Superdrive won't work

This morning my Superdrive on my 2.7 GHz Intel Core i5 Mac won't recognize my Sony CD-R 700MB blank disc.  It's worked before.  Yesterday, I burned a memorex DVD+R with no problem.  Is this something that can be fixed by me through some software tweak?  Or, does it require a trip to the Apple Store?

They do fail and they also get dirty and need to be repaired. However  your machine may simply need a basic reset. Please do both SMC and PRAM resets, do 2-3 each. If you don't know how please click https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-3603 for instructions.
In the event that does not work go to your local office supply store and buy a CD/DVD cleaning kit and clean the drive. Finally if that doesn't work a trip to the Apple Store may be required. BTW if the machine is covered by AppleCare give AppleCare a call.

Similar Messages

  • Apple USB Superdrive won't work

    I just bought an Apple USB Superdrive. I works fine with a macbook air but if I plug it in to a 15" Macbook Pro either a Core 2 Duo or an Early 2008 model it won't work. The optical disc is not admitted when I try to insert it.
    I'm using OS X 10.5
    Any suggestions please ?

    Ridiculous! I suppose it's all part of the business stategy to force you to upgrade even though the kit you have is still doing everything you want of it.
    But I wonder is there a way of doing something in 'Terminal' mode to get other macs to accept the superdrive?

  • Yet another Superdrive Won't Work Post

    Hello...
    I tried to restart or update the FIRMWARE by starting the computer and going through a process of holding down keys.
    That didn't work.
    I them opened up the eMac and pushed the reset button (PMU or PMI, I think it's called).
    That didn't work.
    I am just wondering what I need to do to fix this because, granted my eMac is 5 years old, but now it won't recognize any DVDs or CDs, and it did before I started all this. Well, it recognized CDs.
    At first the only DVDs it didn't recognize where ones I'd burned from home movies. Now it's all DVDs.
    I am in Mac OS 10.3.9. I have 1 GB of Ram. It's an 800mhz Power PC.
    I am open to any ideas at this point.
    I thank you kindly in advance for reading helping with this.
    Evan Jacobs
    www.anhedeniafilms.com

    First thing to do is run your system through basic maintenance routines. Here is a good page detailing many of the free ones you can download and what they do...
    Macintosh OS X Routine Maintenance
    http://www.macattorney.com/ts.html
    You especially want to run the CRON scripts and repair disk permissions.
    If that doesn't help, next thing you might try is to create a new user account then log onto that one and see if the drive acts any differently. If it works, then the problem isn't the drive, but something with the settings of the other user account.
    Still another test is to whip out your old Restore/Install discs that came with the computer and see if you can boot off of those (hold down the C key while booting). If you can, then you know the drive works at least. If you can't, maybe the drive really is dead.
    Also I ran across this completely crazy fix that there are multiple reports it actually works to get a Superdrive working again...
    * Open system preferences.
    * Go to international
    * Under languages: drag any of the other languages to the top, then drag english back to the top.
    * Make sure "order for sorted lists" is set to enlish
    * Make sure "work break" is set to english(united states, computer)
    * Restart the computer
    Patrick

  • Salvaged superdrive won't work

    I recently salvaged a superdrive from an early 2011 Macbook Pro that was water damaged.  Only the logic board was damaged, so the superdrive should be fine.  I bought an enclosure from ebay http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/151232844986 and fitted the drive.
    However it will not register on my new MacBook Pro Retina, or on an old MacBook 13"
    I've added the line to the .plist file that I read about, but this does not help either.
    Are there any tricks to getting this to work?
    Cheers.

    First, how do you know for sure it wasn't water damaged?
    There aren't any tricks. If you have the cables plugged in correctly, the drive should work. If the drive is good, I'd suspect the ebay enclosure.

  • IMac 17" Superdrive won't work..

    I can only seem to find an update for the superdrive of the 15" imac. Can anyone tell me if one exists for the 17"? I can't understand why there would be such a difference. I tried using the 15" fix to no avail. Is it possible for me to change the internal superdrive myself or do i need special tools to open the case to install it?

