No boot up because optical drive has media in it

I recently purchased Snow Leopard to upgrade my early Intel MacBook Pro. When I put the disk in the disk didn't mount so I attempted to get it to eject. I wasn't able to get it to eject so I followed some of the trouble shooting. I'm thinking my optical drive isn't working properly because I haven't used it in a while but now when I try to boot the computer it hangs when it try's to read the optical drive. I tried forcing it to eject using the mouse button as well as trying to force a hard drive boot by holding the "d" key. At this point is there anything I can do short of opening it up and pulling out the disk myself?

Holding down the 'd' key at startup is the shortcut to start Apple Hardware Test. To select a boot volume at startup, hold down option.
However, if holding down the mouse button at startup won't cause the disk to eject, there may be a hardware issue with the optical drive. One thing to try before writing it off entirely, though, is to boot into single-user mode by holding down command-s at startup, then enter the following command:
drutil eject
To restart in single-user mode, use the following command:
reboot

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Optical Drive Has Failed - Can I disable it, what's next?

My 2 year old Mac Mini's optical drive has failed.
I had finished importing a CD and went to eject it and all I heard was grinding and the CD would not come out. I tired everything under the sun to get the disk to eject with nothing working, so I took it to my local Apple Care Center.
Their diagnosis is the optical drive has failed. So now what?
1. They removed the CD, but my Optical Drive is still grinding and it is driving me crazy (the grinding is not continuous, but happens every 8 seconds to 10 seconds)! What can I do, can I somehow disable the Optical Drive so it won't continue grinding? I have reboot several times and nothing seems to satisfy/stop this grinding Optical Drive!
2. I guess I am going to have to buy an external Optical Drive (oh joy, more cash), can anyone tell me about life w/o an internal Optical Drive and using an external optical drive? Any suggestions on which model/features I should look for? ...besides one that uses FireWire, which is a must for me.
3. I have an external hard drive which I use to backup my Mac Mini. Now that I don't have an internal Optical Drive, are there any other safety issues I should be thinking about? How about booting the Mac Mini from a disk when it crashes without an internal Optical Drive?
I am totally frustrated at this point!
Cheers, Paul

Welcome to Apple Discussions!
With no disk in the optical drive, it should be almost entirely inactive (it would be expected to make some noise initially at bootup, but should not be active after that). It makes me wonder if the disk was removed correctly, or whether the drive is still 'latched' and thus 'thinks' a disk is in place. In this situation, I'd return the unit to the Apple Store and ask them to resolve the problem, since a failed drive should not create these symptoms.
For external drives, there are a number of good solutions - see http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/firewire/optical-drives/ for some examples, starting at around $72. There should be no issue with using an external, and indeed, you are likely to find that even the cheapest of those listed provide you with rather faster performance with rather less fussiness about media brands. You are right to want a FW drive, for best performance.
As long as the external optical is connected and powered, and a valid MacOS install disk inserted, there should be no problems booting to it if required - though you may have to hold the Option key down (Alt if you are using a PC keyboard) to get to the boot loader screen, rather than C to boot directly to the optical drive.

Can "Refit" Be Used for USB Boot From External Optical Drive?

Since the new Mac Mini 2011 has no optical drive, how would one make a generic USB 2.0 optical drive act as a boot device? I have heard that a utility called "Refit" can alter the boot loading order and device choices in Macs. I suppose it is also possible that the new Mini may already be set up to boot first from USB. I would appreciate any comments. It would be nice to have some kind of optical drive boot option for Windows installation and other possible utilities that need to boot before the OS in order to work. Maybe I will have to take my external optical drive to an Apple store to find out. Hope not. I also suspect that a USB keyboard will be mandatory for "Refit" and the boot drive to be used before Mac OS X is loaded.

No utility should be needed.
You can hold the Option key down during the boot process to select which drive you wish to use as a boot device.
Also pressing and holding C boots to the optical drive.
There is reportedly a pretty broad number of USB optical drives that people have been able to use as a boot device, as inexpensively as $30. I don't know that there is a specific list though. I would research whichever model you wish to buy with a quick google search or searching that model here in the forum.
Or maybe somebody will have a recommendation which one they have.

