How to fix ‘disc read error 8.7’ in Modern Warfare 3

Embrace the battle royale.

There is a shot of players fighting each other on the map Shipment. There are explosions going on and players shooting each other.
Getting back into action is even quicker now. Image via Activision

The “disc read error 8.7” in Call of DutyModern Warfare 3 has one of the more mysterious explanation texts in the game. The error task mentions a map file and asks players to check their logs for more information, but that won’t be everyone’s cup of tea.

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While this error has a relatively simple fix, it can take a while to implement, depending on your internet speed. Considering MW3’s file size for PC, PlayStation, and Xbox has increased drastically over the years, a few file-related errors can pop up here and there after installing patches or the game itself.

What causes “disc read error 8.7” in MW3?

The “disc read error 8.7” in MW3 generally appears due to corrupted or missing game files. These files can appear in your installation of CoD MW3 after installing an update. This error can pop up on all platforms MW3 is available on, but it looks to be more common on Xbox.

The main reason why it appears is a missing map that Warzone and MW3 Zombies share. When players delete Warzone, they also end up deleting a Zombies map and causing the “disc read error 8.7” in MW3 to appear.

Since I don’t play that much Warzone, I also ended up deleting it to free space on my console. When the error first appeared for me in Zombies, it took me a while to find the root cause as I didn’t imagine MW3 would delete a shared map on my command.

mw3 cut scene with captain price
Back to the installation screens. Screenshot by Dot Esports

How can you fix “disc read error 8.7” in MW3?

There are a couple of troubleshooting methods you can try to fix the “disc read error 8.7” in MW3. If you have fast internet, it won’t take you long to fix this error as you’ll need to download some game files.

Download Warzone

Downloading and installing Warzone fixes the “disc read error 8.7” in MW3. The error affects players who have never installed Warzone or deleted it to open up some space. If you receive this error, install Warzone on your system.

Reinstall MW3

Reinstalling over 150 GBs of game files is a tedious process. But if only installing Warzone doesn’t fix the “disc read error 8.7,” you’ll need to completely reinstall MW3 for a fresh start.

Author
Image of Gökhan Çakır
Gökhan Çakır
Staff Writer
Gökhan is a Staff Writer and Fortnite Lead at Dot Esports. Gökhan graduated as an industrial engineer in 2020 and has since been with Dot Esports. As a natural-born gamer, he honed his skills to a professional level in Dota 2. Upon giving up on the Aegis of Champions in 2019, Gökhan started his writing career, covering all things gaming, while his heart remains a lifetime defender of the Ancients.