Disc Stuck in Intel iMac... STILL After Trying Literally EVERYTHING!

It's been almost a month now and I still have a standard CD-R stuck in my disk drive. While my iMac is still useable, the disk drive cycles and taunts me every 4-5 seconds as it attempts to once again eject the disk. The battle has been fierce and I have literally tried EVERYTHING mentioned online up to the current day (5/16/2009). Here are couple key-points worth noting:
• When the computer boots up and I first log in, the disk actually shows up on the desktop as well as in iTunes. One quick tap on the eject button (or any other standard disk eject method) and the drama begins again as the disk drive comes to life and begins its relentless, endless cycle of ejection attempts.
• I have tried the plastic/laminated card method, the hold down the mouse-button and reboot method, the various key-combination methods, the terminal methods, the tipping the monitor methods, the trying to insert a second disk methods, the tweeze methods, the press the case together methods, the double-stick tape methods, and even the lay hands on it and pray method... ALL with no avail!
So, now what's left? Taking my iMac in to a professional Apple technician is not an option as I am past the warranty period and am literally broke financially!

Hey Jaber,
I've had the same issue with mine as well, and tried all the suggestions to no avail.
I think it's a Drive issue , because I've read several other post in reference to this.
I could not eject mine, even though I could see the icon, and click eject it, however, it would try to eject the CD but would not come out. The drive was running al the time in sleep mode. I finally got the CD out, but you are going to have to use some tools to do it and take it apart somewhat. This is at the point where you decide to find a replacement Drive and install it yourself, (some what skilled labor involved) or do what I did, which was to to pull the 4 screws off the bottom of the imac, slide the Bezel off slightly so you can now actually see the side of the drive. In my case, there was a small metal latch (to hold the CD in while it spins?) in the middle of the drive preventing the CD from ejecting. Once I took a small screwdriver and pressed this latch back, I was able to take a pair of tweezers and pull out my CD. At this point I closed everything up, and put a piece of scotch tape across the drive slot, (so no one would accidently stick another CD in) and purchased a $69 external F/W drive. My take was this..., it was more cost & time effective to purchase a external CD/DVD drive (plug & Play) as opposed to time and effort putting in a new drive in the iMac.
Hope this helps.

Similar Messages

  • My iPhone 5 is stuck on the Apple logo after trying to update it

    My iPhone 5 is stuck on the Apple logo after trying to update it - brought brand new today

    have you tried holding down the home button and lock button at the same time for 60 sec?

  • My iPod shuffle and my iPhone 5c aren't showing up in iTunes, but they show up in my computer, I have tried literally everything.. Help me, please?

    I have tried literally everything, but all it says when i plug them in it MTP failed or something.. I have no idea what to do now, anyone know any magic tricks? I have a new iPod shuffle I can't use, and I can't put photos from my phone on my computer, but it works with other computers I'm so confused it hurts..

    I have tried literally everything, but all it says when i plug them in it MTP failed or something.. I have no idea what to do now, anyone know any magic tricks? I have a new iPod shuffle I can't use, and I can't put photos from my phone on my computer, but it works with other computers I'm so confused it hurts..

  • Mini disc stuck in my imac

    How do I remove a mini disc that is stuck in my new intel imac? the eject button is useless. <Edited by Moderator>
    Thanks
    Steve

    Hi Steve
    You could turn it on it's side and hope that it falls out, but you'll probably have to take the iMac to your local Apple Service Provider or Apple Store and have them extract the disc from it.
    Have a look at your Intel iMac User's Guide:
    *Chapter 2 page 21 say's:* +It can write music, documents, and other files to standard-size CD-R,+
    +CD-RW, DVD±R, DVD±RW, and DVD±R Double Layer (DL) discs.+
    and *Chapter 4 page 50 say's:* +Use only a _standard size_ disc.+
    Dennis

  • 2 cd's stuck in intel iMac.. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Thats what my friend in Australia said to me (I am in New Zealand so 4 hours on a plane away! so cant go look)
    Itunes was copying a cd and was about to burn it evidently and asked her to insert a blank disk so she stuck it gently in the slot and it sucked it in!!! now she thinks there are 2 cd disks in there ! there are 2 CD images on the desktop 1 for the music cd and 1 for the blank disk
    This is what she recons happened though I cannot see how anyone could even with a great deal of force put 2 cd's in a slot drive at once !! and she used no force the drive grabbed it and sucked it in but now there seems no way to eject it/them
    I am assuming there is one disk in there and suggested the eject button and dragging and reboot hold mouse idea and none of that works . The drive makes a few noises but nothing comes out
    So whats the story with intel iMacs.. is there no physical way like paper clips or others to eject it/.. I also heard you could boot to open firmware and type in something to eject it that way but it doesnt seem to respond to the commands to start in open firmware.. maybe intel Imacs dont have open firmware ?
    is there some command line way at boot up to do this ?
    or some other way ?
    Yes she is blonde but i cant believe this is her fault..

