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SD-B

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Apr 1, 2009
399
14
I have a 13" MacBook Pro from late 2009.

Recently the DVD drive died inside and its after the warranty period of 3 years so I am not interested in paying to have it fixed for i will be buying a new iMac in a few months.

I purchased however, a USB Superdrive for $79 + tx a few weeks ago and just got around to opening it up now and plugging it in. I assumed that I could use this since the one inside no longer works.

But, I did a software update and am up to date, yet I cant seem to pop the DVDS into it. They wont connect nor am I seeing anything connected on my desktop such as I would if I connected an external drive.
( the dvd drive just wont slide in as it does on my laptop or did once upon a time. I lightly forced it but it didn't stay in so its not catching as it should, hence, I don't think the laptop is seeing it attached for some reason?)

Does this mean this wont work because of the one inside, or am I doing something wrong OR is the drive faulty?


Ive seen it said that the iMac often has inferior DVD drives and that people buy these to make up for it as they are supposedly better made than the ones installed on laptops, unless that is just some silly sales quip made up by someone ;-)


In any event, should I be able to get this to work as a regular drive for me so I can watch DVDs I have, or even install the odd software I still have on DVD disk such as OS Discs?



T.I.A


Secondly is there some sort of set up I need to do beforehand? Nothing has popped up that leads me to believe I must?!!
 
Last edited:

SD-B

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Apr 1, 2009
399
14
-SHOULD Add I am just checking with MacTracker that my MBP is SATA compatible but being only 3 years old I assume it must be??!!

I cant think of any other reason why it would not work as I should just be able to plug and play




EDIT:

ACCORDING IT IS SATA compatible


Says under Storage and Media:


Storage 160, 250, 320, or 500GB (5400-rpm SATA) OR 128 OR 256 GB (SSSD)

Media: Slot Loading 8x SuperDrive (DVD + R DL/DVD = RW/CD-RW)


If it helps, I do have the,

MacBook Pro 5,5

A1278
 
Last edited:

stroked

Suspended
May 3, 2010
555
331
Have you tested the USB ports with a different USB device? If so, you might have a faulty DVD drive.
 

SD-B

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Apr 1, 2009
399
14
Have you tested the USB ports with a different USB device? If so, you might have a faulty DVD drive.


they work, the USB Ports



IF this one is faulty as well, I cant say much for these drives then


I am just wondering if there is any possibility its not working because the internal one is somehow preventing it from doing so?

IF you or someone can confirm that that should not have any bearing on it then I must assume that this one is faulty and will see if i can exchange it.
I dont know what i did with the receipt but I just took off the cellophane and the price tag showing the store I purchased it in is on that so i believe they will at least do an exchange if it is faulty


thanks for your help
 
Last edited:

SD-B

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Apr 1, 2009
399
14
I thought that the USB superdrive was designed to be used specifically for the MBA...I know it won't work on an iMac, I've tried...I don't think things have changed.



i was wondering this myself and perhaps that is why its not working?
i dont want to jump to the conclusion that it is faulty until I know if that is the case or not


i have a macbook pro not an iMac


What does one do if their iMac drive dies?


For me to pay to have the DVD drive replaced on this MBP I would have to pay to have a cleaning of the laptop done first before I know Apple would accept it as I was a smoker and did damage to it long before i knew the damage that could be done

hence, i will be buying an iMac very soon but would have liked to have had an external superdrive to have somethings work on this if i needed so theres no point in my having apple reinstall a new working internal drive
 
Last edited:

Macman45

macrumors G5
Jul 29, 2011
13,197
135
Somewhere Back In The Long Ago
i was wondering this myself and perhaps that is why its not working?
i dont want to jump to the conclusion that it is faulty until I know if that is the case or not


i have a macbook pro not an iMac


What does one do if their iMac drive dies?


For me to pay to have the DVD drive replaced on this MBP I would have to pay to have a cleaning of the laptop done first before I know Apple would accept it as I was a smoker and did damage to it long before i knew the damage that could be done

hence, i will be buying an iMac very soon but would have liked to have had an external superdrive to have somethings work on this if i needed so theres no point in my having apple reinstall a new working internal drive



It's for the MBA, nothing else except maybe the new Imac's when they are released..:


http://store.apple.com/uk/product/MD564ZM/A/apple-usb-superdrive


Read half way down....MAB and now the new Mini...NOT the MBP.
 

stroked

Suspended
May 3, 2010
555
331
i was wondering this myself and perhaps that is why its not working?
i dont want to jump to the conclusion that it is faulty until I know if that is the case or not


i have a macbook pro not an iMac


What does one do if their iMac drive dies?


