question about CD drive cleaning

[alice]

So I've always heard not to use a cleaning CD in a computer CD drive,
because it could damage it, and that most of them have a self cleaning
brush or something inside already. But I see a kit sold at a computer
store with a floppy and drive cleaner and a CD cleaner, meant to use
on CD drives.
Does this mean it's ok, or is it just someone not knowing what they're
making, and not to be trusted?

 

[Pet Parker]

So I've always heard not to use a cleaning CD in a computer CD drive,
because it could damage it, and that most of them have a self cleaning
brush or something inside already. But I see a kit sold at a computer
store with a floppy and drive cleaner and a CD cleaner, meant to use
on CD drives.
Does this mean it's ok, or is it just someone not knowing what they're
making, and not to be trusted?

assuming 5 1/4 drive, remove from case, remove cover, blow out with dry air
and clean lens with cotton bud lightly soaked with alcohol cleaner.

 

[Joel]

So I've always heard not to use a cleaning CD in a computer CD drive,
because it could damage it, and that most of them have a self cleaning
brush or something inside already. But I see a kit sold at a computer
store with a floppy and drive cleaner and a CD cleaner, meant to use
on CD drives.
Does this mean it's ok, or is it just someone not knowing what they're
making, and not to be trusted?

I don't know where you heard the stories you believe but don't trust, and
I dunno if it's a good idea to give you another story that you may not trust
<bg>

- CD/DVD itself doesn't have neither broom nor brush to sweep the dirt, it
doesn't even have air hose to blow the dirt either.

- CD/DVD has laser beam(s) (the number of lazer beams depending on the
media's it suppports)

- I don't know how well it works, but I have seen some CD/DVD cleaning-kit
which is a regular CD with 1-2 small brushes glued to the CD supposes to
remove the dirt off the laser. I don't know how well it work because it's
very possible to be cleaning-kit for regular audio-CD player *not* CD or DVD
burners which may have more leaser beams than regular Audio-CD player.

And back to the main issue, you forgot to give the information of what's
wrong with your CD, CD burner, or DVD buner (whatever you have but won't
tell).

 

[kony]

So I've always heard not to use a cleaning CD in a computer CD drive,
because it could damage it, and that most of them have a self cleaning
brush or something inside already. But I see a kit sold at a computer
store with a floppy and drive cleaner and a CD cleaner, meant to use
on CD drives.
Does this mean it's ok, or is it just someone not knowing what they're
making, and not to be trusted?

Such mildly abrasive cleaning methods will scratch the lens
over time. It might survive the first cleaning, or it might
be one or more other problems not just a dirty lens so it
didnt' even matter. Ideally you should disassemble the
drive and drip pure alcohol over the lens liberally instead
of a contact-cleaning method.

After having a low ratio of success trying to revive optical
drives by cleaning the lens, I gave up on it. This might've
been around the time that there were several brands of CDRW
drive practically free after rebate. If a drive cost closer
to $100 and wasn't very old and used in a known dirty
environment I'd be more likely to try to clean it - but by
disassembling and soaking the whole drive then relubing the
slide rails so the rest of the accumulated dirt didn't just
fly around and deposit on the lens again the next time a
disc was spinning in it.

 

[paulmd]

So I've always heard not to use a cleaning CD in a computer CD drive,
because it could damage it, and that most of them have a self cleaning
brush or something inside already. But I see a kit sold at a computer
store with a floppy and drive cleaner and a CD cleaner, meant to use
on CD drives.
Does this mean it's ok, or is it just someone not knowing what they're
making, and not to be trusted?

It's OK.

The one reason not to use them in a computer only applies to laptop CD
drives, where you have direct access to the lens when the tray is
open. In which case it's quicker and more effective to clean the lens
with a q-tip and isopropyl alcohol.