GameBanshee Forums

My old Morrowind disk got really scratched, but it didn't seem to cause any trouble until I got to the Bloodmoon expansion. Now, everytime I try to open a door in the Lake Flalding caves, the screen comes up and says "The game disk is either damaged or dirty." After numerous failed attempted to get through, I went out and bought a completely new copy of Morrowind. However, at the same spot, I get the same error message. And it is a new disc! Does this mean my file is corrupt and I am basically screwed? Is there anything I can do?

You could always try cleaning your old Morrowind with Toothepaste.

(not a joke, it worked for me quite well)

Have you applied the latest patch to the game?

If you want to use your all disk, I would just use a Disk Doctor. I worked at a game store and thats what we used to fix used games.

I cleaned it twice with a disck doctor. The first time I noticed it cleaned up a little bit of lag. the second time actually seemed to work at another area I was having trouble with. The game used to freeze a lot in the Ebonheart area and then it worked again. I don't know how many uses start to affect the data, so I just went out and bought a completely new disc and it still doesn't work.
Someone else mentioned to sleep for 3 straight days to clean up odds and ends in the overworld but that didnt work either. I think I am screwed

and how do patches work?

The patch updates a game's code, so that bugs are fixed. There are official patches, from the companies that put out the games, and unofficial ones, made by enthused game players. You may not care for unofficial patches, but you should always, always, search online for a game's latest patches from the company that made the title.

Morrowind had quite a share of bugs when it was released. I suggest you go here and download, then install, the appropriate patch. The one you get should be the one matching your place of origin (European patch if you're in Europe, fo example), and the one meant for the latest game edition you've got. So if you've only got Morrowind, you download the Morrowind patch, but if you've got Tribunal, you just download the Tribunal patch--because Tribunal came out later, as an add-on Morrowind, and fixed many Morrowind bugs.

Put the patch in your Morrowind main directory. If it's a zipfile, unzip it there, if it's an executable, run it. Then follow the instructions.

this might a really stupid question, but how do patches work for Xbox?

AFAIK there are not any patches on xbox (just two versions - first and GOTY).
For me it's looks like there could be rather a problem with your CD reader. It happens sometimes and would explain why it is the same place where you have difficulties. To be sure you should find a friend with xbox and to check those disks on his box.

P.S. You could also try the Elderscrolls.com Hardware and Software Issues forum.

Hey thanks for the link. I have a memory card so I will have to try some of those troubleshooting steps.