Lens and examining the issue

Hello. Wanted to ask a question on testing lens and how to keep them in functioning order.
Hopefully this topic will be useful to someone else and in turn it may adapt with other's related concerns added and elaborated onto this discussion.
I should consider perhaps these questions might have been covered at one point, but finding the exact topics are tedious.
The console in my question is a Gamecube. So disc one of two from a game I got (Tales of Symphonia) would receive the error of not being recognized (I believe it to be miniture scratch on top artwork side). The second disc proceeds/proceeded to the title, but being as disc 2 and I possessing no saved data for that section, well, that was as far as I could test.
Anyway, I had used 70% rubbing alcohol and a microfiber cloth. It was then stored away in a Sterilite container since. However I wish to play some titles I have come across.
So I wish to know: 91-99% rubbing alcohol and q-tips for gently cleaning the lens, or would there be a better alternative (especially since it is possible for fibers from q-tips to reside afterwards, or so I have read)?
The next question regards is there a way to test afterwards other than playing a disc as normal?
Any input is greatly appreciated.

 

Best way to test the disc is to dump it with something like CleanRip on Wii or GC and compare the checksum with a known good dump (check redump project). If you get an error reading the disk at any point during the dumping process it's quite safe to say you will have troubles with the disc during you playthrough

 

Just to ask, is CleanRip only done with Homebrew on Wii systems? Cause I skip that machine: Gamecube -> Wii U.
Also, while I will look into that (is there a topic on AssemblerG?), is the only way to check the lens by examining it with a magnifier?

 

If there is a scratch on the artwork side of the disc, that's usually the end for that particular disc - The underside of the artwork will be right above the reflective layer, scratch through that and there's just no data to read, has nothing to do with your lens.

 

CleanRip is compatible with both Gamecube and Wii but yeah need a way to run homebrew. There are exploits for the Gamecube however you need to have the means of transfering an executable to the GC memory card - easiest way would be with a homebrew enabled Wii.
You have already identified the issue to be the disc so cleaning the laser or adjusting the pot probably won't make any difference. I take it other games play fine on the GC.

 

Have to test it out since I had a bunch of stressful things all conflicting at time and haven't sat down with it since. I assume it plays with other discs fine. As for that scratch on the top, I only found it under a high-intense flashlight search (but yeah, it is more than likely paperweight at this point).