How to determine if superdrive needs replacement?

[iMac G5]

My iMac G5 is 1 year old. Recently, I mistakenly loaded a blank DVD into the slot superdrive but was then unable to eject it using the eject button on the DVD player.
The G5 does not have eject on its keyboard, nor a pinhole re-set.
Holding down the mouse on re-start did not work
Open Firmware similarly did not work (message was unable to open eject)
Hardware then listed no dvd burner present and peculiarly Macintosh HD (desktop) said 148.93 GB. 11 GB free (?)- there was actually 128.1 GB free as shown in the system info.

I tried disc Firstaid to verify the hard disc. This stopped, with the message "uncompleted task".

Extremely worried that I may have a virus (Apple network file-sharing had been open), I took it to a computer firm with Apple technicians.
The report was "removed disc from optical drive, powered up, drive accepted but would not read nor eject disc - new drive required" and the G5 handed back with the disc still inside! As I was charged $104 for "diagnosis" I insisted that the disc be removed.
When I started the computer again, it made a sound like a disc eject, then Hardware listed the superdrive's presence and the correct amount of used disc space appeared on the desk top.

Can anyone please advise if there is anyway to test the functionality of the superdrive? I read in the Forum that it may not have been aligned correctly, so perhaps its removal and replacement by the technician may have corrected this (?) I'm not game to insert another disc to try it!!

 

[bozigle]

Well you will never know if you don't try.

The imac G5 was still possible to open for the mere mortal.
extracting elements does requires a special tool (exagon with curve edges) that can be found in any good DIY store or electric/electronic store.
So if a disc get stuck again you can probably remove it yourself if you're not a two left hands.
Of course that would remove any waranty you might have. and i'm not sure that there there is the usual niddle/eject but that might be possible.

internal superdrive cost a real fortune ... you're better off buying yourself an external one for around 70(Euros for me).

bozigle

 

[iMac G5]

A far less expensive internal Superdrive than the Apple quote

Thank you very much for taking the time to reply bozigle - your help is invaluable!

I rather suspect that my problematic non-ejecting superdrive may well have been improperly seated or mis-aligned (as I have read in the forums is a known design fault), for when I powered up on my somewhat poorer return from the Apple technicians, my G5 recognised the drive again and hardware test says all is o.k.

However, to be on the safe side before another possible jammed disc (which I now know how to remove thanks to you!), I did a search on eBay for a replacement drive. I have now purchased a new Pioneer DVR - K05 (made for Apple and delivered for $US 64.95) - less than 1/3 the price quoted for the Matshita 845 as installed. I also see from the forums that others have described the Matshita as "crap" so I am looking forward to the Pioneer.

Many of these Pioneers have been sold to Mac owners with excellent feed-back to the US eBay seller (raysonpak) and I'll report on it myself a bit further down the track, but if others have a similar problem as I did, they might also be interested in my far less expensive than the Apple quoted solution AND it is an easy installation for the novice owner like myself!

Many many thanks to you and all the other devoted Mac lovers for their advices through the Forum - it's worth its' weight in gold!