese finger trap. While stocks last (even when we sell out we still take your money but will send instead our new product "Grow your Own!" intestinal worms with free rectal applicator).
InsaneDavid
06-01-2008, 06:33 PM
Presumably, you'd just put the disc pieces into your Black & Decker & Yutani scanning electron "magic box" and it would automatically detect, reassemble, and provide you with the data.

You mean you have to use your hands? That's like a baby's toy!
evildragon
06-01-2008, 07:10 PM
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v395/Evilweredragon/magicmachine.gif
FABombjoy
06-01-2008, 10:15 PM
Exactly! To the computers of the future, a broken CD will be as simple to them as a cracked stone tablet would be to us.

Don't forget the collection tray or all your data will drip all over the counter.

On a serious note, I wouldn't be surprised if places like Ontrack already have the capability to read data from a broken disc. There is a fairly substantial level of error correction that could assist in recovering data.

Myself, I'd probably just buy a new copy of "time something".
Cobra Commander
06-02-2008, 03:45 AM
In the year two thouuuusand.......
In the year two thousaaaaand!
mnbren05
06-02-2008, 04:05 AM
Gun, a PS2 game. A game barely alive. Gentlemen, we can rebuild it. We have the technology. We have the capability to build the world's first bionic game disc. Gun will be that game disc. Better than it was before. Better, stronger, faster...
InsaneDavid
06-02-2008, 03:34 PM
In the year two thouuuusand.......
In the year two thousaaaaand!

...After the disappointing Coke with Lemon and Coke with Lime, Coke will finally score a hit when they introduce Coke with Pepsi.
eric_ruck
06-02-2008, 05:06 PM
Actually, while I doubt it would work, I wouldn't say it's impossible. CDs have error correction on them. That's why you're supposed to clean them wiping from the center out, rather than around...scratches that go with the "grain" of the data are less likely to be fixed by error correction than spoke like scratches that cut across tracks. Depending on the break it might even be possible to get the cracks to line up.

That said, I wouldn't try it, I'd doubt it would work and there is a small chance you could damage the drive. I'd just get a new copy.
Porksta
06-02-2008, 05:21 PM
Greatest thread ever?
majinbuu
06-02-2008, 05:37 PM
You can line the cracks up, stick it back together and make it look like new if none of the data layer flaked off during the breaking. However no way can you realign the spiral track that holds the data, considering it is only around 0.74 microns thick. Plus the action of breaking the disc would probably have damaged the data spiral itself. Yes, data correction on DVDs exist but they weren't meant for this.
Frankie_Says_Relax
06-02-2008, 06:16 PM
Impossible? No.

Improbable? Yes.
jb143
06-03-2008, 12:37 PM
I think Frankie's right. Data recovery experts could probally do it. Were talking CIA/NSA stuff though. I'm pretty sure that data CD's store data at mutltiple locations. Otherwise a slight scratch or dust would throw off a few 1's and 0's.

Audio CD's don't do this. That's why a scratch or dust might make them skip but still play. Misreading one instance of sound isn't going to be too noticable. Misread just one bit of code and the program could crash.
LucidDefender
06-09-2008, 08:59 PM
Many of you are unaware that data CDs contain ECC to correct errors/missing/unreadable data.

If the damage to the foil layer was extremely minimal, and you could reattach the disc so that it lined up properly, and would spin without shattering, you may be able to recover the data. To even attempt this, you would need an expert performing the task with specialized equipment, of course.
ProgrammingAce
06-09-2008, 10:11 PM
Obvious Troll is Obvious.

If the disc is snapped in half, you could probably get about an 80% data recovery. They don't bother trying to reassemble the disc, they use magnetic imaging to scan the pieces and reassemble in software.
jahvybe
06-10-2008, 11:08 AM
Greatest thread ever?

absolutely.


You should try using Gorilla glue. That stuff is awesome. Then try using it in your system, then when you need a new system you can buy one here.
squirrelnut
06-10-2008, 03:58 PM
absolutely.


You should try using Gorilla glue. That stuff is awesome. Then try using it in your system, then when you need a new system you can buy one here.

Well if everyone did that, it would help the recession.

Anywho, the only conceivable way to do it is if you had a friend with the cia/fbi who deals with data recovery like that. I was watchin a show on discovery where they fixed a shotgunned cd.
jb143
06-10-2008, 04:07 PM
Well if everyone did that, it would help the recession.

Anywho, the only conceivable way to do it is if you had a friend with the cia/fbi who deals with data recovery like that. I was watchin a show on discovery where they fixed a shotgunned cd.

Did they actually "fix" the CD or just recover the data? The OP asked if there was a way to fix one. So the correct answer would be no. Recover the data yes, I think it could be possible to recover 100% of the data, but not to fix the CD. But that's all a moot point now since it seems the OP has been banned.
squirrelnut
06-10-2008, 04:13 PM
Yeah your right, they recovered the data. Oh well write the data as an iso and burn it to a disk? :p
tommyscat1973
06-17-2008, 11:02 PM
Ya know, I gotta say, with this much imagination rolling around this thread, ANYTHING is possible. But I have to agree, it's probably easier, cheaper, and safer for your ps2 to just get a new on. Noticed you didn't answer the "on purpose" question? Just Curious.
GrandAmChandler
06-20-2008, 01:56 PM
Chew some Wrigley's Juicy Fruit and stick it on there, it'll boot up in no time!
jb143
06-20-2008, 03:31 PM
I tried to find the info on the net but I couldn't so I put together this picture to show how it would be possible to retrieve data from a broken disc. I should note though that this is based on a drawing one of my engineering professors did about 5 years ago so it might not be quite accutate.

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii12/jeremy_burk/CDROM.jpg?t=1213989750

Data is stored like this so scratches and dust won't destroy data. It wouldn't help a broken disk for a normal CD-ROM drive but it should show how it would be possible for experts to retrieve data from one. No, your not fixing the disk. No, glue won't help. Yes, it would be better just to replace the disc.