Disc Rot and how should I handle it.

[Exhuminator]

This is a great thread. Being a constant worrier, I think a lot about disc rot, but it really sets my mind at ease to have so many people who have been collecting longer than I and who are more knowledgeable about these things than I all say that the danger is far overblown. Phew.

Dude I've got PC game CDs older than you that still work. Relax.

[Tanooki]

Hah I love that comment. I've got some Microsoft Arcade set of 2 3.5" floppies lying around older than him that are still functional as far as I know, probably some CDs too.

Is Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis older?

[ElkinFencer10]

This is a great thread. Being a constant worrier, I think a lot about disc rot, but it really sets my mind at ease to have so many people who have been collecting longer than I and who are more knowledgeable about these things than I all say that the danger is far overblown. Phew.

Dude I've got PC game CDs older than you that still work. Relax.

Best comment I've seen in forever.

[Sarge]

It's real, but it's not widespread. I've got a few Dreamcast games that show signs of disc rot, including (sniffle) my copy of Marvel vs. Capcom 2. Although it still seems to play just fine, so it might not be in spots that affect things. I read that Dreamcast games seemed to have more problems than other systems' discs in that regard.

[Tanooki]

I've read that too about DC, also the fact they took a standard CD and overly compressed it into the GD format making them very sketchy sensitive about scratches and other issues to where they skip or fail. It's a huge standing factor in me not ever getting a third one is disc issues second to the system itself failing as they're not extremely durably made and a small amount exist too.

[marurun]

Part of the problem also speaks to when the disc was pressed and the method and materials used. Standard CD spec only calls for a very thin label layer on the top of the disc, meaning the top is much more sensitive to damage than the bottom. Also, apparently many discs in the mid-90s to the early aughts were pressed more cheaply than in years previous, and were thus not as well-sealed, meaning the data layer was more likely to be exposed to the air and thus begin to oxidize. I suspect DVDs will do much better due to the protective plastic layer on top, below the label, as long as they are properly sealed around the edges..

[casterofdreams]

The only disc based games I own are for the Xbox 360, OG Xbox, PSP and PS3 so I feel I should not have any issues at all assuming it's properly handled and stored. Far cry from what you guys have in terms of age. Some that were mentioned are indeed older than me!

What about cartridge based games? I know it's not the main topic here but other than minor battery issues are there risks?

[ElkinFencer10]

The only disc based games I own are for the Xbox 360, OG Xbox, PSP and PS3 so I feel I should not have any issues at all assuming it's properly handled and stored. Far cry from what you guys have in terms of age. Some that were mentioned are indeed older than me!

What about cartridge based games? I know it's not the main topic here but other than minor battery issues are there risks?

I know corrosion on the contacts can be an issue, but like disc rot, that shouldn't be a big problem if they're properly stored and handled from my understanding.

[Exhuminator]

The oldest PC CD game I found in my collection is this guy:



It's from 1990. It still reads perfectly according to VSO.

"Disc rot" means different things when you're talking about pressed discs or burned discs. As someone said earlier bad glue jobs caused problems with cheaply produced CDs at one time. Whereas with CD-Rs, at one time some manufacturers were using dyes that weren't very reliable. These dyes broke down easily when exposed to UV rays, high heat, or high humidity. If you have old CD-Rs and you're worried about it, VSO will tell you its Media ID, which you can cross reference to figure out the dye used. If it's cyanine, backup that data quick as you can. If it's phthalocyanine or azo, you're OK.

I just realized I've owned this game for 26 years and still haven't beat it. How's that for a backlog kids? I think I will get around to beating it this year finally.

[AaronC]

Thanks for all the great responses!

I've been collecting for around 6 years at this point and this forum has been an a great place to learn. I've lurked for years and I have a lot of you to thank for knowing what games to get and how to preserve my collection. Thank you again for all the help. You have eased this goofy guys mind about my discs.