    Yes thanks
    it was only 1 cd
    I thoguht she may have been confused with the 2 icons
    evidently it was a Karaoke CD and it comes up as 2 disks
    1 audio content
    1 video content
    I am glad no one can force 2 cd's in their iMac
    thanks a bunch she was killer herself laughing

  • How do I get new Restore Discs for my Intel iMac

    I bought a used Intel iMac 2.0GHz without software restore discs.  How can I get the discs?

    call Apple and give them the serial number of your mac.  They will send them to you for a small fee.

  • Will these intel iMacs still offer flawless performance?...

    Or will there be problems like PC's have? I have a PC right now...and I'm fed up with the lousy performance of it.
    I want to get an iMac...will the new intel iMac be a better choice than the standard iMac?

    As Timon mentioned, the problems with Windows PCs are related to Windows, not the x86 architecture.
    As for which iMac is the better buy... it really depends on what you need right now.
    If you want access to the entire library of Macintosh software today and throughout the near future, then the iMac G5 is your choice. In the short term, you have a marginally wider selection of software available to you. And it's still viable in the long term; there's a huge installed base of PowerPC Macs, and we won't stop seeing new software for them for likely at least a couple years.
    If you want the performance benefits of the iMac Core Duo, then you give up some compatibility in the short term. Some current applications won't run on the Intel processors, and pricing and target dates for updates are all over the map depending on what title you need. If, though, you never intend to stray beyond the apps that ship with the iMac and maybe Microsoft Office, then you'll probably never notice the difference between now and wider availability of Universal applications.

  • IMac will not start after trying almost everything?

    Hi
    I just bought my iMac last weekend, and it's been fine for 1 week. I didn't install or tinker with anything for at least a few days previous to these problems...
    This morning I heard my iMac fan was extremely noisy. There was a message saying that I should restart.
    After this, I have not been able to restart at all. I tried unplugging everything, and once got to the login screen but could get no further (mouse and keyboard not responsive when plugged in.)
    I tried booting from installation DVD (nothing - startup sounds, blank screen)
    I tried resetting the power setting (unplugging the power, holding down power button, and then starting) - nothing.
    The main response I get is blank screen, then after a minuite or so - very loud fan noise.
    Every 10th try, I might get to the grey apple screen, but then it hangs...
    Any advice? I bought this in Moscow, (Russia) where I'm working right now, and taking it to service might be tricky, or at least extremely complicated.
    Hopefully someone can suggest something I havn't already tried?
    Cheers
    Gavin

    Hi
    The Mac was spanking new. I recieved a message from Apple Care stating:
    "When an Apple product is sold in a country such as Russia wherein the distribution, support and service of Apple products is handled exclusively by an Independent Marketing Company, the warranty and registration information for the product is maintained by the Independent Marketing Company rather than Apple."
    They advised me to take it to Finland for service, but that's not too practical at all.
    I'll try and return it to the store for service tomorow, although I am sure they will say the power unit went as the result of a power spike (of course I had it on a protected supply, but they will not believe that) so likely it's going to cost me to fix. Bah.
    Thanks for your advice though
    Cheers
    Gavin

  • Disc stuck in dead iMac

    Hi, I have a slot-loading iMac DV 400 that died quite a while ago (lightning, ouch) and it had a disc in the CD drive at the time. I have a new 2 Ghz 17" G5 now, but I want to use that disc and since the iMac is pretty dead there are no commands or tricks I can use to get it without damaging the disc (i.e. tweezers). I'm about to take apart the iMac and remove the CD drive and see if I can get it out then. I'm using the guide from the "iMac Take Apart" site so you don't need to post any links to it, but I thought I'd put a post here incase my idea doesn't work. Well thats about it for now, thanks for reading my problem =)

    Well I was able to get the CD drive out without much difficulty, however it seems to have an iMac dead grip on the disc as there is a metal bar preventing the disc from being taken out of the front. This makes sense since the disc was in the iMac normally when it got fried and it seems like that metal bar is there so that when the disc is spinning in the comp it doesn't come flying out and decapitate you. Anyway now I'll have to try taking apart the CD drive itself to get at the disc. Hopefully I can do it without damaging anything (and be able to put it back together afterwards). I'll post another update soon

  • New Intel iMac crashes after a screen flash

    My new Intel iMac keeps crashing. When I'm using Photoshop CS3 the screen flashes and then the machine crashes. Did a search but couldn't find anyone else reporting the same problem. I updated the recent firmware update from Apple.

