Cost to replace internal DVD drive?

(I tried posting this as a reply to a related question No luck.)
DVD's eject from my built-in drive after ~30 seconds, although a blank DVD does not. CDs appear to work okay. I've tried resetting PRAM and SMS, but to no avail. I've read other related threads and see no solutions other than:
1) have Apple replace the drive
2) buy an external drive along the lines of Re: What external read / write DVD drive is best for imac
My sense from other discussions is that #1 is not worth it. I have no clue how much this would cost. Can anyone tell me?
Also, does anyone have current recommendations for an external drive replacement? (I do know from other threads that the Apple external superdrive is a no-no for my machine.)

Not all optical drives are Mac compatible.
Most Mac compatible drives you will only find to be purchased online.
Here are two on Amazon.com that are cheap and Mac compatible
http://www.amazon.com/LG-GP10NB20-Portable-External-Drive/dp/B004K2Z4MS/ref=sr_1 _3?ie=UTF8&qid=1398883289&sr=8-3&keywords=Mac+compatible+external+LG+optical+dr i ve
http://www.amazon.com/LG-Electronics-Portable-External-GP40NB40/dp/B009DS6OFU/re f=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1398883289&sr=8-7&keywords=Mac+compatible+external+LG+opti c al+drive
Here's another source for Mac compatible optical drives. These are better quality optical drives.
These are also tray loading drives.
http://eshop.macsales.com/item/OWC/VLU2SD24XS/
http://eshop.macsales.com/item/OWC/MR3F82SD24S/
Good Luck!

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How can I get a replacement internal DVD drive?

I bought a refurbished Toshiba P55t-A5202 a few months ago. The internal DVD drive seems to be failing and doesn't always recognize dual-layer DVDs. Some DVDs recognize and play fine. Others aren't even detected and the system thinks no disk is in the drive. I would like to replace the opical drive. I am comforable opening up the sytem and swapping the drive, I just don't know where to buy the replacement part.
Does anyone know who to contact about getting a replacement internal DVD drive?

Hi, and welcome to Apple Support Communities.
Which exact iBook model is it?
You can choose from this list:
http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/ibook/index-ibook.html
Apple may not have the replacement discs at this point, but it's worth a try. You could try giving Apple a call and see if they have them available. If they do, they will send them to you for a fee.
You will need the serial number of the iBook when you call.
http://support.apple.com/kb/TA27282?viewlocale=en_US
Good luck.

Replacing Internal DVD Drive with HDD in Mac Mini?

Has anyone tried replacing the internal DVD drive with a hard drive, giving you TWO internal hard drives? I think you need a cable to match up the SATA connectors. Then you could use a USB external enclosure for the DVD.
Thanks.

Very interesting, thanks el Duque. Too bad MCE doesn't make a carrier for the Mac Mini. I wonder if one for a Macbook Pro can be easily modified to fit?
I have just learned that the SATA connector on the logic board for the optical drive in Macbooks and the Mini is called a "Slim-SATA" connector. Instead of the power side of the connector having 15 pins, it only has 6, with both types of connectors having a standard 7-pin data side. Both power and data hook-ups are achieved in a single connector -- a power side and data side.
Since the ports on 2.5" hard drives are "standard" SATA connectors, AND they don't match up to the logic board's connector location (like with the connector location on the optical drive), a cable is needed to run between the HDD and the logic board connector.
Unfortunately, such a cable is not available -- yet. Instead, one has to be fabricated out of two types of SATA cables -- a Molex 4-pin to SATA 15-pin power cable and a combination cable that looks like this:
http://www.byteccusa.com/product/SATA/SATA-XP118/SATA-XP118.htm
The fabrication involves replacing the molex 4-pin power end of the combi-cable with the SATA power end of the molex 4-pin to SATA power cable (cutting and soldering). The BIG question now is whether a HDD will work with just the two-wire power cable (of the combi-Sata cable) that an optical drive normally uses? Anyone know if it will? Thanks.