HT3964 Hi folks, I own am IMac 27" running OS X 10.8.2. The optical drive has stopped working in that it accepts the disc but spits the CD, DVD even my original iMac install DVD back out, after attempting to read the disc. Any of you kind folks any ideas?

Hi folks, I own am IMac 27" running OS X 10.8.2. The optical drive has stopped working in that it accepts the disc but spits the CD, DVD even my original iMac install DVD back out, after attempting to read the disc. Any of you kind folks any ideas?

Have you tried one of those CD cleaning Discs yet?
Have you done a PRAM reset, CMD+Option+p+r...
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1379
In fact, do 3 in a row, takes a bit of time.

Help! My optical drive has gone nuts!

I ejected a CD this morning and since then the optical drive has been making eject noises every 30 seconds or so, even though there's nothing in the slot. I tried rebooting the computer but that did nothing. I also tried restarting it and pressing on the trackpad to see if there was another CD stuck in it but nothing came out. Can someone please help?

You may need to take into an Apple Store

MacBook optical drive has started making noises at wake and restart

This MacBook is about 5 months old and the optical drive has just started making noises at wake from sleep, or at restart. There is no disc loaded in the drive, but the noise is as though a disc has been inserted in the drive and it is attempting to read it. This goes on for about 5 to 10 seconds, then stops.
The optical drive seems to work fine, reads CDs and DVDs no problem. This isn't a glaring issue, I'm just trying to determine if it is the precursor to a mechanical problem, or is possibly some sort of software glitch. Thanks for help if this rings a bell with anyone.

I posted this to a different thread earlier today. I will add that most of the experience I've had with this issue is in Tiger or Leopard. I don't think I've seen it yet with Snow Leopard. My instincts tell me it is more of a hardware issue than a software/OS issue. (Just my $0.02.)
I have seen this many times. (I support 100+ Mac Laptops, most are 13" MacBooks.)
Just to clarify, MacBook optical drives do normally make some quiet noises when waking from sleep.
When there is a CD or DVD in the drive, there are some soft sounds, and then you hear the disc spin up. When there is not a disc in the drive you hear a different sound. I assume it is relating to checking for a disc in the drive. To me, it sounds exactly the same as the quiet sounds you hear right before the "Good Chime" when you power up.
BUT, sometimes MacBooks make a much louder noise, that is similar the sound you hear when you insert or eject a CD or DVD, only sort of "doubled". Usually you hear it when waking from sleep, but I have also experienced it happen intermittently when the MacBook is turned on, under normal use, or not being used (but not sleeping or waking from sleep).
In the past, I have sometime cured it with a reset of the SMC and PRAM. This has not always worked. I have also seen it disappear after inserting a disc into the drive. Most of the time, the sound has returned some time later. I have called Apple on this issue several times, and sent the MacBook in for repair. My memory is that they have replaced the optical drive under AppleCare.
I will add that I have recently seen this Knowledge Base Article (below), with instructions for "resetting" the optical drive on a MacBook Pro, but it did work for me on a MacBook 13". Insert a disc halfway, take it back out, then put it in all the way.
http://support.apple.com/kb/TS2839
Past experience tells me not to be surprised if the noise resurfaces. My advice is call Apple if you have AppleCare, or if the MacBook is under one year old.
Good Luck.

HT4818 Why can't you create a Windows USB on a computer with an optical drive because my optical drive has failed

I get my USB and my Windows 7.iso but when I open bootcamp the option to create a Windows USB is not clickable. Please help because my Optical Drive doesn't work.