For me to pay to have the DVD drive replaced on this MBP I would have to pay to have a cleaning of the laptop done first before I know Apple would accept it as I was a smoker and did damage to it long before i knew the damage that could be done

hence, i will be buying an iMac very soon but would have liked to have had an external superdrive to have somethings work on this if i needed so theres no point in my having apple reinstall a new working internal drive

Take the Apple junk back, and buy a Samsung.

http://www.newegg.com/External-CD-DVD-Blu-Ray-Drives/SubCategory/ID-420
 

Macman45

macrumors G5
Jul 29, 2011
13,197
135
Somewhere Back In The Long Ago
SuperDrive also works with retina MacBook Pro. Basically it works with any Mac that cannot be configured with an internal DVD drive...

That won't help the OP....He has a 2009 MBP. I would think that a third party USB drive would work? Can't guarantee that, but it should be possible to find one that will...Maybe Black Friday deals?
 

wlossw

macrumors 65816
May 9, 2012
1,109
1,164
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
I have a 13" MacBook Pro from late 2009.

Recently the DVD drive died inside and its after the warranty period of 3 years so I am not interested in paying to have it fixed for i will be buying a new iMac in a few months.

I purchased however, a USB Superdrive for $79 + tx a few weeks ago and just got around to opening it up now and plugging it in. I assumed that I could use this since the one inside no longer works.

But, I did a software update and am up to date, yet I cant seem to pop the DVDS into it. They wont connect nor am I seeing anything connected on my desktop such as I would if I connected an external drive.
( the dvd drive just wont slide in as it does on my laptop or did once upon a time. I lightly forced it but it didn't stay in so its not catching as it should, hence, I don't think the laptop is seeing it attached for some reason?)

Does this mean this wont work because of the one inside, or am I doing something wrong OR is the drive faulty?


Ive seen it said that the iMac often has inferior DVD drives and that people buy these to make up for it as they are supposedly better made than the ones installed on laptops, unless that is just some silly sales quip made up by someone ;-)


In any event, should I be able to get this to work as a regular drive for me so I can watch DVDs I have, or even install the odd software I still have on DVD disk such as OS Discs?



T.I.A


Secondly is there some sort of set up I need to do beforehand? Nothing has popped up that leads me to believe I must?!!

Why not scrap the optical drive idea, and put an ssd in the opti-bay?
 

SD-B

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Apr 1, 2009
399
14
IF i knew for sure it would work with the new iMacs coming out Id keep it


That said, I am not worried about the $$ loss and will sell it to someone here that wants it but I would love to know which external drive I should buy that will work with my 2009 MBP? or maybe keep it in case i get a mac that it will work with or unless a friend can use it


This surprises me to be honest. I never bothered to check as I just thought all peripherals would work on all apples

;-(


Live and Learn!



Why not scrap the optical drive idea, and put an ssd in the opti-bay?


I actually did quite a bit of smoke damage to this MBP as it was my first laptop and like an idiot, I did not realize what smoking around it would do
I have since quit but i cant be bothered to fix it and will just buy a new iMac or something maybe next month, hence, no desire to sink any money into it other than an external drive should i need one ever in the future
 
Last edited:

SD-B

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Apr 1, 2009
399
14
They say that DVD drives are on their way out.
So Apple I igather is giving out USB keys I suppose they are with your OS on them.

IF they are indeed on their way out, is that just for and with computers? Or does this also mean that music and movies will be coming out on a different format? OR is this just an apple thing.....?

----------

Why not scrap the optical drive idea, and put an ssd in the opti-bay?


Actually, not a bad idea the more I think about that comment if I understand it correctly?

The reason my DVD drive has failed, I assume is related to the smoke. If I look at the fibers at the drive door there they are discoloured from smoke. I assume the oils from cigarettes have mucked it up inside.

Not sure IF I could put a new drive in with that problem.


Also not exactly sure what the SSD drive would do? I knew they are faster but were you suggesting I just have a secondary DVD or a secondary drive that could boot the laptop up faster?
 
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