Replace internal DVD drive......

ok i know the easyest way to get past a now aging DVD drive is to just buy an external one (LaCie 1st choice).
BUT why do i want something else to clutter my desk!
does anyone know of slot loading internal DVD burners that i can upgrade to?
Mac specs
Early 17" Intel iMac 2Ghz Core 2 Duo (Upgraded from 1.8hz core duo)
OSX.5
surly its a matter of getting the right sized burner + what plug in interface it used and your done?

Two places you can check: macsales.com and mcetech.com.
It's possible that iFixit.com carries replacement parts for your model, but I'm not sure.

Internal dvd drive no longer plays idvd burned projects

My internal dvd drive has been acting strange lately. It will play mass produced dvds but does not play my idvd projects, which it used to do. Anyone know if cleaning will help? If so, can you recommend a cleaner for an imac dvd drive?
If cleaning won't help, am I better off going to apple and having it replaced, or simply buying a compatible external drive? If an external, any recommendations?
Thanks!

You can use any proprietary lens cleaner for a DVD/CD player, except the ones using a liquid.
When you have cleaned the Superdrive, do a bit of maintenance:
Repairing permissions is important, and should always be carried out both before and after any software installation or update.
Go to Disk Utility (this is in your Utilities Folder in your Application folder) and click on the icon of your hard disk (not the one with all the numbers).
In First Aid, click on Repair Permissions.
This only takes a minute or two in Tiger, but much longer in Leopard.
Background information here:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=25751
and here:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=302672
An article on troubleshooting Permissions can be found here:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2963
By the way, you can ignore any messages about SUID or ACL file permissions, as explained here:
http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1448?viewlocale=en_US
If you were having any serious problems with your Mac you might as well complete the exercise by repairing your hard disk as well. You cannot do this from the same start-up disk. Reboot from your install disk (holding down the C key). Once it opens, select your language, and then go to Disk Utility from the Utilities menu. Select your hard disk as before and click Repair.
Once that is complete reboot again from your usual start-up disk.
More useful reading here:
Resolve startup issues and perform disk maintenance with Disk Utility and fsck
http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1417?viewlocale=en_US
For a full description of how to resolve Disk, Permission and Cache Corruption, you should read this FAQ from the X Lab:
http://www.thexlab.com/faqs/repairprocess.html
Then reboot your Mac and try burning a DVD again.

Internal DVD drive is shot. Can I install SL from an external DVD drive?

Hi folks, a quick (well actually a few) questions.
I've had my imac since early '06. It's currently running Tiger, and I'd like to install Snow Leopard. The problem is that the internal DVD drive is shot. It's been occasionally refusing to accept DVDs for a while now, and now it has a DVD stuck in it (not mounted), which I can't get out via terminal, rebooting, or jiggling it (technical term I know).
Now, I'm going to assume that getting apple to replace the DVD drive will be more expensive than just grabbing an external drive, especially as I'll most probably only use it once. The question is, if I grab a cheap external DVD drive, will I be able to install Snow Leopard with it? Or will Tiger not recognise it as a boot drive?
Many thanks,
Chris
p.s. Also, I'm using a cheapo windows style keyboard (will be replacing asap), and I'm wondering if this is why I can't see bootable drives when holing option on startup?

Yes, you can install from an external drive, although I wouldn’t go for a cheap one. There are good, relatively inexpensive, drives out there. And you are going to need that option key to select the install disk as your startup. I believe there is a corresponding key on a PC keyboard, but I don’t know what it is (maybe Alt?). I’m sure someone can jump in here and tell us.

How much should it cost to replace a hard drive on a MacBook Pro.

How much should it cost to replace a hard drive on a MacBook Pro? I think the drive that failed was 500gb.

This is an international community. Prices vary from country, state, city, etc.
You should call the repair shop of your choice and ask for an estimate. Make sure the estimate includes taxes, labor costs, etc.

Replacement internal optical drives. Are there tricks for young players?

