Looks like I have an operating system/software incompatibility

Question

Still working on trying to resolve the problem I posed earlier today in the "MacBooks" Forum. Here's what I'm dealing with:
In 2002, I impulsively bought a MacBook, loaded several of my favorite apps, but otherwise really didn't use it until 2010 — when realizing that my desktop iMac was about to fail, I quickly loaded  a stack of valuable documents onto the MacBook (probably via the local area network I was using at the time).
Since then, the MacBook has been just sitting on my desk . . . untouched, except for the endless stack of papers accumulated on top of it. (Also disconnected the LAN when the back-up Mac I was using for storage and emergencies bit the dust 1-2 years ago.
Yesterday, I decided it was time to clear the desk space, so booted up the MacBook intending to transfer the documents to a CD before removing them from the Mac; but ran into a problem when the CD/DVD icon failed to show up on the desktop.In addition, although the MacBook runs fine when the  CD tray is empty, it  immediately freezes when the disk is added . . . while  MacBook itself  NEVER loads if the CD is already in the tray when I first turn it on.
Apple Menu and Extension folder both show the CD/DVD driver, but error message states  "this MAc does not support  the Apple DVD driver."
The only explanation I can think of is a conflict between the OS and the CD player, but if so, don't  understand why, since the CD player was original equipment on the  MacBook when I bought it from a dealer (probably around mid-July 2002).
It's also unlikely that I upgraded the original OS — especially since it is still using version 9.2 . . .  and I just read an old press release stating Apple was switching to OS X for all Mac's effective by the end of August 2002.
As a long-time  MacUser, I have a stack of OS disks for Macs I purchased when disks were still part of the package . . . including Version 9.2 (dated 2001) . . . an undated Apple Hardware Test  . . . and a DVD install disk for Mac OS 10.5 — as well as later upgrades.
If I were  certain things wouldn't go from bad to worse, I'd consider loading  the 10.3 or 0.4 disks, but first would like to hear  from someone who can clue me in regarding  possible risks.
BTW, spoke by phone with a live Apple rep this morning (actually 3 different ones, because my call  kept being escalated) but he was unable toa dvise me, because  his job training didn't go that far back.
BTW . . .Current  product list below is incorrect, but I was unable to update it.  At the moment, in addition to the MacBook, I am down to just a late 21.5-inch (late 2012)  iMac, LG  external optical drive and  iPad Mini (all purchased last summer).

Answer 1

Not sure  what happened to the update I submitted yesterday . . .or where it went — but I have made a little  progress:
After  combing thru the web for 36 hours, I found a couple of helpful leads, including one that mentioned early MacBooks sometimes had problems dealing with CDs with recording capacities of up to 80 minutes. When I checked, sure enough the Memorex disk I was using  fell into that category; but in the process of  checking it out, I also discovered that I had inadvertently loaded  2 graphic images onto the disk . . . forgotten to label it and put it back in the box. But it also was unable to read a brand new Memorex disk from the same sleeve of disks, either.
And as it turned out, neither could the built-in optical drive on my old back-up iMac, or the external portable DVD writer I bought to replace the built-in one missing from the newer desktop Mac I bought last year. However, all 3 could read the 74-minute pre-recorded Verbatim disk containing music and the 80 minute Imation disk with graphic images, while MacBook was the only one unable to open a pristine 80-minute Verbatim disk.
The bottom line was that when I contacted Verbatim for help in understanding why the MacBook could open that company's 74-munute disk but  not an 80-minute disk, the tech support rep recommended upgrading the firmware — a suggestion I temporarily put on hold, after suddenly remembering I also had a thumb drive that might work. . . It did!! . . . At least to the extent that I've been able to transfer small batches of files  from the MacBook to my newest desktop Mac.
The downside is that now that some of them made the journey safely, the majority still can't be read because they were converted to linux while in transit.
The reason, of course, is obvious (or at least I think it is). Although I never bothered to examine the documents after I transferred them (for safety's sake)  to the MacBook when I realized my "backup Mac"  had serious problems, the only ones I might have been able to open then were the ones created in Word, or updated Photoshop software. But most of the documents were created in PageMaker and versions of Adobe Illustrator commonly used  when I bought the MacBook back in 2002.
IOW — it looks like the Verbatim rep probably was correct. The  OS on the MacBook likely needs updating — something I actually might be able to do.
Because my only purpose in buying the MacBook was related to a specific family event, there is no question that I bought it some time between mid-June and mid-July, 2002 — less than 2 weeks before Apple announced that by the end of August 2002, all Macs sold would be using 0S 10. But since I had the sales receipts to prove how recently I had bought my MacBook, Apple agreed to send me upgrade disks.  I'm not sure how or why, but I ended up with disks for both OS 10.3 and OS 10.4 (as well as update disks for all other versions except 10.8.3 — which came pre-installed on my current Mac, but without backup disks)
Now being old enough and wise enough to look before I leap — while I'm assuming  it's safe to use the first set of install disks, I'm curious to know if doing so:
1. . . . will enable the MacBook to read any new, commercial CD-R disk, and
2. . . . is likely to prevent me from retrieving old PageMaker disks long enough to save them as JPEGs and/or PDFs
Although my telephone call yesterday to Apple support was escalated 3 times, I eventually was able to speak with a tech support rep. But according to him — "because 2002 MacBooks are now  obsolete," he has never been trained to solve problems on them. Click.