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Credit card cd-rom stuck in Slot loading iMac!!!!!

B

boskie

macrumors regular
Original poster
Feb 6, 2001
187
0
North Side Of Itchy Town
I know this is a long shot as i suspect it's back to base for the machine. However...

Before sending it back, i was wondering if the combined knowledge of everyone would be able to help me get this damned CC cd-rom (nicely given to my dad by the metroploitan police regarding the dangers of terrorists in central london, which in the interests of safety he shoved it in his Slot-loading iMac DV).

Apple system profiler obviously laughs at me for thinking that it might show up as "media-inserted". The pin in the RHS of the slot gets poked, but to no avail and even the quick release spring mechanism on the LHS purrs like a disgruntled cat awoken by a vacumn cleaner, and also refuses to spit the disc out like a baby chewing on your iPod headphones...

So my question is HELP!
 
I think the only way to get it out would be to dismantle the drive, and that wouldn't be an easy thing to do, since it has tons of springs and gears that must be alighed perfectly, and things could just unexpectedly pop out, and you'd never know where they went.

If you can get some tweezers in the slot, it might help, but otherwise, it looks like your iMac will be making a trip to Apple.
 
This is why tray based players in my opinion are the way to go. I hope we dont see a slotted imac lcd anytime soon. I one time had to use a needle nose pliars to pull out a cd in my cars unit.
 
take it to an authorized apple dealer and save yourself the trouble. this is why we have a huge sign at our checkout counter "do not put mini cd's in your slot load drive" unless you want to go to hell and back to get it out. if you dont have a dealer in your area you better hope someone hooks you up online with the apple service manual and get your screw drivers out because its gonna be a long day.

iJon
 
Originally posted by iJon
take it to an authorized apple dealer and save yourself the trouble.

I wouldn't mind giving it a go myself.

this is why we have a huge sign at our checkout counter "do not put mini cd's in your slot load drive" unless you want to go to hell and back to get it out.

yeah well, there are still people who need reassurance when saving files - my dad being one.

I found it funny though that the Police didn't give any warning literature with it regarding slot loading devices. This has caused more problems than the now weekly bomb scares he gets in the area of his shop.

if you dont have a dealer in your area you better hope someone hooks you up online with the apple service manual and get your screw drivers out because its gonna be a long day.

but one i'll definately enjoy!!!
Click to expand...
 
i guess us mac people at the shop took ti for common sense not to put one in there. but one thing i have understood is that people really dont know not to do that. eveytime someone looks at the sign they ask me why not. well if you have any questions about ripping that thing to shreads let us know, make sure you get yourself a grounding strap and try to find a service manual, i dont know if you have ever taken apart an imac but its a bitch. remember if you fry that mobo its like a billion dollars from apple to replace it(ok more like 600) so play it safe and dont work on carptet.

iJon
 
thanks for the doubly safe advice :p

I think i've got a service manual somewhere from HL.

Are there any particular tools (such as hex keys, crow bar etc...) i might need on my adventure?

I suppose the easiest thing would be to extract the DVD-ROM drive itself (if indeed that is an esy option) and work on taht alone.

This raises another question: If i can do the above and it ends up that the best solution is too replace the drive, where and what drive could i install into the iMac?

I suppose if worst comes to worst i can finally make that aquarium i've alwys wanted.

http://www.redlightrunner.com/slotimdoitki.html
 
well on a sentimental note, this is how my partner and i hooked up-- he used this as an excuse to have me fix his iMac not long after we first met.

memories :)

Okay, if you're comfortable inside an iMac, you should be fine-- i didn't have to disassemble the drive assembly to get it out (thank god). the case isn't solid all the way around, and has a lot of openings just perfect sized for paperclips, toothpicks, anything you happen to have around... turn the drive facing down, then jostle the disc around with a toothpick until it falls out (and for gods sake, be careful- you can damage a lot in there)...

if you have some experience in stuff like this, it's no big deal at all. if it sounds scary, service center it :)

btw, i would not keep trying to eject/read the disc-- you could damage the drive...

pnw
 
i also want to make one note as well before your adventure. there is a good chance you drive is dead now because of the cd being flung around in there. so dont be surprised if you have to order another one.

iJon
 
I have successfully used the mini-CD's in slot loading iMacs, but the odd-shaped ones do not work, never try.

edit: here is a nice document on what you can and can't put into your slot loading iMac
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=58641


I have removed plenty of them from iMacs when working as a tech. Really isn't hard to do for somebody that knows the tear-down on the iMac. But for somebody that does not know, don't try, please, I beg you! :)
 
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