How to Make a Non Working Xbox Disk Work

Written by Jack Lloyd

Last Updated: January 2, 2020 Tested

Getting a Xbox disk scratched is easy, but the hard part is getting it to work again. You can go to Gamestop and buy the disk skip fixer, but it will not fix the perfect circle scratches.

Steps

1
Take the disk out of the Xbox.
2
Try turning off the Xbox. Then remove the disk. After, simply open and close the tray repeatedly with two-second breaks. Do this about 20 to 30 times. If it works again, there's no need to use another approach.

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3
Choose one of the methods below to try to fix your Xbox game if this simple fix failed to work.

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Method 1

Method 1 of 9:
Polishing the disk

1
Use air first. For example, blow across the disk. Or, use a soft brush to remove any specks from the disk before you polish it.
2
Get a soft, lint-free polishing cloth. Choose something like a cloth used to clean eyeglasses with. Dampen it.
- In a pinch, you can use a wet piece of toilet paper. (Make sure that it is soft and not the slightly abrasive ultra-cheap stuff.)
3
Use the wet piece of cloth or toilet paper to clean the shiny side of the disk. (Not the side with the name and picture.)
4
Dry the whole disk off. Use a dry polishing cloth, or other lint-free cloth. Do not use toilet paper or paper towels, as the rough surface on the paper can damage the disk further. An old clean T-shirt works well.
5
Put it in your Xbox. With luck, it should work. If not, try cleaning it again, to a maximum of 5 times.

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Method 2

Method 2 of 9:
Using soap or cleaner

1
Use soap or Windex. Slightly wet paper towel to wipe off your disk from the middle towards the outside. Do not use a circular motion; this may cause scratches in line with the data and may permanently make it irreparable!
2
Use a furniture cleaner. It should remove most of the scratches.

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Method 3

Method 3 of 9:
Using toothpaste

1
Rub toothpaste on the disk. Only use paste, not gel. Also, dampen a suitable soft cleaning cloth.
2
Rub from the center. Then move all the way around to the edge.
3
Wipe the toothpaste off with a wet cloth. Wipe any dampness off with a dry cloth.
4
Try the disk again. It should work.

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Method 4

Method 4 of 9:
Using car polish

1
Use a car polish.
- Get a dry cloth and add a small amount of car polish to it, such as T-cut.
- Rub in circular motion for 15-20 minutes, then wipe dry. Or, use some cotton buds put a tiny drop on to the cotton bud and then wipe the disc in a circular motion.
- This works for any dust scuff marks from where the disk wobbles in the tray, when the Xbox is upright or moved.

Method 5

Method 5 of 9:
Using peanut butter

1
Use peanut butter. Although it may sound weird, it does work.
- Put a dab of peanut butter on a lint-free cloth.
- Rub it not in a circular motion. The oils in it should help to repair scratches.
- Try it in the Xbox console again.
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Method 6

Method 6 of 9:
Using rubbing alcohol

1
Pour a small amount of rubbing alcohol onto a cotton ball.
2
Rub from the center of the disk, moving outward to the edge. Keep going until the whole disk is covered in rubbing alcohol.
3
Wait for the disk to dry before trying it in the console again.

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Method 7

Method 7 of 9:
Using wax from a candle

1
Get some melted wax from a normal candle.
2
Gently pour the wax on the scratches. Rub in with a soft cloth.
3
Wipe off the excess wax with a dampened cloth. The wax must be even and smooth across the top.
4
Let the disk dry for about 5-10 minutes. Try it again. If it plays, you're set. If not, retry.

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Method 8

Method 8 of 9:
Using Vanish Oxipowder

1
Use vanish Oxipowder, a proprietary product available from the supermarket.
2
Cover the entire shiny side of the disk with the powder.
3
Wait 5 to 10 minutes.
4
Clean the powder off completely with a soft dampened cloth.
5
Place the disk in the Xbox. It should be clean enough to play properly again.

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Method 9

Method 9 of 9:
Other possible fixes

1
Take the disk to a game or computer shop. Ask them to fix it; they will usually ask for $3.00 to $5.00.
2
If any of your friends has the game, borrow the disk from him or her, install it to your hard drive and hope the Xbox recognizes it. Since it won't load data from the disk, this trick might work.

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Community Q&A

Question

Is it dangerous to put the game disc into my console after doing these methods?

Community Answer

No, it should fix the disc and make it as good as new.
Question

What should I do if my disc has a ring on the inner circle?

Marcus George

Community Answer

This is not repairable if it is a deep gauge gash.
Question

What should I do if my disk is still scratched after trying all of these methods?

Community Answer

Unfortunately, some disks are scratched beyond repair. In this case, you may have to buy a new disk.
Question

I've bought Minecraft for Xbox 360 three times and if I don't play it for a few days straight, it won't work at all, and there is never anything wrong with the disc. What could be the problem?

Community Answer

It might be your X-Box that is broken, not the disk. If it does that for other games, take it to Gamestop or a repair store to get it fixed.
Question

What might cause a brand new game to freeze or skip?

Community Answer

If a new game is skipping, you might have to update the game. If it is a console game, hook the console up to the internet with the game inside. An update should pop up; if not then you might have a faulty game.
Question

The disk is clean and there are no scratches. Is there anything else I can do to get it to work?

Community Answer

Try clearing the cache. Go to System, then Storage and find the storage system that your saves are on. Then clear the cache. You can find more detailed instructions online.
Question

After I install a game, it tells me to still insert the disc. Is there a way to fix that?

Community Answer

Installing the game doesn't make it possible to play without the disc; it just makes the game run faster and easier. If you want a copy on your Xbox, you'll have to go to Xbox Live and download it.
Question

How do I fix a disc that is coming up as unreadable?

Community Answer

Try using a window cleaner and a paper towel. Then, do an initial setup, plop that disc in, and you should be ready to go.
Question

Can I buy something to repair a disc?

Community Answer

Yes, you can. You can buy a JFJ easy pro; it's a machine that cleans discs that you can get on Amazon. Look up how to use a JFJ easy pro before buying it, because it costs $130. If you don't want to spend that much money, you can go to your local game store and ask them to fix your disc.
Question

My games freeze on me and nothing is wrong with the discs. How can I fix this?

Community Answer

If you have an Xbox 360, then check to see if there is a copy of the system cache, if there is, delete a copy, if not, blow air in the disk drive which works on all game systems.

Warnings

Don't accidentally ruin the disk by smearing it or scratching it more!

Thanks!
Helpful 2 Not Helpful 0
Make sure that there are no abrasive specks on your disk or polisher at any time while you are polishing.

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Helpful 2 Not Helpful 0
If you use inappropriate cloth, tissue, or paper to polish your disk, you may worsen its scratches.

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Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0
If the disk is still wet, you may break your Xbox.

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Helpful 2 Not Helpful 2