Although gaming consoles are not as widespread in homes as traditional computers are, many more people are gaming on consoles or dedicated gaming setups now than a few years ago.
That means more first-time console buyers and learning curves. A gaming console is not a supercomputer. You can figure it out and start playing in no time.
However, people panic and get stuck when trouble descends or things go wrong. The issue might be a hardware defect, but sometimes it could be user-inflicted.
For instance, many gamers find it convenient to keep the disk inside their consoles even after playing without knowing how safe or unsafe it is for the hardware and the disk itself.
So, is it safe? Should you not keep disks inside the console when not gaming? Some say it’s perfectly fine. Others are not in agreement. So, what’s the truth?
Keep reading to find that out and also learn how to deal with a disk that doesn’t budge.
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Is It Safe to Keep Disks Inside the Console?
It’s safe to state that no damage will occur to the disk or the console if you leave the disk in the console when not actively using it.
It doesn’t matter if the console is old, new, an Xbox, a PlayStation, etc. The game will boot all right even if the disk is kept together in the console for days or weeks.
If you play the same game every time or it’s the only game disk you have, keep it in the console semi-permanently. When you handle it frequently, skin oil and fingerprints are less likely to affect the disk.
But just because there are no safety concerns, it doesn’t mean you should leave the disk inside the console. When done using it, remove the disk from the console and put it in its case because that is where it belongs at rest.
The console will not provide the safety cover a disk protection case can offer. Portions of the disk could become unreadable, or the disk’s overall lifespan could take a hit.
The device could harm the disk if its disk-reader attempts to process an unused game disk continuously while you’re playing a game’s digital copy installed on the console.
If using a PS5, the console’s optical drive, which isn’t the quietest component, could produce a constant noise, interrupting your gameplay.
To explain this with an analogy, keeping the disk in the console can be likened to stationing a car in a covered parking slot and putting the disk back in its case to parking the vehicle in your garage.
Although the car’s safe in both places, it’s much more secure and protected at home.
Moving the Console While the Disk is Still Inside?
If you leave the disk inside the console and move the device around with the disk spinning, you could damage the sensor or the disk itself.
It’s, therefore, recommended to turn off the console and unplug it before moving it around with the disk still inside. It would be even better if you could take the disk out.
Even if the disk is not spinning, accidentally hitting or bumping the console against some object could harm the disk and also the disk drive. The disk could get scratched or become unreadable.
No damage will occur if the console is powered off and you don’t bump or drop it. But why put yourself and the hardware in a precarious condition?
Troubleshooting When You Can’t Eject the Disk from Your Console
What if I am convinced to take the disk out of the console but unable to? Here are things you could do.
For Xbox Series X/ Xbox One
Restart the device and retry ejecting the disk.
1. Long-press your Xbox controller’s Xbox button to launch Power Center.
2. Choose Restart console.
3. Choose Restart.
4. After the restart, hit the eject key beside the disk slot to attempt removing the disk.
5. If it doesn’t work, use your controller to eject the disk. Press the Xbox key to launch the guide. Choose Home, highlight the currently inserted game, and hit X to remove the disk.
If your console is frozen or jammed, long-press the Xbox button on its front until it switches off. Engage the button again to restart, and press the eject key.
The following solution is not the most scientific, but effective nonetheless.
1. Unravel a paper clip. A regular clip will be too short for the purpose. When fully uncoiled, the clip should be two inches or around five centimeters long.
2. Put the paper clip’s end inside the eject hole.
(The eject hole key will be found on the bottom of the Xbox X/S along the round stand’s edge, next to the disk drive.
On Xbox Ones, the hole’s on the console’s left wall, around the disk slot corner. The original Xbox One’s hole is on the left, below the grill, in plain view.
The Xbox One S’ hole is the most difficult to locate as the device’s left side grill is replete with tiny pits. Begin with the hole second from the right and bottom. The hole will be on the left between slats, below the wireless controllers’ connect button.)
3. As you insert the clip, the disk should pop out a tad. Grab the disc with a lint-free cloth covering your fingers (so there are no unsightly marks on the disk) and pull it out.
For PlayStation 4 and 5
For PlayStation 4, follow these steps:
1. Turn off your PS4 console.
2. Unplug all the cables (power, HDMI, etc.) from its rear.
3. Position the device on a flat, clean surface.
4. Turn the console over and rotate it to ensure the PS logo is not facing you.
5. Take the cap off the screw hole above the PlayStation logo. (Newer devices may not come with the plastic cover.)
6. Grab a long Philips screwdriver and put it inside the eject hole. Turn it anti-clockwise to let loose the disk. You may have to rotate the driver multiple times. You’ll have to push through a plastic layer to take the screw out. Rest assured, none of this will hurt your device’s warranty.
7. Plug the cables back in and turn on the power to ensure everything works fine.
To manually remove a disk stuck inside a PlayStation 5, here are the steps:
1. Long-press your PS5 console’s power key for a few seconds to turn it off.
2. Position the device on a flat surface over a soft cloth. Next, remove the base.
3. Strategically place the console so that the bottom-positioned screw hole faces you, the disk slot faces towards your left, and the logo faces down.
4. Palm the console near its top corners and hold the cover’s edge. Pull up the cover gently toward yourself. It shall lift away after you hear a click.
5. After removing the cover, unscrew the optical drive using a cross-hatch or #1 Philips screwdriver. Rotate the screw clockwise till the entire disk is pretty much completely visible.
6. Take the disk out gently from its drive. Do not force it out.
7. Replace the base cover. Position it marginally away from the edge at the top and slide it into place. You’ll hear a click sound when the cover snaps in place.
8. Plug in all the cables and power on the device.
Conclusion
Keeping disks inside consoles is overall safe and also convenient. But there’s nothing wrong with taking the disk out either.
As a rule, remove the disk if you don’t intend to game for a few weeks or days. If you’re taking breaks between gaming sessions or will resume the next day or the day after, it’s okay to let the disk remain put.
It would help if you looked to minimize touching the disk as much as possible. You may not scratch it doing so but leave your body oils on the disk. And during the cleanup, you might inadvertently groove it.
Also, try to avoid carrying around the console with the disk in. It may not be hazardous, but risky, especially if the device is still on.
Catherine Tramell has been covering technology as a freelance writer for over a decade. She has been writing for Pointer Clicker for over a year, further expanding her expertise as a tech columnist. Catherine likes spending time with her family and friends and her pastimes are reading books and news articles.