Mac Mini-A Huge Mistake!!!

Question

i decided to try a mac mini and boy am i sorry. i have had it 2 days now and it hasn't worked properly yet. i purchased a model: mac mini 1.83/2x256/80/SD/AP/BT
Hardware Overview:
Model Name: Mac mini
Model Identifier: Macmini1,1
Processor Name: Intel Core Duo
Processor Speed: 1.83 GHz
Number Of Processors: 1
Total Number Of Cores: 2
L2 Cache (per processor): 2 MB
Memory: 512 MB
Bus Speed: 667 MHz
Boot ROM Version: MM11.0055.B08
SMC Version: 1.3f4
Serial Number: <edited by moderator>
Software:
System Software Overview:
System Version: Mac OS X 10.4.11 (8S2167)
Kernel Version: Darwin 8.11.1
Boot Volume: Macintosh HD
i received it on 1/17/08 and hooked it up to my nice, brand new apple 30" display. as soon as i turned it on, i was directed to do software updates. i did them. no problems. then, i was ready to explore my new mac. i clicked on idvd. an error message popped up informing me that no dvd burner was present. i thought that was odd, as i know that i had just purchased a machine w/ a superdrive; at least that's what i paid for. i ran the system profiler and sure enough it stated that no disc burning devices were present. i looked at the model description on the bottom of the unit and noticed it had "SD" as part of the model. i assume that means superdrive. i loaded a dvd into the drive and could hear it spinning, but it was never recognized. since the drive wasn't present, i could not get the dvd to eject. i got on the apple support forum and found people having similar problems and someone suggested a reset procedure. i followed that and was able to get the system profiler to recognize the drive. i ejected the disc and inserted another. it was a store-bought movie. dvd player launched and started to play the movie. about 30 seconds into the movie, dvd player quit and ejected my disc. i checked the system profiler and the dvd drive had disappeared from the list once again. i also noticed that in the ata bus section, it stated that there were no ata devices either. i did another reset and was able to get the following info. although, this info disappeared again.
ATA Bus:
MATSHITADVD-R UJ-85J:
Model: MATSHITADVD-R UJ-85J
Revision: FEW7
Serial Number:
Detachable Drive: No
Protocol: ATAPI
Unit Number: 0
Socket Type: Internal
Low Power Polling: Yes
Disc Burning:
MATSHITA DVD-R UJ-85J:
Firmware Revision: FEW7
Interconnect: ATAPI
Burn Support: Yes (Apple Shipped/Supported)
Cache: 2048 KB
Reads DVD: Yes
CD-Write: -R, -RW
DVD-Write: -R, -RW, +R, +RW, +R DL
Burn Underrun Protection CD: Yes
Burn Underrun Protection DVD: Yes
Write Strategies: CD-TAO, CD-SAO, DVD-DAO
Media: No
i tried another dvd with the same error, reset and eject procedure. i then thought that maybe the software updates that i had done when i first set it up had some compatibility problems w/ the dvd drive. i inserted the system restore disc and tried to revert back to the original configuration. the problem is: it won't restore from the disc and keeps trying to boot from it without success. and to top it off, i can't eject it. i'm not too pleased with my purchase and if anyone asked me what i think about apple computers right now...well let's just say that i wouldn't have nice things to say. (i'm trying to practice my anger management here, so i'm omitting the foul language.)
any ideas? anyone? help!!!
typhon

Answer 1

A glitch in the OS would not generally result in the exclusion of the device from the system profiler. While it is possible the drivers failed to load, the profiler queries the hardware in addition to MacOS, so the drive should appear. There are circumstances where components can 'vanish' as a result of the system management controller failing to function correctly, in which case an SMC reset would fix it. Since an Intel system is reset by disconnecting everything to take it in for service, the SMC reset has already been done, so it isn't that.
All in all, it sounds to me very much like a hardware issue, and I'm puzzled as to why it's taking so long to get it resolved. You commented previously that you blame Apple 100% for the problem, but the point is that in the 6 months that specific unit has been in the dealer channel, between coming off the production line and being sold to you as a 'closeout' item, there's no way to know what has happened to it, and who has done what. What we do know from the speed at which Leopard upgrade disks began to appear, and then Leopard itself began to be installed, in minis being sold, is that 6 months is a lot longer than most minis hang around in the supply chain, so that one has some history to it that may be very telling - but which sadly of course no-one but the dealer who sold it to you will know!
You also haven't mentioned with whom you are trying to get the problem resolved, and that may be quite important. It's hard to imagine Apple themselves being so reticent to fix it, and I must admit that my choice would have been to call them and report the problem, and have them arrange to ship it back to them. It generally take a tad longer to get it back from Apple in that situation, but it's more likely to be fixed - particularly when the fault is such a clear one as an optical drive which isn't being recognized.
Given you're dealing with a local shop, you might ask if, when they said the fault could not be replicated, they mean that the drive at that point was functional. An intermittent fault is far more likely to be cabling or something similar, or an SMC that functions correctly immediately after reset, but then fails subsequently. The latter would mean a new logic board.