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ibook 500 series cd drive problems
- Thread starter LTJJRS
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I just installed a new HD and Combo Drive and it's doing the exact same thing. I was only able to install OS9.2 by using an firewire DVD burner as a boot drive. Now, I can't get it to install OSX using that same method.
Any ideas?
TIA
Any ideas?
TIA
There should be some hard ware test CDs that came with your iBook. Boot your iBook up from that CD and run a hard ware test on your CD-ROM drive. Of course this is assuming your computer will allow you to boot up from a CD.
If that doesn't work, go over to Apple.com/support and see if they have any more info.
If Apple.com doesn't help, take it to your nearest Apple store and see what they say.
If that doesn't work, go over to Apple.com/support and see if they have any more info.
If Apple.com doesn't help, take it to your nearest Apple store and see what they say.
That would work, except that it spins and ejects and doesn't actually read the disc, so no luck with that approach.
Yeaah....the apple store. Diagnosis and repairs at this point would cost more than the value of the iBook at any of our local mac dealers. "Oh, you installed a combo drive? Warranty void and we'll check it out and blame everything on you for a diagnostic fee of $129 without fixing anything." Been there, done that, fuggem.
Yeaah....the apple store. Diagnosis and repairs at this point would cost more than the value of the iBook at any of our local mac dealers. "Oh, you installed a combo drive? Warranty void and we'll check it out and blame everything on you for a diagnostic fee of $129 without fixing anything." Been there, done that, fuggem.
Well if you must have the CD drive, you could always just sell your iBook on ebay and get a new/refurbished one, right now the iBooks aren't lookin to shabby. 
Of course if you really love your iBook and were willing to sacrafice some mobility you could always get an external drive. Just buy an external enclosure and put a DVD burner, CD-RW, or extra hard drive in it. You can get an external enclosure + DVD burner for about $100 at newegg.com. Thats very tempting to me, but I have to spend money on other things right now.
Of course if you really love your iBook and were willing to sacrafice some mobility you could always get an external drive. Just buy an external enclosure and put a DVD burner, CD-RW, or extra hard drive in it. You can get an external enclosure + DVD burner for about $100 at newegg.com. Thats very tempting to me, but I have to spend money on other things right now.
This tends to happen to many optical drives over a long period of time, usually due to dust on the lens. If you're feeling brave, you can open up the tray, and attempt to gently wipe the laser lens with a Q-tip. Its not harmful to do, and it might just fix your problem. Of course, this is assuming that this is a hardware and not a software issue.
musicpyrite said:Well if you must have the CD drive, you could always just sell your iBook on ebay and get a new/refurbished one, right now the iBooks aren't lookin to shabby.
Of course if you really love your iBook and were willing to sacrafice some mobility you could always get an external drive. Just buy an external enclosure and put a DVD burner, CD-RW, or extra hard drive in it. You can get an external enclosure + DVD burner for about $100 at newegg.com. Thats very tempting to me, but I have to spend money on other things right now.
I could also throw my iBook in a lake.
There is a fair amount of frustration buiding over this whole project. I am not going to sell this iBook and I have spent way more than I should have on it already. I am giving it to a friend who already bought the combo drive in question and I bought the replacement HD. Externals are nice, but have you tried to install an OS over one? It don't work. With the main optical not reading discs I can't even get up to OSX to use Patchburn, so I'm in a catch 22 with a nonfunctioning iBook and so far no way to fix it.
SPG said:
Well if you get real desperate, you could replace it yourself.
Just call an Apple store and see how much it would cost, if it is too much to replace, go get a DuLL; I've heard DuLLs are much higher quality than lousey iBooks or PowerBooks.