DVD cannot be read or ejected

[Ramirez]

I have this ridiculous problem with my MacBook (unibody). I've inserted a DVD that the drive cannot read. Because it cannot read it, it tries to eject it. Now my MacBook has always been a bit dodgy at ejecting disks - sometimes I have to slant it slightly so the disc comes out. However, this DVD just won't come out regardless of what I do. It's stuck in this loop of trying to read it, failing, trying to eject it, failing, trying to read, failing, etc.

Do anyone have any ideas on how to get the disc out?

 

[rkmac]

When this happened to me once I just opened up my macbook and then opened up the superdrive and took out the disc.
I would suggest the same unless anyone has tips to get discs out without having to unscrew the whole machine

 

[Ramirez]

Opening the back was my next move. I've watched a couple of videos where people slot something thin into the drive to try and assist the disc out, but none of these have worked. Off to buy some screwdrivers at lunch, I guess.

 

[blackburn]

Slot loading drives are a pain in the ass. That's way I only use an external regular drive. The noise when I turn on the macbook already scares me, looks like it's hungry for an disk to chew

 

[rkmac]

Slot loading drives are a pain in the ass. That's way I only use an external regular drive. The noise when I turn on the macbook already scares me, looks like it's hungry for an disk to chew

I've removed my optical drive now. Placed a SSD in its place. No more hungry optical drive... the sound that thing made every time the computer started up or came out of sleep was horrendous.

 

[Ramirez]

Slot loading drives are a pain in the ass

I completely agree. This is my second one (first was from a PC) and they are a continual source of misery.

When this happened to me once I just opened up my macbook and then opened up the superdrive and took out the disc.
I would suggest the same unless anyone has tips to get discs out without having to unscrew the whole machine

rkmac, how did you get the disc out in the end? Did you remove the entire optical drive?

 

[rkmac]

rkmac, how did you get the disc out in the end? Did you remove the entire optical drive?

From memory, you do need to take the whole optical drive out to access the screws on the optical drive to open it as well.

 

[Ramirez]

Thanks - that's what I did in the end. I think I am going to do what some of you guys have done. Buy an external DVD drive and replace the internal one with an SSD.

 

[rkmac]

Good to hear it worked out in the end
Here is a link to a website that sells kits to replace the optical drive. Once you have a SSD, you will wonder how you survived without one.

OWC Data Doublers

 

[Abscissa]

I think I had this issue back 2 years ago, and the eject button wouldn't give me my disc back. I think upon loading you hold the mouse click down, if I recall...that got rid of it for me.