dead superdrive, please help

[bruceleera]

I have a white macbook and the superdrive is dead because of tampering (specifically, inserting tweezers to get a mini-cd out of it, don´t ask), and now the drive is dead, and the official service charges me through the nose!
What I want to know is if regular external dvd reader-writers are mac-compatible, and if someone could please recommend me some that are not so expensive

Thanks in advance

 

[nomar383]

You are in luck! Most external DVD burners you can get for under $100. In fact, I got a sony one from Wal-Mart for about $80 and it is much better than the internal mac drives. Almost all external burners will be compatible out of the box. If you are really technical you could order a replacement superdrive and tear down the macbook to replace it, but that would be a lot more work.

 

[eman]

I think you would be happier putting in a new superdrive, rather than lugging around an external. Putting in the new drive is not that bad.

 

[krye]

You can get a parted-out Superdrive on eBay for cheaper. And yes, any USB burner is Mac compatible. (Except the one Apple sells for the Air.)

Here's one for $130
http://cgi.ebay.com/Apple-MacBook-P...ryZ51039QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[rpaloalto]

Call around and see if you can find a 3rd party p.c./mac repair shop. You don't need a apple re-branded drive to work, in your mac book. As long as you have at least 10.4 running. If you do still want to go with a external drive. Make sure you get one with fire wire. Like this, it even comes with a pioneer drive
http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Other World Computing/VLFWU2D115/

 

[the-sleepyhead]

Not sure if this helps but my macbook was two months out of warranty when I went into the apple store with a broken superdrive. The drive had been broken for about four months. I had actually went in the day before my warranty was supposed to expire, but they were too busy to see me (it was just after Christmas). When I went in two months later, I acted annoyed that they could not take me and the nice apple man offered to replace my superdrive FOR FREE. He did it in house, so he didn't have to charge. You could try this, or as someone else suggested, just buy the part and get someone to switch it out for a cheaper rate than apple charges.

I have an external DVD burner I used as a drive, but it was SUPER annoying to drag around.

 

[PYR0M310N]

Unless you have some experience in electronics, i wouldnm't advise you personally taking out the superdrive and replacing it, because if it is anythying like it is on the iBook then it is difficult to access.

 

[nomar383]

The MBP isn't hard to take apart, but I've heard horror stories of getting the plastic case of the macbook back together correctly. I honestly don't burn too many DVDs or CDs, or even use them, which is why I suggested an external drive