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iMac G4 700 Disc Tray not opening?

rjcalifornia

rjcalifornia

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Oct 4, 2012
668
7
El Salvador
iMac G4 700 Disc Tray is not opening.

How can I fix that? I can hear there's noise coming from the DVD Drive, like trying to open but it doesn't.

What could it be?
I tried the Command Key + O + F and still the same :/

Any suggestions?

Note: Diagnostics shows no issues. The System Profiler detects the drive as working.
 
rjcalifornia said:
iMac G4 700 Disc Tray is not opening.

How can I fix that? I can hear there's noise coming from the DVD Drive, like trying to open but it doesn't.

What could it be?
I tried the Command Key + O + F and still the same :/

Any suggestions?

Note: Diagnostics shows no issues. The System Profiler detects the drive as working.
Click to expand...

If you open flap under the disc tray is a small slot if push something small in it will open tray enough to pull open by hand
 
rjcalifornia said:
I couldn't see that.
Click to expand...

On mine it is white and plainly visible. What happened to my friend was that his is obstructed by part of the optical drive itself. See if something the same color is sitting below the door and blocking something.
 
MisterKeeks said:
On mine it is white and plainly visible. What happened to my friend was that his is obstructed by part of the optical drive itself. See if something the same color is sitting below the door and blocking something.
Click to expand...

On my sons it is a slot 5mm x2mm slightly right center under disc drawer [you have to open flap to get to it]
 
MisterKeeks said:
On mine it is white and plainly visible. What happened to my friend was that his is obstructed by part of the optical drive itself. See if something the same color is sitting below the door and blocking something.
Click to expand...

On my sons it is a slot 5mm x2mm slightly right center under disc drawer [you have to open flap to get to it]
Click to expand...

Nothing. It is black DVD drive. There's nothing below :( it sounds like it is stuck, I can't even pull it out :/
 
You can have the iMac try to eject it on boot by holding down the mouse button when you turn it on.
 
rjcalifornia said:
That was the first thing I did. As I said, it sounds like it is trying to be ejected but can't eject the tray :/
Click to expand...

Are you able to see the little eject hole on the optical drive itself? Did you stick in a paperclip to eject the drive? If you can't see that or are unable to properly get something to eject the drive, you may have to disassemble your iMac.
 
Intell said:
Are you able to see the little eject hole on the optical drive itself? Did you stick in a paperclip to eject the drive? If you can't see that or are unable to properly get something to eject the drive, you may have to disassemble your iMac.
Click to expand...

I take it that some of the G4 iMacs used different types of drives, as mine has a large white thing that you can push in to force eject.
 
MisterKeeks said:
I take it that some of the G4 iMacs used different types of drives, as mine has a large white thing that you can push in to force eject.
Click to expand...

They all use standard desktop optical drives. Long white thing, you mean the optical drive's eject button or the thing behind the faceplate that is used to manually eject the drive?
 
Intell said:
They all use standard desktop optical drives. Long white thing, you mean the optical drive's eject button or the thing behind the faceplate that is used to manually eject the drive?
Click to expand...

Manually eject the drive. About as long as a keyboard key and half as tall.
 
Intell said:
Are you able to see the little eject hole on the optical drive itself? Did you stick in a paperclip to eject the drive? If you can't see that or are unable to properly get something to eject the drive, you may have to disassemble your iMac.
Click to expand...

Well, here's the thing... :'( :(

No eject hole, no special thing for forcing ejection nothing :(

Do I have some weird DVD drive on my iMac? It is the iMac G4 700 Mhz 15"

I am going to take some pictures, and then post them here. 8 eyes are better than 2 ;)

----------
MisterKeeks said:
I take it that some of the G4 iMacs used different types of drives, as mine has a large white thing that you can push in to force eject.
Click to expand...

Mine has nothing of that. I don't know, am I blind? :'( I am kinda blind, for real :/
 
rjcalifornia said:
Well, here's the thing... :'( :(

No eject hole, no special thing for forcing ejection nothing :(

Do I have some weird DVD drive on my iMac? It is the iMac G4 700 Mhz 15"

I am going to take some pictures, and then post them here. 8 eyes are better than 2 ;)
Click to expand...

It does have one, but it maybe hidden under the iMac's body. Some of the eject holes on optical drives are lower down on them and the iMac's body could be obscuring it.
 
Intell said:
Time to find a Torx 10 screw driver.
Click to expand...

Actually I did and I was about to get the last torx to get the dvd drive out when... Guess what? The torx was no longer torx, it was round, so there's no way to get it out...

This blows... there's a bright side, the internal memory was good, the problem was dust, I mean it was a dust fest inside the imac. It is faster now :D
 
rjcalifornia said:
Ok, so, in the front side of the tray, is there a way that I can access such eject hole?
Click to expand...

You should see the eject hole or manual eject lever. Post a clear, focused image in the iMac's optical drive with the door down and we'll be able to see if the hole or lever is accessible.
 
System Profiler will tell you what model drive is in the machine. With that info you can google the specs and maybe find some trouble shooting tips.
 
rjcalifornia said:
Actually I did and I was about to get the last torx to get the dvd drive out when... Guess what? The torx was no longer torx, it was round, so there's no way to get it out...
Click to expand...

Ouch! As those screws are so small, the normal method of removing a screw (I don't even know what they are called in english, but a picture may help) is not practical.

That basically leaves three alternatives:
- use a dremel (or comparative) tool to cut a slit through/into the top of the screw to then use a normal straight screwdriver, but quite honestly, if the screw's metal is soft enough to be destroyed by a torx-screwdriver, this will probably not work. In case of soft metal, the next alternative is better
- if the screw head protrudes, you can use a pair of flatheaded pliers (I personally prefer a small locking plier) to grab the screw by it's head and rotate it out. I've once seen a set of pliers especially made for this purpose, and am sorry I did not buy them.
- drill off the screw head - itself a dicey proposition as the thread-part will stay where it is and the screw hole is rendered unusable AND if your drill slips, you'll cause some nasty damage.

RGDS,
 
Intell said:
You should see the eject hole or manual eject lever. Post a clear, focused image in the iMac's optical drive with the door down and we'll be able to see if the hole or lever is accessible.
Click to expand...

Based on his description, I'd imagine that it probably looks quite a bit like my iMac, which also has a black ODD and no visible eject hole. Mine is a G4/800 with a SuperDrive.
 

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