Disc Rot: What Happens When Discs Die

CDs were sold to consumers as these virtually indestructible platters, but the truth, as exemplified by the disc rot phenomenon, is more complicated.

I don’t know anyone who thought they were “indestructible.” Once you’ve seen how easy it is to scratch a CD, that possibility is gone. But people did think that CDs would last a long time. They’re learning that this isn’t the case.

Source: Disc Rot: What Happens When Discs Die

4 thoughts on “Disc Rot: What Happens When Discs Die”

  1. I have some early classical CDs from the ’80s (back when they cost $25 a pop*) that might well suffer from this. I’ve ripped them, but at a relatively low resolution. I guess I should try to re-rip them into AAC. (My ears aren’t good enough to tell the difference between AAC and lossless formats.)

    * I was working for Siemens in the US, and Siemens, part owner of Polygram, had a deal where you could order a limited number at wholesale cost. It was $4 for vinyl and $6.50 for CDs. I stocked up, particularly since Polygram distributed Deutsche Grammophon, Phillips & L’Oiseau Lyre.

  2. I have some early classical CDs from the ’80s (back when they cost $25 a pop*) that might well suffer from this. I’ve ripped them, but at a relatively low resolution. I guess I should try to re-rip them into AAC. (My ears aren’t good enough to tell the difference between AAC and lossless formats.)

    * I was working for Siemens in the US, and Siemens, part owner of Polygram, had a deal where you could order a limited number at wholesale cost. It was $4 for vinyl and $6.50 for CDs. I stocked up, particularly since Polygram distributed Deutsche Grammophon, Phillips & L’Oiseau Lyre.

  3. Disk rot is uncommon. A large number of Hyperion disks pressed by Philips/DuPont (I think) were improperly coated and gradually oxidized. Fortunately, I received replacements from newer stock. The important thing is to keep the coating from being scratched.

    In principle, an oxidized disk can be stripped and re-aluminized. But no one offers such a service, and the cost would likely be prohibitive.

  4. Disk rot is uncommon. A large number of Hyperion disks pressed by Philips/DuPont (I think) were improperly coated and gradually oxidized. Fortunately, I received replacements from newer stock. The important thing is to keep the coating from being scratched.

    In principle, an oxidized disk can be stripped and re-aluminized. But no one offers such a service, and the cost would likely be prohibitive.

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