win 7 disc ruined

[redbird]

My dvd drive went crazy and scratched up my win 7 cd is there any thing out there that can fix this? Or is it time for garbage, the cd spun violently and got a nice circle scratch.

[rthompson80819]

There is a cream that is sold to repair scratches on DVDs.  Some times it works, and some times it doesn't.  Many video stores carry it (if there are any video stores left in you area).

Other than that you will need to call MS and get a replacement.

[truenorth]

If  the option mentioned by rthompson does get it to work (actually you do not mention if you tried to read it and what occurred) then immediately make a copy as it may not last. I would even make a copy before the "cream" attempt. I have had damaged cd's produce a copy that worked fine. truenorth

[patio]

Only problem with that is an OS CD cannot simply be copied and be expected to work properly...
This is by design.

His best bet is to contact MS.

[truenorth]

patio, have had both experiences some will some won't . Have had win95/98 and XP pro that have. If it doesn't MS ought to be able to help him if he has the proper documentation.truenorth

[patio]

If you want to waste a DVD make a copy of Win 7...see what happens.

[truenorth]

No i believe your knowledge and experience would probably end in it being unsuccessful. However as i only recently acquired a laptop with Win7 on it (and as is the norm no O/S disc came with it) i did make the required "recovery discs that it offers from within the O/S. Haven't had to use them yet so don't know what will be the result when/if i do. But given my experience with the others i have been successful with i thought a try might not hurt -dvd discs are so cheap now. I could elaborate on publicly available software that "might" facilitate it being possible but wishing to remain within the parameters of CH forum rules (which i totally support) i shall NOT do so.truenorth

[soybean]

i did make the required "recovery discs that it offers from within the O/S.

falsesouth truenorth, your logic makes perfect sense but I'm still not absolutely convinced your conclusion is valid.  Yes, creation of recovery discs by owners of computers with the recovery partition on the hard drive works because it is an intended purpose of those recovery partitions.  But, I'm still thinking even that process of creating a recovery disc may be limited to one time.  And, I think making a copy from a disc you've created may still encounter the limitation patio mentions.  If you'd like to take this as a challenge and try both actions, i.e. create recovery disc again from the partition and make a copy from user-created disc), I'd like to see the results of your test.

[truenorth]

Soybean, Your observations are very interesting. However i feel i need to clear up what may be some confusion. In the case of the win95/98 and XPpro discs they are in fact total (working) O/S system disc which were created from MS certified original discs. I have had the occasion in some instances very long ago to use all of them and they do work. However on the issue of the Win 7 i am not saying (other than through the manner i have alluded to and not revealed--and of course will not) that if one had an O/S win 7 disc that i do believe patio is correct--it more than likely could not be copied. The fact that i mentioned that i created the recovery discs for the Win7 laptop was NOT to imply that those discs might function on another computer (they may or not i don't know). Given my laptop is working as it should i have no desire to find out what might be the result if i tried to use them on it or for that matter any other machine. Even if i could using them make another copy of them that would also work i don't know. Whether the computer that i made the recovery discs from would now that i have made them would allow me to make another set--i don't know. In the interests of scientific investigation to see if either of the last 2 scenarios would work and produce a usable set of discs i certainly would not be adverse to trying. However testing them to see if they would work (particularly on my laptop) fear and trepidation inhibits me from trying that. However if you personally want to join the experiment i would have no issue with trying to make copies or make another set and mail them to you (provided you are in North America) at my expense. Providing that you or another CH member does NOT tell us it would be illegal. That i won't do. If you want to go that route PM me and we can set it up.truenorth

[redbird]

I contacted ms and was told to contact best buy to see if they have anything to repair the cd .The person who works in best buy suggested I use a product called dynex cd repair . Maybe for the weekend Ill see what they got .Thanks everyone for your support

[truenorth]

The product that Best Buy seems to be referencing to repair your cd is probably a treated "wipe" that is listed on their product line. However in searching for you on other products touted to do the repair i found this.
http://findnsave.sacbee.com/Product/11754/Digital-Innovations-DVDDoctor-Advanced-Disc-Repair-System
In case the Best Buy product does not work this (though considerably more costly) might do the job.Good luck,truenorth

[patio]

I'm curious as to why MS would kick you back to Best Buy...

[BC_Programmer]

Soybean, Your observations are very interesting. However i feel i need to clear up what may be some confusion. In the case of the win95/98 and XPpro discs they are in fact total (working) O/S system disc which were created from MS certified original discs.

I have copies of windows disks ranging from windows 95 through Windows 7. I've yet to have issues with any of them through a number of installs. The system I am using now is installed using one, in fact. Many of them state "do not make illegal copies of this disk" but since the copies aren't illegal by any intrinsic copyright law, It would be a  tad difficult to make "illegal" copies of the disk, so that is just there to scare people into thinking it is illegal. I've never even thought about it. There was nothing wrong with making backup copies of software from floppies years ago, so I don't see how that changes with CDs or DVDs. As long as you aren't selling them or something (which would be pointless because of the activation stuff anyway).

When you buy windows, you buy a license to use Windows. Since Windows XP, it will Activate via the Internet, so you won't be able to use the same key twice. Since copying a CD or DVD doesn't magically give you a second key, I honestly do not see even a contrived ethical dilemma.

[truenorth]

BC, Thank you for the clarification--that is what i kinda thought but was NOT prepared to debate with our great Oracle patio  As i don't have an O/S disc for win 7 (only self made recovery discs) i don't know if they would help another computer.truenorth

[soybean]

BC_Programmer, I agree with you with regard to older versions of Windows.  But, I just figured, based on patio's comment, that Microsoft had embedded some new technology in Windows 7 discs to prevent legitimate OS discs being created by copying from an original.  But, based on what you're saying, no such change has been embedded in Win 7 installation discs.