PS2 scratching discs?

[Grapple Convoy]

I've got one of the old model PS2s, the one that looks like an evolved ZX Spectrum+. Anyway, I'm very carefull with my gamediscs of whatever format, but my most-used PS2 games have random scratches and stuff on the discs, which really pisses me off as I don't want them to become unreadable, particularly if they are out of print in the future. The console has always been kept horizontal. Can I do anything to minimise the wear, or do PS2s inevitably chew up discs?

[JazzFunk]

I wish I could help you, Grappler, but my PS2's six years old now and it doesn't fucc my discs up in any way or shape. The main thing I've realised is that if the discs get scratched on the top (ie. the label side) then they're proper fucced.

[fallenangle]

That's true - serious damage to the top of the disc can be fatal. There's less protection between the label and the info holding layer than from the bottom. The bottom of the disc can be cleaned, polished to remove minor scratches and even totally resurfaced if necessary.

You certainly shouldn't be getting any scratches from the PS2 in any case, on the underside or otherwise. Most scratch damage I've seen on discs is irregular, across the radius of the disc or at the edges. This, I suspect, is caused entirely by notrmal wear and tear, careless handling or simply accidental dropping whilst loading and removing the discs from the tray or putting them back into the case. I bet most people occasionally partially slide a disc into the PS2 (or XBox) tray rather than place it gently in, vertically. This is almost guaranteed to cause minor edge and other scratch damage.

Over time this builds up but if none of the scratching is deep you shouldn't get any read problems. I still play my 10 year old PS PAL Tekken 3 and 7+ year old C&C Retaliation very regularly ie. 3 or 4 sessions a week. We're talking thousands of hours play and although it's obvious they're well used (lots of micro-scratching) careful handling has ensured they work perfectly. For long term preservation I'd be (I am) more concerned about the inherent deterioration of the disc media itself.

Whatever, if it was the PS2 doing the damage it would be arcs of or full circumference circular scratching. I've never seen this except where there has been a foreign object involved or the console has been severely jolted whilst in use.

[Profit]

I got one of those velvet linings on the disc tray for my old PS2. (Possibly) Helped the disc from not getting scratched when placing onto the tray.

But unless you've got gots of dirt on the lens, it shouldn't be causing any scratches.