CD will not eject!!! HELP!!!

[fastamm]

Hi:

I have a 12 inch Powerbook and have a CD stuck in the drive. I have tried ALL of the tricks of the trade to get it out. I have gone to the Genius Bar as well. The guy used the command prompt, stuck a little stick in the drive and immediately told me that its non-responsive and that I need to replace it.

The drive does spin up when booting, but it does not let me eject the disk.

Is there ANY physical way to get the disk out. I don't want to spring $300 for the repair.

Any answers would be appreciated.

F

 

[punkbass25]

have you tried holding down the mouse (trackpad) button on restart?

but it sounds like that probably won't work anyways in your situation, if the guy at the genius bar tried to force eject with a paperclip or similar tool, and it didn't work, i'd say theres nothin more you can do. Take it to the pro's.

 

[OnceUGoMac]

I had the same problem a few months ago on my iBook. Fortunately, I was mart enough to get Apple Care and they replaced the drive.

 

[fastamm]

Interestingly, the 12 Inch PB does not have a physical eject button! The TiBook still head one.

Seems to me like a really costly (and dumb) oversight.

Ironically, I was trying to install Tiger. So now my Tiger CD is stuck.

 

[Balin64]

Interestingly, the 12 Inch PB does not have a physical eject button! The TiBook still head one.

Seems to me like a really costly (and dumb) oversight.

Ironically, I was trying to install Tiger. So now my Tiger CD is stuck.

Yes, a bummer. I had a hell of a time with a friend's iMac DV. There is a trick to getting it out, but on the PB is much harder. It would be easier without the case, but then...

You can of course attempt the repair yourself; I am sure the optical drive is not very expensive. However, after buying it, is it really worth the difference you would be paying Apple?

I highly recommend:

http://www.powerbookresq.com/

My good mate's drive went out; they were faster and cheaper than Apple and they did a tremendous job.

 

[WinterMute]

Here's a possible solution if it isn't a busted drive:

First try repairing permissions, shutting down (not restarting), wait 20 seconds and then start-up holding the trackpad key down.

This worked with mine after a poorly glued CD label had folded over in the drive and jammed, the drive was completely unresponsive, even on start-up, I thought it was dead, but it ejected on the startup.

If that doesn't work, restart the machine in Open Firmware mode (restart holding Apple+alt+O+F) once the prompt comes up type eject cd and press return.

The drive should eject.

The type mac-boot to restart.

If nothing happens you may well have a busted mechanism, and you'll need to talk to Apple some more.

 

[dorqiekat]

Interestingly, the 12 Inch PB does not have a physical eject button! The TiBook still head one.

Seems to me like a really costly (and dumb) oversight.

Ironically, I was trying to install Tiger. So now my Tiger CD is stuck.

what is a physical eject button? It couldn't be the eject button next to f12 right? since, its there......

 

[mad jew]

what is a physical eject button? It couldn't be the eject button next to f12 right? since, its there......

On a PowerBook?

 

[dorqiekat]

On a PowerBook?

yes, 12 inch Al powerbook.

 

[mad jew]

yes, 12 inch Al powerbook.

That's weird, I always thought the iBook and the PowerBook had the same keyboard layout. My F12 key is an eject button.

BTW, I hope I wasn't sounding accusational before, I'm generally inquisitive.

 

[mad jew]

...

Double post, sorry.

 

[dorqiekat]

That's weird, I always thought the iBook and the PowerBook had the same keyboard layout. My F12 key is an eject button.

BTW, I hope I wasn't sounding accusational before, I'm generally inquisitive.

yeah, they said 12in pb not having a physical eject. And here I am, staring at my 12 inch powerbook, with an eject button. Right next to the F12. I got confused. Thinking maybe there were other ejct buttons.

 

[skubish]

I think he was talking about a mechanical button you push with a paperclip to release the drive. The button on the keyboard is still software/electronics related.

 

[inlimbo]

I have the solution!

I had the same problem a few weeks ago. I think it was because I accidently ran into the door frame with my PB ( it was only a tap really - these things are damn sensitive) and it jolted the drive and the CD then was stuck. It think in my case the CD wasn't stuck but the drive had moved - if that makes sense.

I tried all those tricks to no avail. BUT!!! Here is how I fixed it:
1) turn off your PB/iBook
2) Close the lid
3) Pick it up with both hands
4) Shake it from left to right a few times in the air. Not rapidly from left to right BUT rather a big quick swing to the left and then a big quick swing to the right. Do it two times.
5) It should jolt the CD and or drive back to where it should be.

Hope that solves your prob. It solved mine!!!

 

[cfd]

Not the most elegant of solutions, but....while the unit is on, take a business card and insert it into the optical drive and just move it around. Back and forth on the top & bottom of the stuck disc.