Optical drive has stopped working! macbook

I posted this in the macbook/ibook forum...and have not gotten any responses.

My optical drive has stopped responding.

It does not have anything in it.
It does not make the BBRBRAAWWRR!! sound on power-up.
It does not pull in any type of disc (CD nor DVD)
It does not show up in Disk Utility
It does not show up in "About this Mac -> More Info"


What happens when I start my macbook:

White light goes on on front of mac.
White screen (where apple logo should be) for about 1 minute.
Apple logo and loading circle eventually appear (alot longer than it used to/did this morning)
End up at login screen like normal.

*log in*

No optical drive available.

Any suggestions?

It is a 1.83 core duo macbook. Upgraded RAM to 2GB and HDD to 160gb. Bought in 2006, so warranty is a no-go.

Also, boot commands ie. reset PRAM or Open Firmware do not work. I can hold any command combination I want..and still end up at the login screen.

agentphish said:

You say warranty is a no go, so I am assuming you didn't consider purchasing AppleCare extended warranty...it's pretty much a MUST with a laptop.
Something to keep in mind is that if ANYTHING happens where the screen needs to be replaced, it's typically more than 1/2 the cost of the laptop (any laptop) for the parts and labor.

So it's a very good idea to buy it because it covers EVERYTHING.

Anyways, you can get a new superdrive or combo drive from http://www.macsales.com or eBay (though I prefer MacSales) and you can get instructions on how to replace it yourself (if you are comfortable) from ifixit.com

good luck.

Click to expand...

Thank you...my parents bought it for me for school and it was a late birthday present. They told me I was getting a dell, but then on the day I left to move into residence...SURPRISE! a macbook . Guess they spaced on the applecare.

Question though. I have a combo drive now...(the apparently busted one). Can I pop in a superdrive...as an updrade, or do I have to replace it with a combodrive again?


Thanks again..both of you for the replies.