Using An External DVD Drive

I do not have an internal DVD drive and want to view commercial DVDs on my iMac. Only AFTER I purchased an external LaCie drive did I learn that this is not supported on my machine. I tried VideoLan Client software (version 7.0; the latest that supports OS 10.1) but it's not reliable.
My question is-if I upgrade to the latest operating system and increase my RAM, will I have reliable DVD viewing capabilities with my external drive? Anything else I should do?

Some external DVD drives work with a software called Patchburn to extend operation to Apple's applications in 10.2 and up. http://www.patchburn.de/
I have no idea whether LaCie's will, but http://www.macsales.com/ drives do.

Similar Messages

  • Is it possible to install Tiger using an external DVD drive?

    I have one the of the first iMacs and at the time I thought I didn't need a DVD Player. However, now I was thinking of buying an external DVD player/burner. Is it possible to upgrade to Tiger using the external DVD drive since I don't have an internal one?

    Hi Celticart,
    Welcome to the discussions.
    I have an old AGP PowerMac G4 to which I have hooked an external Firewire DVD Drive. I have installed Tiger without any problems, using this drive. I see no reason why it couldn't be done on an iMac as well, (provided it has Firewire).
    I don't think you could get it to work using an external drive hooked up via USB.
    Cheers!
    Karl

  • Starting up an emac using an external dvd drive?

    My emac has frozen. I was installing the software update to system 10.4.6 when the machine crashed (not enough HD space? don't know.)
    Now, it won't get past the Starting Mac OS X screen.
    I figure I need to do a clean install or something drastic, just to rebuilt the system software. I think that will work, but I have a problem:
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    Edward Rosenstein,
    Welcome to the Apple Discussions!
    Had you used patchburn on the external DVD drive?
    Does the drive appear as an option using the option key to bring up Startup Manager?
    You mention backing up the eMac's hard drive in Firewire Target Disk Mode. The host computer you used for that should show you how much free space there is on the eMac hard drive; you'll need at least 5 to 8 GB free.
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  • Upgrade to SL using an external DVD drive?

    Hi all:
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    Yes, there is a reason. That's what I was trying to figure out. I don't think it would have to do with using an external DVD. Did you try starting up from the DVD. You might try that. If you want to erase and install, then you'll have to start up from the DVD. If you can, once the installation begins choose your language; open Disk Utility from the top of the next page; highlight your drive and choose Partition; assuming you want one partition select 1 (you must select a number here even if you don't want to change the number); and select GUID under the options (which also will format/erase your drive). Shut down Disk Utility and continue your installation.
    Next, if you have access to another properly equipped Mac (see link), then you may be able to install using [firewire target disk mode.|http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1661] Finally, [here is another interesting install possibility mentioned above.|http://www.macosxhints.com/article.php?story=20051227162152292] You should be able create your image file like this:
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    b. Open Disk Utility, and select the DVD/CD from the left side list (select the DVD/CD icon on top);
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    e. Upon completion, Get Info on the .cdr file and lock the file.
    Message was edited by: donv (The Ghost)

  • Upgrading to Tiger using an external DVD Drive

    Our computers at work don't have internal DVD drives. When we try to install Tiger using an external DVD we can't get past the restart process. We insert the DVD into the external DVD drive and restart our computers. Once the computer restarts, we double-click the Tiger DVD and it once again tells us to restart. My questions is....Can you upgrade to Tiger using an external DVD drive or should I request the CDs from Apple for the upgrade?
    Thanks,
    Devra
    Power PC G4   Mac OS X (10.3.9)  

    Hi Devra,
    first of all: WELCOME TO THE DISCUSSIONS!
    Be aware that you CANNOT boot from an external USB-drive: Don't start up from an external USB device. You have to use an external firewire drive. Then insert the DVD and reboot while holding down the Option-key. Select the DVD in the external firewire drive as boot volume.
    You also might want to follow this procedure: 10.4 Tiger Upgrade: Decision tree+Checklist . It also covers potential install errors due to outdated firewire-drive firmware.
    If this answered your question please consider granting some stars: Why reward points?