    You may wish to alsos cross-post in the Tiger Forums: Finder, Dock & Dashboard Forums. This area deals with File and Folder Management, Preferences, Widgets, Customization.

  • I have a 2 year old MacBook Pro and the superdrive has stopped working, it won't take discs in as if there is one already inside but iTunes or the dvd player doesn't recognise that there is a disc inside and if there is it can't be ejected

    I have a 2 year old MacBook Pro and the superdrive has stopped working, it won't take discs in as if there is one already inside but iTunes or the dvd player doesn't recognise that there is a disc inside and if there is it can't be ejected, i have tried shutting down and restartinf while holding down the trackpad, as recommended on some forums but that has done nothing
    It might be a huge coincidence but the drive was working fine before i installed lion?

    Installing Lion would not cause the superdrive to stop working.  Are you unsure as to whether or no a cd/dvd is inside?  Something may be broken inside and you should consider bringing it in for service.

  • My Unused SuperDrive does not work? It keeps ejecting the DVDs.

    Hey everyone!
    This is my first question on Apple Support Communites and I'm really happy!
    I have bought a MacBook Pro and I have owned it since Dec. 31, 2013, and I am so glad! This was a second hand computer bought from a friend.
    I bought this very computer for My SuperDrive, as I knew they were being phased out.
    I put a CD in - and my Mac just spit it out.
    It makes some noises as if the computer is going to read it, but it doesn't. Every Disc just ejects.
    This works for all CDs alike: DVDs, Blank CDs, Audio CDs, You name it!
    I really need my SuperDrive Working but it really isn't.
    Note that the previous owner has NEVER USED IT and I also NEVER USED IT.
    My Mac came with an installation disc for Mac OS X Snow Leopard 10.6.6 and I'm presuming that the Optical Drive was only used to install OS X.
    This is my very first Apple Product so I don't really know much at all.
    I called Apple and they told me to press a few buttons but that didn't work.
    The Apple Employee told me that it SHOULDN'T Be failing as it is a relatively new machine.
    I cleaned it out but I think that it is a Software Problem with OS X Mavericks 10.9.1.
    Note: I am currently using 10.9.1 but will update to 10.9.2 when I have access to my Mac.
    The Reason I say that it is a software problem because the DVD Playback file found in the folder: /System/Library/Frameworks/DVDPlayback.framework/Versions/A/DVDPlayback
    Says Modified 23 Oct 2013, which was when Mavericks was released. Maybe I could get a hold of the original file to reverse the effect.
    I would downgrade to Snow Leopard, but my SuperDrive isn't working :'(
    Just so you guys know: My MacBook is an Early 2011 13.3" MacBook Pro.
    I am also experiencing other difficulties but I won't get into them now.
    I live in Australia and I am 14 years old. Sorry if I don't know much about Macs yet (but I guess I know quite a bit about Normal Computers).
    Thanks for bearing with my long rant!
    Omi Jack

    Omi Jack,
    It may be that the SuperDrive lens is simply dirty. You can test this out by purchasing an inexpensive DVD/CD cleaning ket - readily available from most electronics stores.
    If that doesn't 'fix' the problem, it may be that the SuperDrive simply isn't functioning. You could purchase a replacement for it and install it yourself. I don't know Australian websites that specialize in Mac parts, but you can shop at the US website OWC and I kow that they ship internationally. You may also want to use their live chat and see if they know of a vendor in Australia that would have new SuperDrives in stock.
    Try the cleaning method first. You could also take the machine to your local Apple Store or an AASP an get a diagnosis and estimate for repair from them but I would look into replacing it yourself first.
    OWC also have videos that show you how to replace the SuperDrive in your particular model.
    Good luck,
    Clinton

  • External optical drive won't work on macbook pro retina.

    I have a macbook pro retina which doesn's have an optical drive. I have bought an optical drive. When I plug it in and put a disk in I can hear the disk spinning and the light comes on but nothing happens on my mac. It doesn't seem to recognise it. Any suggestions?

