Lens Cleaning

[me]

If you get an error along the lines of 'Can't Read' or 'Disc Err', your lens may be dirty. This is simple to fix, really. Now, commercial lens cleaner discs are a waste of time for anything but the largest hairs and other obstructions.. They may even scratch your lens further.

What has worked for me, and Mystyler, and a fair few other people no doubt, is obtaining some 91% (or if you can find it, 99%) isopropyl alcohol. NOT rubbing alcohol.

1. Take a cotton bud, and dip it into the alcohol.

2. open your MD unit, and apply the alcohol to the lens (clear thing with a blue hue to it, made of plastic). Make sure you DO NOT get alcohol on anything but the lens.

3. allow the unit to dry for at least half an hour

4. problem solved, hopefully.

5. don't blame me if your hand is slack and you flood the unit in alcohol, or if the method doesn't work.

http://repairfaq.ece.drexel.edu/REPAIR/F_c....html#CDFAQ_027 is my source.

[dannn]

another tip

if you are going to use a MD lens cleaner beware

there have been reports of certain cleaners that will scratch the lens instead of cleaning it!!

-dan