Mazatlán’s “perfect” climate can wreak havoc on your computer

Q: Some of my CDs and DVDs have black and green blotches on them and are ruined. What happened? Is there a way to save them?

While there is a CD-eating fungus that’s been documented in tropical climates, the more likely cause is the salt air corroding the reflective metal layer of the CD or DVD. There’s nothing you can do to rescue already-damaged disks, but there are ways to prevent damage to future disks.

The best thing you can do for your discs is always keep them covered; don’t leave them sitting out on your desk or bookshelf. Any kind of case works, even the cheap paper sleeves. The important thing is to protect them from dust because dust significantly speeds the corrosion process.