My La Cie internal optical 16x started bumping and grinding, not releasing disks and finally not detecting disks. It went in for repair under warranty but the distributor said LaCie is no longer supplying internal optical drives. I got an external as a replacement but I still want to replace the original 4x internal drive.
I've seen a Sony DRU830A 18x internal and also one of the LiteOn internal 16x models.
My questions are: Are all these types of drives the same form factor, power usage and connections that will fit the G5 bay? ... even if they say Windows a lot on the box? (I'm aware I need to remove the front bezel and also put on the mounting screws).
Are there any other requiirements for them to work with the Mac hardware and software or will they just be automatically detected and 'acquired'? I don't care about all the bundled Windows software. However I know the internal DVD drive needs to be initialised and somehow 'certified' and regioned for DVD player to use it.

Thanks maclover for your reply and the links. The xlr8yourmac forums on CD-DVD drives were particularly relevant. One thing I noticed is that it's best to just enter 'DVD+R/RW - DVD-R/RW' and then just the brand of drive you're interested in. With all the other fields blank you get a large selection of posts, generally including the model you want info about, but even the info about installation experiences with different models is useful. However if you get very specific about your Mac model and OS version the search can return not even one post. Turns out most of the posts are about installing drives in G4s, iMacs, iBooks etc.
Flashing the drive: this seems to be a real problem in updating the firmware for any number of drives you might want to use in a Mac. In checking the company sites for Sony, Pioneer, LiteOn etc. there's always a firmware update available for download but it's an .exe file for Windows. Other posters have noted that this requires attaching the drive to a Windows machine to flash the ROM. How very convenient. With a drive you've just bought new this probably isn't all that important although when they list the improvements in the latest revision it would be useful to be able to do it. For those trying to upgrade an older drive to burn at 16x and dual layer, they're kind of out of luck. I take it you can't do this upgrading while you're running Virtual PC - no one's mentioned that you could. But I wonder if it would now be possible with the Intel Macs running Windows via Boot Camp. Either that or the service sections of Apple Stores could run a Wintel box and offer a service to flash the ROM if you took the file in on a USB pocket drive. Void your warranty while U Wait.
Thanks again, The Pioneer DVR - 111D looks like a successful candidate as a replacement drive. Posters also report good results with current LiteOn and Sony models. In fact one reports that the LiteON IS the Sony (and also the BenQ) - just $40 cheaper locally. Probably without the Windows Nero software the Sony bundles. A service technician also reported successful results with an LG internal.
Cheers, Peter.

System Restore – Blank Hard Drive and non-working internal DVD drive

I have a blank internal hard drive and I’m trying to restore my DV6815nr with Vista back to working order. The trouble is, my internal DVD drive died a while back. I have recovery discs, but the computer doesn't acknowledge the internal drive. When the computer worked, the internal drive didn't show up in device manager, etc... I have an external USB DVD drive that works with the computer (when it was running), but it won't boot from it.
On power up, the internal DVD and USB DVD drive both spin up. I then get a "BOOT MGR is missing" message.
F9 Boot Menu shows:
4. Notebook Hard Drive
6. Network Adapter
F10 System Config in Boot Options shows:
CD ROM Boot
Floppy Boot
Internal Network Adapter Boot
Any way to get the computer running again? Thank you.
I’m sorry, I forgot to mention that I did try a used replacement internal drive that wasn’t recognized either. I guess it could have been defective, but I figured it was on the computer side. I’m hoping there’s a way to get it running without the internal DVD drive?

F9 should show the usb drive if it is connected and shows the power light., try another usb port.
dv6000 seriies had all sorts of motherboard failures in large numbers, this could be the reason the drive does not show up in F9. May or may not be your problem, but the internal dvd drive disappearing from Windows is one symptom of motherboard issues.
I am not familiar with your bios but some models did have the ability to disable usb boot.