Hi Rosera,
This is bad and I am sorry to hear that you are running into these issues.
Let me connect with you, so right now, the current state is that you have installed copy of PSE 8 in trial on your windows 7 machine, and when you are trying to enter the serial number from your PSE 8 Box, it is saying the serial number to be invalid?
It might sound pretty obvious, but please make sure that you are entering the serial number correctly and of PSE 8(in case you bought a PEPE box)?
Have you tried the steps mentioned below by Barbara?
If possible, you can send me the serial number through PRIVATE MESSAGE and I can check it on my end that whether the serial number is indeed invalid or that the issue is with your machine?
Regards,
Ankush

Boot from second optical drive

Hello,
My Mac Pro has two optical drives. The top tray (drive 1) is not working. I need to boot from the Install CD in the second, or lower, disk tray. When I hold down the C key at startup, it does not seem to recognize the CD in drive 2. Do I have to specifically point to that drive (option key?), or should it automatically go to the loaded tray? Please help. Thanks!

Sorry for broken link...:-(
Startup manager: How to select startup volume;
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1310?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US
-- kaz-k

Optical Drive has stopped working since upgrading to ATI 9800

Due to hardware failure of my ATI Radeon 9600 I decided to upgrade to the 9800, which requires (in G5's) a four pin split power supply to be connected to the optical drive.
I have turned my computer on and successfully receive signal out to my monitors, but thus discovered I can't eject the disk tray!
I opened up the computer again and all the connection seem fine.....
Is anyone familiar with installing the 9800?
G5 (duel 2.0 Ghz) Mac OS X (10.4.9) 1GB RAM

Thanks for both your responses.
I am going to restore the system with the other video card and try to get things back to normal, but I did a few more troubleshoots.
The optical drive seems to be functioning. I started up my computer with the side panel opened and I moved the drive a few inches out in order to press the manual eject button. I was able to open the drive bay and close it by pressing the eject button on my keyboard. (That is the first time the keyboard worked.)
I closed the drive bay with an installer CD in it but the CD wouldn't read. I restarted holding the C key down to try and boot off the CD drive- nothing. So I guess the drive isn't working....but yet it seems to be powered????
Do you think this is really only a bad cable? When installing the new Video Card I had a very hard time detaching the 4 pin power supply from the optical drive. Could I have damaged something?
It wouldn't surprise me if now my optical drive was broken. I have had to replace everything on my computer since it reached three years old.
G5 Mac OS X (10.4.9) 1GB RAM

IMac G5 iSight won't boot from external optical drive . . . FW or USB

Hello, all. I have an iMac G5 iSight with a busted optical drive. Every six months or so, OS 10.4 eats itself (directory structure goes corrupt), and I need to reinstall.
The issue I'm having is that the computer won't boot off of my external optical drive. It's not shown as a choice in the Startup Manager, whether it's connected via USB or FireWire. Any ideas?

Okay, sorry this took so long . . .
Reset the SMU, NVRAM, and PRAM, no luck. Tried different FireWire port on the iMac, no luck. Tried different FireWire port on optical drive--LUCK.
Ah.
Wipe and reinstall got underway, and finished the first part. Unfortunately, my OS 10.4 Disc 2 turned out to be scratched, and wiping the hard drive didn't get rid of the logic board error either.
Took it to Apple retail store, and it was BOA (bricked on arrival). Astoundingly, it would not power, POST, turn on the fans, nothing. They then replaced the power supply, so they could troubleshoot the hard drive/fan/whatever issue.
Now the computer POSTs, and they finished the reinstall, and said it passes their advanced diagnostics. I asked them to run the diags on the install CD, so they could see they fan error, and they agreed. That was around 7:00 last night.
Now, it's still at the store, and I'm eagerly awaiting word on what might REALLY be wrong. Thanks for your help so far!

Optical drive has difficult time ejecting

My DVD drive has a hard time ejecting certain dvd's. Not all but only certain ones, and they do not have a paper label. Is this a sign my drive may be heading for trouble? Has anyone else had this problem?
Thanks for any help.
Marco

I just saw Lyssa's post just above. I know what to do.
Thank you.
Marco

Optical drive scratching media

My optical drive scratches anything put into it....I'm about to have it replaced under Applecare, but one of my CDs won't even play now....Anyone else had this problem and should I be making a claim?

eww - if you were smarter you'd have considered the possibility that I use CDs in more than one player...and don't check my CDs every time I use them. Only after several months did I check one CD to find the abrasions and put it down to using in an old CD player. It was only when I looked at a CD Rom did I realise the problem was caused by the MBP...by then a lot of CDs had been affected.
Check the facts before you make sweeping statements or don't post.

