Clean the disc: cotton, alcohol, and… toothpaste? Start by cleaning the disc with a soft cotton cloth dampened in alcohol or a window-cleaning solution. Be sure to wipe the disc gently from the center ...

Scratches on discs can feel like the end of a video game or movie. With the wear and tear of time, physical means of owning media feel as if they are going to disappear with time as technology breaks ...

It happened the other night — I reached for a beloved DVD and was happily watching while snuggling with a blanket when it hit a bit of a blip. I tried just about everything from fast-forwarding to ...

This article was taken from the February 2011 issue of Wired magazine. Be the first to read Wired's articles in print before they're posted online, and get your hands ...