Internal or External Cd Drive

Any USB or FireWire drive should work just fine.

I highly recommend against doing any DIY repairs. It can only exacerbate the problem and likely lead to you directing your anger at Apple for something that would have easily been solved if the correct actions had been taken in the first place. I know it's frustrating to spend so much money on a machine and for it to fail right off, but components will never be perfect and we can't really blame Sony for their failed drive, nor Apple.

 

Did you buy a 2010 or 2011 iMac? Or when did you exactly buy it where?

It was a 2010 iMac then?

The MacBook Air has NO optical disk drive (ODD), do you mean a MacBook (Pro)?

Using another Mac with optical disk drive (ODD) will work with DVD or CD Sharing enabled in System Preferences > Sharing:

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www.ifixit.com or www.ebay.com might help.

That is because the temp sensor has been removed and is now "free". It is the same, if you replace the HDD in that machine and don't attach the sensor properly.

I have used external CD/DVD writers connected via USB with success on my 2004 iBook, 2007 iMac, 2008 MacBook and 2009 MacBook Pro.
Strange it does not work with your daughter's Mac, but what exactly does not work with an external CD/DVD reader/writer?

 

Either those people are a bit daft or they misunderstood, what Mac you have, as that SuperDrive only works with the MacBook Air and the 2011 Mac mini, to make up for their missing ODD.

Anyway, you can buy any available external ODD out there, just look for some models on your favourite shopping sites or Amazon and read the reviews.

I just bought an LG ODD, which I didn't research, and it worked flawlessly.
I now have my SuperDrive from my 2009 MBP in an external enclosure, and that works with other Macs too.

 

External of course, you own a Mac. Who cares if Apple goes to a lot of trouble making its computers look good? You are supposed to connect a bunch of non matching external devices that don't look good hooked up to your nice looking Mac.

At least that's what a lot of Apple fans said to me when I complained about the ODD being taken out of the mini.

 

On my 2010 iMac, think I used its internal CD/DVD drive 2 times during the last 1.5 years. With today's USB sticks and wireless networking, internal CD/DVD drives are becoming old technology (thing of the past).

With this in mind, I'd probably install an internal SSD (where its internal CD/DVD drive is installed), find a fix for the fan (so it doesn't run full RPM) and connect an external DVD/CD drive via its USB port. With SSD prices coming down, it might be a good (affordable) upgrade as well.

Hope these ideas help….

 

Good advice here... I will add just one more bit....

I added a Lightscribe external CD burner to my MacPro. Its a more expensive, but the "Lightscribe" allows you to flip the CD over, and then "burn" a label onto the top of the CD. Looks much more professional than using marking pen to label the disc. You also need special Lightscribe compatible blank CDs.

I can justify the added cost since I use this for professional purposes. It's likely that you don't need this ability, but I offer it just in case it's something your daughter could in fact use. You'll need to do some research on "Lightscribe".... it's been a few years and whatever I knew then won't necessarily be applicable to a purchase made this year.

Luck.