    Anniefb1 wrote:
    I have a macbook pro retina which doesn's have an optical drive. I have bought an optical drive. When I plug it in and put a disk in I can hear the disk spinning and the light comes on but nothing happens on my mac. It doesn't seem to recognise it. Any suggestions?
    Just had that happen to me.
    First, run Disk Utility and see if the SuperDrive (it is an Apple SuperDrive isn't it?) is listed. Is the disk you inserted shown? If not, hold down the option key and click the Apple menu - choose System Information and when that shows up, choose USB. See if it's listed there. If it is but neither the drive nor the disk you inserted appears on the Desktop, the side bar of the Finder window, or Disk Utility, return it for a refund (if it's within 14 days of purchase) or a replacement. That's what I had to do a few hours ago and the replacement works as it should.
    BTW, if you want the disk you inserted back, and pressing the trackpad as you reboot doesn't eject the disk, as a last resort run Terminal and enter (copy and paste the following)
    /usr/bin/drutil eject
    to try to force the disk to eject. It probably won't work (it didn't for me) but if it does, at least you get that disk back.

  • External Optical Speakers won't work on my G5

    I have a Power Mac G5 running Tiger 10.4.11 and Logictech 5.1 Dolby Surround Sound Speakers. I had them setup with this system a few years ago and then upgraded to leopard and compatibility was fine. My HDD recently died and I lost my leopard disc so now I'm back to Tiger since that's what the backup discs are. Now that I got a new HDD and loaded the software the speakers won't work. The speakers themselves are fine. I can use the remote to test each speaker which sends pink noise to each one. That proves the connections are fine and the speakers aren't bad. I checked the connection to the optical port in the back of the tower and it is lit up red so that's good. I tested the speakers playing music and playing a DVD and neither worked so it's something to do with the computer not recognizing them. Headphones work just fine with it. In the Sound pane under Digital Out it says "The selected device has no output controls". According to the help tutorial it says I should see the speaker in the System Profiler, which I don't, but it doesn't go further into 'if you don't see them'. Anyone know other options I can try?

    Anniefb1 wrote:
    I have a macbook pro retina which doesn's have an optical drive. I have bought an optical drive. When I plug it in and put a disk in I can hear the disk spinning and the light comes on but nothing happens on my mac. It doesn't seem to recognise it. Any suggestions?
    Just had that happen to me.
    First, run Disk Utility and see if the SuperDrive (it is an Apple SuperDrive isn't it?) is listed. Is the disk you inserted shown? If not, hold down the option key and click the Apple menu - choose System Information and when that shows up, choose USB. See if it's listed there. If it is but neither the drive nor the disk you inserted appears on the Desktop, the side bar of the Finder window, or Disk Utility, return it for a refund (if it's within 14 days of purchase) or a replacement. That's what I had to do a few hours ago and the replacement works as it should.
    BTW, if you want the disk you inserted back, and pressing the trackpad as you reboot doesn't eject the disk, as a last resort run Terminal and enter (copy and paste the following)
    /usr/bin/drutil eject
    to try to force the disk to eject. It probably won't work (it didn't for me) but if it does, at least you get that disk back.

  • Superdrive won't read DVDs since I installed Lion

    Long story short - My hard drive died a few weeks ago. Everything was backed up on a Time Capsule. After installing a new hard drive, I went through and install each OSX I have had before transferring over my data and applications. I have a Macbook Pro Mid 2009 (came with Leopard). So, I went through, updated to Snow Leopard then Lion, then transferred over my data.
    1. I bought a game recently. All the specs fit for my computer. Put it in my SuperDrive and it would neither mount nor be recognized by the computer. My computer said it was a blank disc and spit it out after spinning it around for 5 minutes. I tested the game disc on another computer (my brother's Windows one) and it worked fine.
    2. After transferring my data over, my Adobe CS3 was having problems opening. I recieved a few messages about problems with the licenses and figured I would have to uninstall everything and reinstall everything. (Tried the license repair tool from Adobe too, couldn't get it to work). So I uninstalled everything I had from Adobe (using Adobe's uninstaller). I inserted the disc to be reinstalled and had the same problems. The disc kept spinning, wouldnt mount, and my computer said the disc was blank.
    I have tested burned discs and film DVDs. All of them seem to work. I am just having issues with installation DVDs it seems. I have also tried mounting them in Toast Titanium and I can't get that to work either.
    I took my computer to the Apple store, they said they could replace the drive or do testing on it for 5 days. I can't really afford to be with my computer for that extended amount of time right now nor do I want to drop $100 when this could be a software or firmware issue. My questions are:
    1. Will upgrading to Mountain Lion fix or make this issue worse?
    2. Are there any diagnostic tools I can run besides the AHT to find out if my drive is going to ****?
    3. Are there any software related things I can do to get my discs installed? (IE Installation over a network, using ISOs ->which I tried with the game, couldnt get that to work).
    Thank you!

