Mac mini ppc cd/dvd drive problems plz help

i wanted to back up all my files onto my dvd+rw disks and when i put the files in a burn folder and hit burn it asks me all the things: what you want to name it how fast to burn it. then i click burn it says prearing data, ten it starts saying its writing...when it gets to 89.00% it completely freezes my computer and 5 min. later it pops up an error message saying "communication to the disk drive has failed". so after that didnt work i tried other dvd+rw disks and it still gave me the same error so i downloaded a program called simplyburns from apple's download page and it gives me the same "communication to the disk drive has failed" error....can anyone help me.....
any help is greatly apreciated
thanx
heres a screenshot of my drives specs:
[img]http://img161.imageshack.us/my.php?image=1po6.png[/img]

should i just phone apple?? i have apple care.

Similar Messages

New mac mini and noisy dvd drive

Any time I have a DVD in my brand new mac mini, from commercial DVDs to trying to author a blank DVD, I get the dreaded chainsaw sound that plagues anyone who has owned an xbox 360. Has anyone else suffered with this with their new mac mini or should I send it back to apple

I should have been a little more specific. This happens usually when I try and do slightly disc intensive tasks, such as burn a disc, import a disc to itunes, and I can even get it to sound when I leave a disc in the drive, turn the computer off, and as it's booting it will make the grinding noise. I first thought that the computer couldn't lay on it's side as that's when I first noticed it (sort of like the wii on it's side because this fits my setup), but it makes the same noise whether I have it on it's side or not. This is also not disc specific, I can re-create the noise with different discs, DVDs, CDs when importing to itunes. Guess I'll be taking it to an iTunes store to get it checked out.

Mac Mini Server w/DVD drive?

I'm considering adding a Mac mini with Snow Leopard server to my home setup, and I have several questions about the mini, since it looks like I might have to do something custom to get the setup I want...
1. Is it possible to change the OS installed by Apple when ordering? They don't offer the Mac Mini with Super Multi drive with an OSX server option, and I'm a little wary of having a server I have to use an external drive for to install from DVD or rip music or movies.
2. How large a single HD will the Mac mini support? If I'd only have one HD, I want to make it a big one...

1. I don't think it's possible to order it that way. You'd have to order the regualar mini and buy OSx Server separately. I recommend getting the server hardware. The faster processor, more memory and an additional 500G disk makes it most cost effective. I have the $99 external superdrive and use it on my MBair as well as the mini. I bought it 2 years ago with the MBair and it works just fine. No failures on either machine. Also, if it did fail, it's $99 to replace and just plug it in.
2. The largest drive Apple supplies is 500G for the mini. There might be something larger by 3rd party vendors but with 1T in my machine, I didn't need to go there.
Hope this helps...

Install snow leopard on mac mini with broken DVD Drive

I want to upgrade the OS on my mac mini but the hard drive keeps kicking out the disk - I read that I "might" be able to fix this by using a DVD cleaner but I am not overly optimistic about this fix. I have an external USB drive and a Windows PC to work with so I am wondering if I can use the DVD drive of the PC to copy the install disks to the external drive and then perform the instal from the external drive. I have been reading posts and can find advice on how to copy the Leopard install discs using another Mac or by using the remote disk feature - but since I don't have another Mac, these are not currently options.
Thanks

1. Clean your drive and reset the > PRAM, then try upgrading with the Mac Mini's drive.
2. Try out that external USB DVD drive, some will work if they are not OS X compatible.
3. Your PC might work, see > DVD or CD sharing: Using Remote Disc

Trying to re-install OSX on mac Mini with broken DVD drive.

I have a mac mini G4 and the DVD drive died a long time ago and i have been using a external USB DVD when necessary. Last week the machine was taking along time to boot so I got hold of a FireWire 400 cable and connected it to my Intel iMac and tried to repair it in target disk mode. Disk Utilities was unable to repair the drive so I had to erase it and re-format which was completed successfully. Now I have the problem that I cannot get OS X Leopard or Tiger back on the mac mini from the install DVDs. I cannot get the mac mini to recognize the USB drive or the iMac as a bootable drive. (N.B. the DVD drive has also died on the Intel iMac). When booting the mac mini whilst hold the alt key, the correct screen loads but nothing appears but for the reload key and the continue key.
Any help would be grateful as I want to keep the mac mini running for my daughter to use.
May

First off, you can't use an Intel Mac to boot a PowerPC Mac.
Secondly, 10.6 won't work on G4s.
Third, machines older than 4 years, may need a PRAM battery replaced for their optical drive to work again.
If the PRAM battery is not the problem, then you may need to find a safe cleaner for the drive.
USB DVD drives won't boot G4s either. Only Firewire will. See http://www.macsales.com/ for some drives that may help you.

Does Mac Mini use stock DVD drive ?

