Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) as a powerful analytical tool has gained extensive attention. Despite of many efforts in the design of SERS substrates, it still remains a grand challenge for creating a general substrate by a simple and low-cost way. Herein, we report our attempt to address this issue by fabricating SERS-active substrates based on discarded silver (Ag) compact disks (CDs). The revealed Ag layer on the CDs after removing its protective film can be used as SERS substrate directly and exhibited a good SERS activity. The Ag CDs was further roughened by electrochemical oxidation-reduction cycle in 0.1 M KCl and improved its SERS activity greatly. The effects of roughened parameters on the SERS activity were investigated in detail. Moreover, a sandwich structure consisting of Ag nanoparticles, p-aminobenzenethiol and roughened Ag CDs was fabricated as an example to further enhance the SERS activity for detection in ultra-high sensitivity. These SERS-active substrates based on Ag CDs are all low-cost and allowing a "one way use". The fabrication is also very simple and exhibits great potential for extensive application. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.