    Please read this whole message before doing anything.
    This procedure is a diagnostic test. It’s unlikely to solve your problem. Don’t be disappointed when you find that nothing has changed after you complete it.
    The purpose of this exercise is to determine whether the problem is caused by third-party system modifications that load automatically at startup or login. Disconnect all wired peripherals except those needed for the test, and remove all aftermarket expansion cards. Boot in safe mode and log in to the account with the problem. The instructions provided by Apple are as follows:
    Be sure your Mac is shut down.
    Press the power button.
    Immediately after you hear the startup tone, hold the Shift key. The Shift key should be held as soon as possible after the startup tone, but not before the tone.
    Release the Shift key when you see the gray Apple icon and the progress indicator (looks like a spinning gear).
    Note: If FileVault is enabled under Mac OS X 10.7 or later, you can’t boot in safe mode.
    Safe mode is much slower to boot and run than normal, and some things won’t work at all, including wireless networking on certain Macs.
    The login screen appears even if you usually log in automatically. You must know your login password in order to log in. If you’ve forgotten the password, you will need to reset it before you begin.
    Test while in safe mode. Same problem(s)?
    After testing, reboot as usual (i.e., not in safe mode) and verify that you still have the problem. Post the results of the test.

  • DVD Player on MacBook Pro won't work?

    My DVD player on my MacBook Pro won't work! I can hear the sound of the video, but the actual image won't appear. Plus, I can't watch things on Youtube in full screen anymore because my computer won't show it. And finally, some of my images are very pixelated. I'm getting super frustrated that nothing will work. Please help me!
    -Katie

    Many times, these types of problems can be 'fixed' by using a commerical DVD 'cleaning' kit (usually available at local electronics stores, Amazon, etc.). If 'cleaning' doesn't work, you may have a faulty SuperDrive. But I would try the cleaning method first, beofre taking your machine into an Apple Store or AASP.
    Good luck,
    Clinton

  • SuperDrive won't read OS X Tiger 10.4

    I had OS X Tiger, but the system crashed, so I had to erase my hard drive and reinstall the only system I had on a disc, which was 10.2.8. Now I have a store bought disc of OS X Tiger, and the SuperDrive won't read it. It just spits it out after about 30 seconds, no error code or anything. Any thoughts?
    PowerMac G5 1.8 GHz   Mac OS X (10.2.x)  

    Hi-
    Welcome to Discussions!
    May I assume that you can't boot from the DVD? Restart, hold down "C".....
    Try a different user account. If recognized, it is a software related problem.
    Also, try a boot in safe mode, and see if the install DVD can be recognized. If recognized, it is probably third party software/driver problems.
    http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=107393
    If none of the above work, join the ever growing list of G5 owners who have DVR problems. Most are resolved by replacement of the DVR.
    An issue with Western Digital My Book has been recognized as responsible for burning problems.
    http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=825564&tstart=0
    Does your machine recognize other CD'S, or DVD's?
    Do you still have burning function?
    One last item- if you have access to another Mac, you might verify that the install DVD is good and recognizable on another machine.
    G4 AGP(450)Sawtooth, 2ghz PowerLogix, 1.62gb SDRAM, 120gb+160gb HDD   Mac OS X (10.4.8)   ATI Radeon 9800, Pioneer DVR-109, LaCie 160gb, 23" Cinema Display, Ratoc USB2.0