    Hello m:
    You indicate your system is new. Your best course of action would be to contact Applecare (or take it to an Apple store) for diagnosis and/or repair (under warranty).
    Barry

  • Brand new iPod touch, only synced once. Now showing the pairing record missing notification. Not recognised by iTunes OR computer. Have tried literally everything including reinstalling iTunes, rebooting, etc. Please help.

    As I've said, brand new iPod touch. I only synced it Friday night, put some music on it. This morning tried to connect to iTunes and got a message saying the pairing record was missing? Computer isn't recognising it either, but it charges off the computer just fine. Have tried everything including changing USB port, rebooting, uninstalling and reinstalling iTunes twice, literally everything I've found on forums. Anyone help me out here? I'm so annoyed I could nearly cry.

    Anyone able to help with this?

  • Intel iMac, photoshop crashing trying to load twain settings

    Second hand iMac, wiped HD and imported all my files docs and apps including Photoshop and scanner stuff. Photoshop worked fine. Problems with very slow computer, dock using 25 % processer. Cloned HD to external HD. Then erased and installed again but this time didn't import apps. Reinstalled scanner stuff then apps including Photoshop. Photoshop now won't launch, gets as far as loading Twain settings and crashes. Uninstalled scanner stuff, reinstalled Photoshop, trashed prefs, still crashes. . Uninstalled Photoshop, installed Elements 4, same thing. trashed whole pref folder in my user library, now Elements hangs. But.... Photoshop still lanches when I boot from the cloned external HD.
    What to do?

    Update. Re installed PS CS1, trashed the TWAIN Plugin, didn't empty trash, started PS up fine. However, couldn't import from PS or PSE from scanner. So decided to quit both, put the TWAIN plugin back in PS, and it started up fine. Could then import from scanner. So I then copied and pasted the TWAIN Plugin back into Elements and it worked fine.
    Seems like first time starting up after install, both programmes can't handle the TWAIN plugin, but if you do the first start up without it, and then put it back, they manage fine.
    Strange.

  • Ipod nano 4th gen stuck on apple logo (still) after restore

    HELP! I tried to turn on my ipod the other day but it wouldn't work - it was stuck on the apple logo screen.
    I have tried:
    - resetting it
    - letting it run out of battery completely then turning it back on again
    - restoring it
    but none of these methods worked. It is still stuck on the apple logo screen! So therefore I can't listen to music, and my laptops don't recognise my ipod... because it isn't on properly. The only way I can get laptops to recognise that my ipod is plugged in is by putting my ipod in disk mode.
    and so it is still stuck on the apple logo screen. Anybody have any ideas? I have no idea what else to try.
    thanks so much in advance!

    i have tried all of that as well and im still stuck on the apple logo. i hit it against a table and everything. Does anyone know what to do?

  • One stuck key on iMac keyboard after spill

    I took off all the keys, cleaned and replaced after an orange juice spill (ugh!) - but now just the spacebar will not work. I've tried prodding and WD40 but nothing works. All other keys are fine.

    Hi redgen, Welcome to Apple's Users Help Users Forums.
    Just the space bar. Amazing.
    I saw a thread recently where let it dry for days was helpful. If you don't have a spare keyboard that would probably mean buy a new one unless you can do
    w/o the computer for that long.
    Adding to your problem is the goo from the OJ. You might want to flush it somehow w water and then let it dry. All very problematic. Bite the bullet and give it up may—ultimately—be the answer. Maybe a spare time research project.

  • 2 discs stuck in my imac ?

    any idea's, my daughter put 2 discs in my mac os x,

    Unless you can pry them out without causing damage, it's a trip to either the genius bar at your local Apple Store, a call in to your local Apple Service centre or send the Mac in to Apple for a chargeable repair
    You could try lying your iMac face down (on something dust free and soft so as not to damage the screen etc: gravity might help get one of the discs into an ejectable position) then start the iMac and hold down the left click on your mouse. This should force eject a disc, but it might not cope with 2 discs jammed in there.
    It could be worth a try.
    I hope you get it sorted

Maybe you are looking for