  • Boot Windows AND FreeBSD from my MacBook Pro 8,3 using an external DVD drive. I'm considering to remove my DVD-ROM and replace it with an SSD drive. That doesn't seem to work. Why not?

    As the title says, I'm attempting to boot off my favorite operating systems, Mac OS X, Windows 7 and FreeBSD from an external DVD drive. However, for some odd reasons, booting the Windows DVD and FreeBSD 9.1 install DVD from the external drive does not seem to work. I was able to create a bootable USB with the Windows installer, but whenever I attempt to do the same with FreeBSD, I only get an error message that says "No bootable device -- press any key to restart." Is this a limitation that Apple deliborately created? If so, why won't Apple let its customers do whatever they please with their computers, considering that customers who want to change the hardware and/or operating systems knows what he is doing, without having to worry about some silly Apple limitations?
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    That is only partially correct at best.
    When you are booting off Windows or any other operating systems that usually don't support EFI (including Windows), your Mac uses something called CSM-BIOS. And as long as that CSM-BIOS implementation on EFI-based Mac do not support booting off from USB (note that Mac OS X Installer works fine when booting from USB), not even a USB Apple SuperDrive which once was an internal drive, there mot definately is something for Apple to fix.
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  • Can I use USB external DVD Drive to boot up my G4?

    My G4 (PCI Graphics) internal drive DVD-ROM is not working, its dead. I want to replace it with an External USB or Firewire Lacie DVD Drive.
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    G4 (PCI Graphics) 400 mhz, 488Mb Memory, 50GB, 9.2.2 & 10.3.9. USB 1.0 & Firewire 400 Ports
    G4 (PCI Graphics)   Mac OS X (10.3.9)  

    Hi, Harold -
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    Although the G4 (PCI) models do have native firewire, they (and their cousins the B&W G3) are specifically exempted from firewire booting; there is no workaround for this -
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    Article #58583 - Firewire Target Disk Mode
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  • Can I install Tiger using an external DVD drive?

    My PowerBook is being repaired and I have to use an older G4/733 tower (OS 9.2; CD/zip drives only) from 2001 ASAP. I purchased Tiger and now need to load it, along with the new software. Rather than purchasing an internal dvd drive, can I buy and external dvd drive to install Tiger/new software? I've seen some posts that say "no" and others that say yes, as long as its firewire, not USB. In looking at external drives, I've seen some compatibility requirements that say OS X as the minimum. Some places like CDW and the Apple store don't seem to have an answer for me. Does anybody here know? thanks!
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    PowerPC G4   Mac OS 9.2.x  

    Internal drives are much cheaper; you can get a DVD burner for under $40 online, vs. well over a $100 for an external, which may or may not boot your specific system.
    The NEC ND-3550A or Pioneer DVR-110D will both boot the OS installer DVD when using the "C" Key, or from Startup Disc...
    In a QS, you just have to remove the drive tray faceplate before installing the drive; This Apple Article has clear diagrams of the replacement process.

  • Trying to wipe the hard drive on a G5 iMac, using an external DVD drive as the one in the iMac is broken.

    I'm trying to boot up with the OS (or install) disk, from an external DVD drive as the one in the iMac is broken. When the computer boots up, my normal desktop appears, but also the Mac OSX (Tiger) install disk. When I double-click on the "Install Mac OSX" icon, a screen comes up that says: "Click the button below to restart & begin the install process". The iMac restarts, but just goes back to where it was, & I'm prompted to:  "Click the button below to restart & begin the install process".
    So far there is no way to "begin the install process", I just keep going around in circles with this. I'm doing this so I can sell the computer. I hope I've made it clear, and TIA for any advice.

    I looked at the disk utility erase option.  The wording looked a little vague.  Seemed to me to erase all the disk  including the data if you pick one pass, but I am not sure.
    but that is contradicted when you see you have to pick the correct option.