  • Apple internal Superdrive won't take CDs

    First the specs:
    MacBook Pro (Mid 2009; 2.53GHz; 8GB RAM; 750GB Int HD)
    Mac OS X 10.9
    Internal Apple Superdrive: HL-DT-ST DVDRW  GS23N
    Problem:
    For the last few weeks or so, I've had a strange behaving Apple (internal) Superdrive
    - The drive ejects any disc that is still in the drive when it starts up regardless if it's a music cd or a recovery cd or install disc or whatever
    - It does this even when I am not holding down the trackpad or mouse when it starts up
    - Instead of the usual, clean recalibration noise it makes when starting up, it made a much shorter version that is not usual for it
    - When it makes this sound, I encounter resistance trying to insert a cd
    - Now the optical drive doesn't make any noise upon startup
    Facts:
    - Disk Utility still shows that I have a Superdrive
    - System Information still shows it and it still tells me what kind od discs it can burn (if it forgot the Superdrive; all that would be gone)
    - Prior to this problem, the drive has worked flawlessly
    - Previous startup behavior did not eject whatever was in the disc drive
    - Issue exists whether on battery or AC power
    - I've had the laptop since 2010 and everything has run fine until recently.
    - Bad laptop battery replaced just a month ago (replaced by Apple)
    - Completely passed Apple's Genius Bar Hardware Test
    - Checking Console, I can't find any entries directly related to the Superdrive (could be a related entry I'm missing)
    - I cannot find any way to run my own Apple hardware Test as it's not on my hard disk, recovery partition and the internet version won't work (ideas?)
    Testing:
    Poking around the interwebs yielded lots of info on this but not much in actual solutions that worked for me.
    Things tried:
    - Started up in Safe Mode; no change
    - Reset the NVRAM
    - Reset the SMC
    - Used 'force eject' command in terminal; no change
    - Held down trackpad button during startup
    - Held down 'Eject' button during startup
    - I've reinstalled OS X 10.9 twice to no effect (once over a previous backup and once fresh)
    - Repaired permissions
    - Verified w/Disk Utility
    - Verified the startup disk with DiskWarrior
    - Rebuilt the directory of the startup drive with Drive Genius (in case it was somehow an issue with the startup disk)
    I have no idea why it started doing this but, more importantly, I haven't been able to fix it.
    Anyone have any ideas?
    Thanks for your consideration!
    Sean

    Superdrives, yes, fixed many of them (Panasonic made, yours is likely Hitachi made)
    Disc ejects after several seconds its a dirty laser diode lens (7 times out of 10)
    ejects immediately its a damaged loader
    Your indication is a damaged loader.     Fixing these is both good and bad news....
    good news is a NEW one is only $40 if out of warranty (not including the cost of someone to install it for you)
    Superdrive are a hair complex inside mechanically, fixing them is usually a "what for" for most, since a new one is only $40
    you have options for Apple to replace it or another if you are out of warranty (most likely)
    Contact Apple about the cost to replace your Superdrive including labor.
    Superdrive

  • Dvd won't work

    DVD player won't work with Mavericks...plays fine on home dvd player and on 3 other Macs...but my main iMac, now loaded with Mavericks, won't play dvd video.   Automatically ejects disc.   I did permission repair, reset SMC, and still won't work.  Anyone having these problems...come up with a fix yet

