Disc 4 issues - unreadable - solutions? Lost Odyssey

Just got on to disc 4 and immediately noticed extra long loading times, and in about 1 in 5 loading screens I get a "disc is unreadable" error.

I have read the LO forum at xbox.xom and it looks like this issue is common, particularly with Elite model 360s. I have an arcade model (replacement for my buggered launch unit, about 2 months old) but it has the falcon chip/motherboard thingee.

I have asked the online retailer I bought LO from for a replacement disc. Has anyone else experienced the same issue and solved it with a new disc? I have also read about dipping the disc in boiling water for 10 seconds but that seems a bit risky...

One final note - I went back to disc three and played 30 minutes with no problems, so i don't think it is the console.

Disc 4 is known for having issues, as you say. Some people have speculated that this is, in part, caused by some sort of residue left over from the paper sleeve it is housed in at sale time. Luckily I bought my game in a region where they sold the game in a proper, 4-disc case.

Yeah, I got the 4th disc in a paper sleeve. Never had this problem before with PC games in paper sleeves. If my replacement disc has the same issue I'll try the boiling water method.
I really hope the distributor knows how much of an issue this crappy packaging causes if it really is the problem.

I hope so. Nearly every region got packaging like this, but mine didn't, thankfully.

Well, no response from the retailer today so I thought I'd try boiling the disc - and it worked! =)

Some notes in case anyone needs to do this. I heated up a pot of water until it was boiling then removed it from the element. Using tongs I grabbed the disc from each side and dunked it in for 10 seconds, twice, making sure not to touch the sides or bottom of the pot (which can warp the disc apparently). I took it out and wiped it down with a tissue, wiping from the center to the outside (not in a circular motion).

There was no residue to wipe off which I have seen mentioned on other forums. In fact, it looked exactly the same as it did before. Anyway, I noticed the difference as soon as I popped the disc in. It sounded normal while spinning (before it was really quiet) and load times are the same as the other discs. And the main point - no disc read errors! Have played about 20 mins and it is loading perfectly.

Finally I have thrown out the cursed paper sleeve. The fourth disc can *just* fit on the same peg as the other three discs. Hope this helps anyone else with the same problem.

Ok so I am not going crazy this just happened to me last night. I was on the absolute final boss, I mean it too, and it froze. Now it won't read. I put 73 hours into this game, my characters are at level 80 and i have 735 achievement points on my first time through with no walkthrough. I will try the boiling water trick later tonight. The game now freezes as soon as I put the disc in, the little loading icon pops up and then stops midway through.

Wouldn't it be easier to try a disc cleaner first, if there is residue it should get rid of it, and there would be less risk of further damaging the disc.

...wait, what? you boiled the disc? and it worked? ok... don't expect me to go boiling my games though. wouldn't that run a risk of damaging it?

"I tried wiping down with CD wipes before boiling but that did nothing."

Try using a dampened cloth, with very light oil water and press it against the disc in a counter-clockwise fashion. Rub it with several strokes in and out, this worked for me. >_>