  • Can I restore using an external DVD drive?

    Hey everyone, I've got a unibody MacbookPro with a broken internal disc drive.
    My roommate has a new external USB super drive. Can I reinstall my OS using his external CD drive? Or will I need to make a DMG of my original install disc and do it that way?

    As far as I am aware you should be able to reinstall your system software without any issues using your roommates external disc drive.

  • Using an external DVD-Drive seems impossible with NB100 Win XP

    Hallo,
    I'm working with my NB100 half a year.
    Now I want to connect an external CD/DVD-drive to I.
    The first drive I bought, was bad luck. Often I needed to restart my system several times until it was found, but than it worked. Now I gave that drive back and tryed another one.
    Often a message occures "berspannung an USB-Hub", (don't now how to translate correct - but it means the power needed is to much).
    So I took an USB-Hub with it's own power-suply. Now it sometimes works, but than imidiately it is calld a "unknown device", and so it does not work until I reboot the system. With a little luck than it works for a few minutes until it "disappears" again.
    Am I unlucky, or is there a mistake I dont now?
    Thanks for help
    Ernst

    Hi
    The notebooks USB ports provide an standard power supply which is about 500mA.
    This is a standard and usually all external USB devices should support this as well
    But sometimes such external devices needs more power and it could happens that an device will not work properly
    I have no idea what external device you are using but I would recommend using the one recommended and supported by Toshiba
    Usually you should be able to purchase such ODD from an Toshiba authorized service partner in your country
    Nevertheless its advisable to change some settings in device manager which are related to the USB ports.
    You should go to device manager -> USB root hub properties -> Power Management (last tab) and should check if the option is not marked.

  • Can i factory reset my imac using an external dvd drive?

    My Drive wont accept dvd discs anymore, still allows cd's though. Is it possible to do a factory reset using the osx disc on an external hard drive or will i encounter problems?

    http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=se-208db%2Ftsbs&tag=mh0a9-21&index=a ps&hvadid=3174900530&ref=pd_sl_1fmc9mcvlw_p
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  • Why can't I boot from  my windows install disk using an external dvd drive?

    My internal disk drive is broken on my computer, so I'm using an external one, but when I put my windows install disk in, it shows up when I'm using the computer, but it doesn't show up when I hold ALT on startup. Why is this?

    Alt/Option Boot code is all in ROM. It shows an Icon for each potentially-bootable Volume.
    Your Windows install DVD is not directly bootable, and so it does not show an Icon. (An OS 9 Installer CD would not show an Icon either.)
    To install Windows, you need to research the use of Boot Camp, the software that provides Mac drivers and facilitates the Installation of Windows on a Mac. There are also Windows restrictions on the use of external drives which you may have to meet.

  • Can I use an external dvd drive to install windows?

    Basically I have a licensed version of Windows Vista Business laying around, but it is on 5 CDs, and I can't seem to find a legal source to redownload it so I can burn it on a dvd to use my legal key. And I know in the bootcamp instructions it says it must be on one disk, due to newer macs not having an analog eject method, and the mac keyboard's eject button not working since this is before you can install the drivers.
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    vLite http://www.vlite.net/about.html can merge the CDs to one DVD.
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    Plus, be aware that with the newer 2011-released Macs Apple has abandoned XP and Vista support, so that Windows 7 is the only one supported.
    Stefan

  • Can I upgrade from Tiger to snow leopard using an external DVD drive

    I've been trying to upgrade to Snow Leopard from Tiger but keep nothing happens. I keep getting a grey folder with a question mark on it. Can anyone tell me what this means?

    If you have another Mac with Firewire, you can use it's Optical Drive as a big Firewire Optical, put the Install disc in the other Mac, boot the other Mac in to
    Target mode...
    http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1661
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    Can I install if I make a bootable copy to my firewire external?
    Yes, especially if you have a small 5 to 9GB Partition, you can use DU to Restore the Install Disc to that.

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