    Hello Ralph,
    Thank you for providing the details of the issue you are experiencing with the optical drive on your iMac.  I recommend the steps below when discs are automatically ejected:
    The drive accepts discs but they do not mount or are automatically ejected
    Make sure the drive is not upside down. The aluminum enclosure should be facing up.
    Check the disc's surface for scratches and dirt, since these things can prevent the disc from appearing on the desktop.
    The MacBook Air SuperDrive is designed to be used with MacBook Air and Mac mini computers that do not have a built-in optical drive. For best results, connect the MacBook Air SuperDrive directly to the computer's USB port instead a USB hub.
    Reset the System Management Controller (SMC).
    Ensure your drive can read the specific type of disc being used. The System Profiler or System Information may provide additional information regarding what media your computer supports.
    Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard or earlier: Open Apple System Profiler by choosing "About this Mac" from the Apple () menu. Then, click More Info.
    OS X 10.7 Lion or later: Open System Information by choosing "About this Mac" from the Apple () menu. Then, click System Report.
    If the disc continues to not be recognized, contact Apple, an Apple Authorized Service Provider, or make an appointment with an Apple Retail Store for additional troubleshooting, evaluation, or service.
    You can find the full article here:
    Apple Computers: Troubleshooting the slot-loading SuperDrive
    http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2801
    Thank you for using Apple Support Communities.
    Best,
    Sheila M.

  • My usb superdrive won't let me eject a disc

    I recently purchased a usb superdrive so I could watch dvds on my macbook air. I watched one movie and went to watch another one which was a pirated copy of a movie! Once I put the movie in it didn't work and every time I try to eject the disc the cursor turns into that rainbow spinning circle. As well as my computer stuffing up and I have to shut it down to get it back to functionality again! I also tired command E and that didn't work either someone please help?

    DavidMacApr 4, 2015 12:49 PM Re: My USB SuperDrive won't recognize or eject a disc.  What can I do?
    Re: My USB SuperDrive won't recognize or eject a disc.  What can I do?in response to GR Red Wings Fan
    I too had a major problem with the Apple External Superdrive not ejection many of my DVD and CD disks. I would have to turn the dive upside down to get it to eject the disk in it …. completely unacceptable coming from Apple. You would have thought they would have bench tested the current Superdrive design, and fixed this issue before releasing it for sale.
    Well, it looks like they may have tried to make a fix on some of the more recently produced Superdrives, I'll explain ….
    If you are able to open the bottom plate of the Superdrive, take it off, you'll see that Apple has placed a small black foam square pad (about 1/2" square), at the top of the internal unit (at the top near the entrance slot). This small square foam rubber pad is not evident on some earlier Apple Superdrive units, indicating that Apple had figured out the internal unit was "hanging up" some disks inside by not being aligned with the slot properly (the tolerances were obviously designed very tight by Apple. So what they did was a "fix" where a piece of rubber was added to the internal component, that raise the internal drive better to allow the disc to eject better.
    Here's the problem though, I my case, I had that small rubber piece in my Superdrive …. but it was still not ejecting discs like it should.
    So after looking around youtube, I got an idea from a youtube video (thanks to "TheHobbieCollector"), and did it one better.
    What needs to be done is just to follow-up on Apple's "fix" effort, but one better. The small rubber pad just needs to be "boosted" by placing another small rubber/foam pad (the same thickness), on top of the existing one (or a double thickness pad if your unit has no small rubber pad in the first place).
    I hope the following photos are self-explaining as to what has to be done to "fix" the Apple Superdrive "ejecting" issue. I immediately noticed I had practically no more "eject" issues after having performed this single "fix" … but yes, I still have that rear occasion to have to turn the drive upside down to eject a stubborn disc … but this is very very rear for me after the "fix".
    Hope this helps all with the same Superdrive "eject" issue
      1. Before opening the bottom plate, protect it from scratching …. open with a thin dinner knife or putty blade.
      2. This is what the bottom plate looks like, taken off, Note where the metal clips are located
       3.  Note the two small locator pins in the front of the bottom plate. It's important these are put in first
            and correctly located when putting the bottom plate back on.
        4. This is a close-up of what the bottom plate clips look like. They are metal and pretty strong.
        5. This is the small rubber pad I mentioned, Some early Superdrives may not have this.
        6.  Another angle view of the "original Apple pad applied to the inside unit.
        7. The FIX … Applied another (same thickness as original), over the Apple original pad.  This gave enough
            of a "boost in internal drive "alignment-to-eject slot" … without affecting the dive performance!
        Use cut thin rubber strip, or foam (same thickness as Apple original pad) …. and double-sided tape, or
        glue to affix on top of the existing Apple rubber pad.

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