To install Tiger, some Macs need internal DVD drive, or CD version of Tiger

Disclaimer: Apple does not necessarily endorse any suggestions, solutions, or third-party software products that may be mentioned in the topic below. Apple encourages you to first seek a solution at Apple Support. The following links are provided as is, with no guarantee of the effectiveness or reliability of the information. Apple does not guarantee that these links will be maintained or functional at any given time. Use the information below at your own discretion.
Some Macs while they have Firewire, don't support Target Disk Mode, nor Firewire booting. These Macs if they came with no DVD drive, and only a CD drive or CD-RW drive (as opposed to combo or superdrive), can only install Tiger (Mac OS X 10.4) if you:
1. Install a compatible internal DVD drive from which supports http://www.patchburn.de/ or other firmware that supports Mac OS X booting.
2. Find the original retail CD version of Mac OS X 10.4 that was available for a limited time called the Media Exchange Program CD.
These Macs include the Blue and White G3 desktop (non-iMac), and the PCI PowerMac G4 described below:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=58418
The iMac G3 with built-in Firewire, iBook G3 with built-in Firewire, and AGP PowerMac G4 with built-in Firewire at least support Firewire booting and Target Disk Mode which would allow them to use an external optical DVD drive that supports Mac OS X booting.
If they didn't have an internal DVD drive.
Port #4 in this image below is a Firewire port:
Notes: Macs released on or after April 26, 2005 need to install Tiger from the discs that came with them, or a newer retail release except Intel Macs. Retail release of Tiger is a black disc with a white X logo and does not say Upgrade or Update.
Intel Macs could only install Tiger from the discs that came with them.
Macs released on or after October 26, 2007 can't install Tiger.
Do you want to provide feedback on this User Contributed Tip or contribute your own? If you have achieved Level 2 status, visit the User Tips Library Contributions forum for more information.

What happens if the firmware isn't updated?
The display may stop working, even for OS 9. It is not easy to fix.
I just installed 10.2 on one of them and it seems to be working. Should I uninstall it and upgrade the firmware and start over?
Check the "Boot ROM version" with System profiler. If the firmware is updated it will be 4.1.9
It is not necessary to remove OSX to install the updates if OS 9 is still on the hard drive. If not, and the OS 9 drivers are there, OS 9 can be installed without affecting OSX.
The update won't install if it is not needed.

Looking for replacement internal hard drives for a MacPro

Looking to replace internal hard drives in a MacPro. Was thinking about 3TB. Any recommendations?

Look in System Report for the link speed available. (Mine says 3 Gigabit.) Get drives with at least that speed; going beyond that won't get you any more performance.

Internal DVD Drive isn't working... must install Windows via Boot Camp

My internal DVD Drive has died. Just keeps ejecting every CD or DVD I put in it.
*The real problem is that i need to install Windows via BootCamp...*
I've already defraged my Hard Drive and partioned it for the Windows installation
But even using an external USB DVD Drive I couldn't get to boot up from it
to install Windows XP SP3.
BootCamp lets me use the windows disc that is inside my external DVD drive
and it even restarts... but after the restart chime, and the grey screen, it doesn't
start the windows installation... it continues to boot to my Mac partition.
(i've tried to manually change the boot disc in System Preferences, but it was in vain)
I also tried to use another Mac's DVD drive in Target Disk Mode... no results.
I even tried to Copy-Paste the entire file system of a Windows installation from a BootCamp of a friend but had no success making it to work.
*Is there any way I can install Windows with my external DVD drive?*
Because I don't have the cash for buying a new one right now...
And I really need windows installed via BootCamp...
Thanks in advance,

For this problem there no alternative > I bought a new internal DVD drive and then I was able to install Windows via Bootcamp.

IMac mid 2007 won't read internal dvd drive

I have a mid 2007 imac and it no longer recognizes the internal dvd drive when I insert a blank dvd to burn.

Not a thing we can do, it has suffered a hardware failure so your only option is to take it into your local Apple Store or AASP to be serviced.
Good luck.

Internal DVD drive

The internal DVD drive is very loud when it spins up. Is there any thing I can do to stop the noise?

I don't believe so but internal optical drives are so cheap nowadays a switch would be a huge improvement over what you have currently. You can purchase internal DVD drives for around $20 currently.

Need to replace my DVD drive please help

I need to replace my DVD drive for my Power G5 (bought in 2002), is ATAPI the right connector?

Ok, I have bought one as suggested, I thought there have 2 types of cable connectors i.e. ATA or IDE. Will try to replace it later today when I finish from the work

Cost to replace internal DVD drive?

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