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HELP! Accidentally dropped an SD card into the CD slot!

J

JUNNEL20

macrumors member
Original poster
May 23, 2008
74
37
I need help... I was in a rush and accidentally dropped my SD card inside the CD slot of my 27" iMac. I'm afraid to turn it on its side and start shaking it for fear of further lodging it deeper inside the unit. Has anyone tried to open an iMac and see if the SD card would be ok leaving it inside of the CD drive?

I wish the iMac didn't have so many uncovered slots to prevent this from happening. Anyway, any help is appreciated. I don't care to get back the SD card at all. I just want to make sure that the CD drive will be ok and it'll still be able to read/write cd's. Thanks!
 
DO NOT USE THE CD/DVD DRIVE TILL YOU GET THE SD CARD OUT

Now that I've got that out of the way do a search on here. This has been covered a few times and I'm sure there are some suggestions on how to get it out. The above bold/all caps is important: if you manage to get a CD/DVD in there with the SD card you will almost certainly end up needing a replacement CD/DVD drive, replacement SD card and replacement CD/DVD as all three will probably get jammed together and trashed.
 
Will do! I just found a youtube video which shows a method of removing it. Thanks! I will try it when I get home from work.
 
Been there, done that... Not too big a deal actually!

1) Unplug everything and carry iMac to someplace like over a bed or a couch. (DO NOT do the following with the unit plugged in regardless of whether you think you shut it down or not!)

2) Hold it tilted almost all the way to the right and "shake" downward just once or twice. Don't shake it like it's a mixed drink, but rather just thrust it downward a couple of times.

3) While holding the Mac at a tilted angle (resting corner on bed or couch works and of course is soft), take a blunt tip butter knife (important that it not be sharp point, but rounded) and insert the knife edge in about halfway "up" the drive slot, and just a couple of inches in at the most - and tilt the inserted tip down at an angle towards the bottom of the drive slot. Gently pull the knife out to catch the SD card and sweep it towards the drive slot opening. IF you keep the mac tilted over while doing this, it should come out pretty easily. It will catch on the dust protection skirt, but at that point you can grab the edge of it with your fingers...

You could use a Popsicle stick (clean of course) if your more comfortable using wood vs. metal, BUT (and this is huge) if you fray the wood at all and get a splinter of it in the drive... No bueno.
 
The first of Roheryn's linked YouTube videos is great, just make sure unit is UNPLUGGED! Also, be sure to use cardboard that is NOT "fibrous" - the cereal box is a good idea. The issue is getting any paper residue jammed into the drive gears.

The second video, for the reason indicated above about paper, is nothing short of potentially disastrous IMHO.
 
i find that engineering genius to place an SD card slot right next to the DVD bay. congratulations apple.
 
check out the video's posted above 26139. they actually have a tool designed for just such a predicament.
 
26139 said:
Really?

First time in 25 years of using Macs that I've ever heard of this happening.

People make weird mistakes, man.
Click to expand...

It's happened twice in the short time I've had my 27" 2010 iMac (the second time was my fault). The credit card trick worked both times to get it out.

MCSN said:
i find that engineering genius to place an SD card slot right next to the DVD bay. congratulations apple.
Click to expand...

They eventually solved that problem by removing the disk drive completely and it has worked great. Not once have I dropped an SD card into the nonexistent disk drive on my Retina iMac.
 
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