iMac 2009 -- all of a sudden disc drive won't work!

[eroxx]

I just went to put a disc in the drive and nothing happened ... I thought maybe a disc was in it, but my computer doesn't show me anything in it, and when I hit eject nothing happens ... ????

 

[Taz Mangus]

Try doing a PRAM reset and see if it helps. You might have a problem with the optical drive. The optical drive failed on my 2009 Mac-Mini without any warning. In my case, the drive would take in a DVD and then spit it out after about 30 seconds of trying to read it. Apple replaced the drive under my Applecare.

 

[eroxx]

it won't take anything. It almost feels like something's in there, but I don't think there is. I'll google pram reset

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Nope, didn't do anything ... is there a manual release so I can know 100% there's nothing in there?

 

[SaSaSushi]

When you run Disk Utility does the Superdrive appear in the list of drives?

 

[eroxx]

it does ... ?

 

[SaSaSushi]

Well, I suppose that doesn't rule out hardware failure, but it's a step in the right direction. Does Disk Utility show any media inserted in the drive? There is the rare occasion for me when Finder somehow doesn't and I have manually eject from Disk Utility.

 

[eroxx]

nope, it's grayed out and says empty ...

 

[SaSaSushi]

It sounds like the slot loading mechanism may have failed in which case there won't be much you can do outside of replacement of the drive itself. Do you have Applecare?