I purchased an unclaimed luggage at the airport that had a mid 2010 13" MB-Pro -- It comes up to a boot screen with snow leopard or Windows -- I tried to boot from Optical with Lion install -- it woon't won't boot from the optical drive, help

It won't go to taget disk mode -- I took the drive out and used disk utility to re-partition and format - now I get the folder with a question mark and it still won't boot from optical or usb or go to target disk mode -- I haven't tried installing lion on the disk while it is out and then putting it back in the machine --
according to the serial number, it is still under apple care but since I don't know the person that used to own it I can't get it transferred to me -- or will apple do that since I bought it in an auction?

Ok so I've done what you said and this is what it's come back ....
I don't know that these are the errors , but they're the things which don't look right ...
Throughout the shut down there is a recurring line ;
It says ;
Com.apple.launchd 1 0x100600e70.anonymous.unmount 301 PID still valid
Then there are 2 more which I think are related ;
Com.apple.securityd 29 PID job has I overstayed its welcome , forcing removal.
Then the same with fseventd 48 and diskarbitrationd 13
Oh and on Launchd1 : System : stray anonymous job at shut down : PID 301 PPID13 PGID 13 unmount...
Then the last process says "about to call: reboot (RB_AUTOBOOT).
Continuing...
And stops ...
Hope this means something to you ... Thanks again for your help so far :-)

How do you Install Win XP using Boot Camp without use of an optical drive?

So I'm about at my wits end. I'm try to get Windows XP on my OS 10.5.5 MacBook Pro. I've run into what seems to be a bit of a dead in. Unfortunately my optical drive has gone stupid on me and won't allow me to get through the entire set-up. The Mac has know trouble seeing the Installation Disc. After my partition has been created and I click start Windows Installer, the computer reboots in a normal fashion up to when you get the apple with spinning progress wheel. At this point the screen goes black and I get a "-" blinking in the top right corner of the screen. I figure it's just trying to boot from Win Install disk but it just kinda sits there. So here's my question. Is there some way to boot this Windows Installation from anything else but the CD? I luckily have an image of the WinXP CD in about 5 formats. I'm going absolutely crazy because I had just Installed WinXP not more than an hour before I ran into this initial problem but wanted to change the WinXP partition to FAT 32 as opposed to the NTSC format I accidently used. I would really appriciate any help in my dark hour.
System Info
MacBook Pro 4.1
Mac OS 10.5.5
Bootcamp 2.1
Windows XP with Service Pack 2
HL-DT-ST DVDRW GSA-S10N
System was just recently re-installed with fresh copy of a software and updates.

Kirkdan:
I really would like to help you and get your issue resolved in your dark hour as you said. I am afraid that I do not have good news for you. This is because the limitation put on by this entire process of installing Windows via boot camp.
The answer to you question to install windows from any other medium other than your built-in optical drive is a NO. This won't work since once Windows begins to install then it will not have all the drivers installed to recognize the external CD drive (USB/Firewire) and installation will halt.
Axel F.

Booting from Optical Drive

Hey, I'm currently trying to upgrade my 13" Macbook Pro (Early 2011) with a new SSD. Right now it still has the stock HDD and optical drive. My question is if I replace the HDD with a SSD and then place the old HDD into the optical drive with the OWC data doubler, can I boot from the optical drive and have all my settings/apps as they were? If so, how then would I transfer everything over to the SSD once it was booted up?

If this is a problem with an OS X Installer Disc then you should take the computer to an Apple service center for repair or replacement.
If this is a problem with the Ubuntu disc, then we really cannot help. You would need to talk with their tech support. However, as far as I'm aware Ubuntu does not make a version that will work on an Intel Mac, as is, because it is not designed to boot or run on an EFI system such as is used by Intel Macs.

No boot up because optical drive has media in it

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