I have a mac mini in which the original DVD drive has failed. It packed up mid way through installing a new system - now the original system won't boot. Can I replace it with a standard drive available from a PC shop ? Or will a separate USB DVD drive enable me to load a new system ? Many thanks for any responses.

I have been looking and looking, but I can't even find the internal DVD drive in my mid-2011 Mac Mini!

How to install software on Mac mini using the dvd drive from an iMac G5

I have a Mac mini but want to install software from cd. Mac mini doesn't have dvd drive. I have iMac G5 with dvd drive. How can I use the iMac to install software on Mac mini.

Click here for information.
(81367)

Mac mini repeatedly ejects DVD drive

At start-up, computer does not chime. No monitor. Just repeatedly ejects the DVD drive. There is not a disk in the drive. I swapped the DVD drive with another computer. The suspect DVD drive operated fine on the good computer and the bad computer persisted with it's repeated eject business with the known good drive.
Any ideas?

It's not something silly like the eject button stuck or broken on the keyboard? Also the DVD will eject if the mouse is held down, so try booting with another (or no mouse) connected.
It could be something not connected correctly after you replaced the drive?

Mac Mini (Mid 2010) CD Drive problem

Hi all! I can't insert a CD into the drive on my Mini. The CD goes in about half way but then it won't go any further and the drive doesn't grab the disk and inject it like normal. I hardly ever use the CD drive on this machine so I thought perhaps I left a disk in the drive a while back, but if I did, it's not ejecting it. I tried holding down the left mouse button after restarting the computer, but it didn't work. I also just noticed that the drive does not have an eject hole for a paper clip. I don't know if there's a disk in there or not. If there is, it's not being recognized. I also just realized the drive doesn't make that odd whir whir sound before the start-up chime when you first turn on the computer. Any help would be appreciated!

Reset the SMC > Intel-based Macs: Resetting the System Management Controller (SMC)
Shut down the computer.
Unplug the computer's power cord.
Wait fifteen seconds.
Attach the computer's power cord.
Wait five seconds, then press the power
the PRAM > Resetting your Mac's PRAM and NVRAM
Shut down the computer.
Locate the following keys on the keyboard: Command, Option, P, and R. You will need to hold these keys down simultaneously in step 4.
Turn on the computer.
Press and hold the Command-Option-P-R keys. You must press this key combination before the gray screen appears.
Hold the keys down until the computer restarts and you hear the startup sound for the second time.
Release the keys.
and then try the CD again.

Mac Mini PPC Audio Problem

Hello for everyone!
My name's Michele and I'm an Italian's Student (sorry for my bad english )
I have a problem with my MAC Mini PPC.
Under Tiger 10.4.11 OR Leopard 10.5.5 (every version and every update) the audio works and not works!! (for example: I booted my mac mini, the audio works correctly! After 10 minutes, the audio don't work... O_o)
After another 30, 40 minutes... the audio works now!
Under System->Preferences->Audio the settings are right, and in the sidebar (on top) the audio's icon it is activate!
Where is the problem???
Help Me please
Thanks!!

sorry

Mac Book Pro Dvd Drive Problems

I am having trouble with my mac book pro's dvd drive. It's not working properly, can I just take it into the Apple store and seek help?

you can, but you need to make an appointment with the genius bar first.

Installing Win7 on a macbook pro using a mac mini as external optical drive

hi everyone,
My 2 year old son watches movies on my macbook pro. He stuck something in the optical drive making it unusable. Repairing it is 200 to 300 euros (ouch).
I want to install win7 via bootcamp and I'm using my mac mini (october 2009) as an external optical drive. These are my steps:
1.hold the "t" on the mac mini
2.connect it to the macbook with a firewire 800 to firewire 400 cable
3.Power up and hold the "alt" on the macbook
4.I see the optical drive on the boot screen and I choose it
5.Then I get a blank screen and a few seconds later the "missing operating system" message appears.
Am I missing something? Is it possible to install win7 using a mac mini as an external drive?
PS1:I already have partitioned the HD with bootcamp.
PS2:I've upgraded the hard disk drive of the macbook with a seagate momentus 500GB hard disk. Don't think this is the problem, thought I should mentioned it.

Hi Mike,
For reference it is called "IP over Firewire".
Connect the two computers with a fire wire cable. System Preferences > Network > Configure IPv4: > Manually > IP address: 192.168.3.1 (and .2 on other) > Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0. Leave the other fields blank. Do this on both computers on the computer you want to allow access to or both for two way access go to System Preference > Sharing > Select a service to change its settings. Turn remote Login on.
On the MBP go to the Finder Menu > Go > Connect to Server > Type in the IP address of the Mini 192.168.3.2 (Whatever you gave it)
With this configuration you still have full use of the Mini and certain apps can use Xgrid and use the processor of the mini when it is not doing anything. I would keep the Mini as 10.4 unless you really need both machines running Leopard. As noted before you cannot boot the MBP from a HDD that is Apple Partition Scheme and vice versa you cannot boot the PPC from a Guide Partition Table.
Sweet Polly

