Disc Rot

[BoneSnapDeez]

You've (almost) pinpointed my location! I live just outside the capital.

But yeah, humidity is rough. I remember moving into this house, took about two weeks. I had boxes of gaming stuff stashed in the basement and by the time I got to unloading them the cardboard of the boxes felt soft and almost soggy.

I have a high-quality dehumidifier running almost constantly. I have a finished basement (which is where the game room is) so it's a necessity.

[Cronozilla]

To be a little positive, I think this could be repairable in the next few years.

The layer that's deteriorating is just a reflective layer, the data is physically pressed into plastic. Theoretically you could resurface the thing. (The label is toast, though. Thankfully, video games don't use double sided discs). Home workshops are becoming more common.

Once the label is scratched it usually takes the read material including the reflective layer band microscopic pits with it leaving just the clear plastic.

I was just thinking out loud. I'm sure there's some combination of process and engineering that could get around this. It's something I'd be interested in exploring.

[8bit]

My Saturn and Dreamcast collection hate this thread.

[Sarge]

Actually, according to the Wikipedia link you posted, it lists "pin-prick-sized holes" as a sign of disc rot. That Sonic 2 demo disc has never even been out of its case, so I know I didn't label-damage it. It can easily be confused with label damage, though.

I was reading this earlier today: http://www.rfgeneration.com/news/Disc-R ... s-1337.php

So disc rot can take different forms, but the end result is the same, you lose data.

[Soldier Blue]

Well maybe I don't know exactly what disc rot is, but the article in the OP said that it was those white pinholes and that it could get worse over time. And that it affected how they play. I guess he was wrong then?

Also wondering about this copy of Albert Odyssey..



Has those black squiglies on the top and bottom and when you hold it up to the light it is white.

[Fragems]

Pretty much I've given up on collecting for most of the older disc based systems. Unless I find prefect discs or the price is good enough to risk it I usually pass on stuff. Even without disc rot disc games from PS1/Dreamcast and further back are really really touchy about being resurfaced and are easy to fudge up if you don't know what your doing.

The only games I've had problems with the last few gens are the Dragon Ball Z games on the PS2 those games seem extremely prone to failure. I've probably only had 10 or so PS2 games that I haven't been able to save over the past few years and I would say probably 8 of those were DBZ Budokai games . Most would play, but with sound bugs and/or freezing issues.

[Soldier Blue]

Alright, so maybe I can't tell the difference between disc rot and label damage. Seems pretty tough to tell.

[Exhuminator]

I have a high-quality dehumidifier running almost constantly.

Humidity is bad where I live as well. I run a large dehumidifier in the living room where some of my consoles are located. In my dork cave (where the bulk of my gaming stuff is) I run two dehumidifiers, one in the main room, and one in the closet. In tupperboxes that I have gaming devices or equipment stashed in, I keep desiccant packets in there to eat up humidity as well. It's a pain in the ass, but if you want your stuff to last this is the price one pays. Well, if one lives in a humid climate anyway.

Actually, according to the Wikipedia link you posted, it lists "pin-prick-sized holes" as a sign of disc rot.

It's not outside the realm of possibility then. Label damage can also look like this for obvious reasons. Either way it's bad times.

[BoneSnapDeez]

Proper storage is the key. I've gotten Commodore 64 disks that were DOA and I always came to find out that they were stashed away for decades in a basement/attic/garage/whatever (I once had a guy sell me C64 stuff straight out of a loft in his barn).

I imagine there are plenty of Saturn games that have suffered similar fates. My advice - inspect games before you buy (if possible), and then store in a humidity/heat-controlled environment. Don't live in Texas if possible.

[Sarge]

Definitely bad times.

It really is tough to tell the difference. I think there's not much you can do to stop it, though. You can slow it down, but it's a manufacturing thing that causes it in the first place.

That... might actually explain why my Descent II disc was kinda sketchy when I tried to rip it. Perhaps I should give it a look.

Also, don't live in Mississippi. (I love my home state, but good grief is it hot and humid right now.)