Mac Mini Slow playing DVD from Network

Hi,
I was just wondering is anyone else has experienced slow dvd play with their mac mini's.
Playing from the SuperDrive (dvd player) or Firewire DVD player is NOT a problem. however I have a couple of backed up DVD on a LACIE network drive using CIFS or AFP(Gigabit although my mini is 100FD) and on a Linux server (NFS mount)and the DVD's will not play smoothly.
They are very choppy and unwatchable. I have also tried using VLC but that is even worse.
I 1gb Ram in my mini, I also had this problem under os X 10.4 as well as 10.5. I know that apple say that an intel processor 1.6 is needed for interlacing, but just playing should be fine.
My Suse Linux IBM T42 which is old has no problems playing the movies, but I want to play them on a 23inch Monitor. (the problem also occurs on my 19inch Monitor)
CPU wise. it never gets to 100% but when it goes over 70% the problem seems to occur.
I have tried to shut down all possible applications and disabled spotlight. this improved the playing experience a little.
Any thoughts on this would be great.
Thanks
Pete

HI,
The local disk is about 40% full, I upgraded it to a 160GB drive. (plus leopard was therefore a complete fresh install on a new drive)
If I play the files from the local drive then there is no problem. I also noticed that if I use a local USB to play the movies then this works. But when you only have 2 x usb ports on a mac mini, and the fact I don't want my mini to have control over the disks (so the mini can be turned off etc) as my house mate also has a mac and would like to stream music and I like to have access from my Linux Laptop.
I also noticed that the Mac Mini was very slow at accessing my NFS mount.
I have also done the normal network tests such as forcing Full Duplex 100mb or allowing Auto etc. (also my house mate has the same problem using Mac book pro with a wireless connection) The switch is not busy at all, and until two days ago the only two devices turned on were the Mac mini and the lacie drive
It is very frustrating, I want to upgrade to an iMac next month, but would have like to keep the mini as a media player. I like front row and dvd player they rock as applications. (except for the current issues I am having)
My switch is definitely up to the task. I got a netgear. When my laptop and server (old P4 PC running Linux) are plugged in they are fine with streaming and copying files.
I do notice that the Samba protocol on apple seems quite an 'expensive' over head with resources, but it still seems to work better than AFP. (from my Lacie drive)
I have a suspicion that the problem is a mixture of DVDplayer that was not designed to play dvd's from the network and maybe the protocol stack on OS X? I guess the next stage is to sniff the network and see if packets are getting dropped.
Thanks for any pointers so far.
Pete

Can I use my old MAC MINI as a hard drive, or do I need to transfer all the data to a new Mini?

I would like to get the new MAC MINI, but I was wondering whether I could somehow just keep my old mac mini as a storage drive and continue to use its DVD drive since the new mini doesn't have one. Has anyone out there done this? If not, what is the best way to transfer data from one mini to another?

See Here for Transferring from Old to New...
http://web.me.com/pondini/AppleTips/Setup.html

I'm going to get the I Mac and since the new I Mac doesn't have DVD drive on it I was thinking to get the Samsung SE-506AB Slim Portable Blu-ray Writer in order to burn movies from I movie do I need a special software for that since the SE-506ab comes onl

I’m going to get the I Mac and since the new I Mac doesn’t have DVD drive on it I was thinking to get the Samsung SE-506AB Slim Portable Blu-ray Writer in order to burn movies from I movie do I need a special software for that since the SE-506ab comes only with windows software.. but I did check and it is compatible with apple. Can you please advise me and or let me know if I’m buying the right stuff or if there is any other blu ray that will work with the I mac as plug and play.
Thank you
Haim

This freezing reminds me of really old Macs, long ago, in the days of the old-school peripherals like SCSI drives, terminators, scanners and the like. If you had a SCSI conflict, like the wrong device ID's or something, you'd freeze up like that. Back in those days you'd call 800-SOS-APPLE (AAPL?) and they'd run you through disconnecting all your extra hardware - Jaz and Zip drives, CD burners, scanners etc and then eliminate them one by one by adding them incrementally and testing for the freeze/bomb dialog.
But, today we have Firewire and none of those ancient issues (no free lifetime tech support either). My iMac's ports are all full, and I only know which devices are connected when I have to remove something for another device. iSight, scanner, card reader, external hard drive, USB soundsticks, etc. You wouldn't happen to have any SCSI devices hooked up, would you?
Out of curiosity, have you tried a different USB/Firewire port for the hard drive? Or run the hardware test DVD that comes with your computer? This weird freezing seems to suggest a problem with the computer, RAM or network more than a device. Bad devices, in my experience, cause kernel panics, not freezing.

Mac mini ppc cd/dvd drive problems plz help

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for