MacBook Pro will not read iLife '08 disc

[pottergnome]

I bought my MacBook Pro August 2007, complete with iLife '06--I'm still using Tiger, and only recently decided to upgrade to iLife '08 since it was only...$8. The thing is, I put in the iLife '08 DVD install disc, and within 30 seconds of attempting to read it, my laptop spits it back out. I've tried holding down "option" when I inserted the disc, and restarting my laptop, doing the software updates, etc. So far, not so good. It's a brand new, clean DVD disc with no scratches. My laptop will read other DVDs and CDs and even burn CDs. Granted, I've had issues with it lately; my "eject" button will randomly react and attempt to eject a CD/DVD that's not even in it, and occasionally my trackpad and keyboard stop working altogether (I had to finally break down and take it to the store; it's been temporarily fixed, even though it seems to freeze up every now and then still). I do not know why my laptop is so...sketchy, nor why an official Apple product cannot be read by it. Any suggestions?? Thanks so much!

 

[sickmacdoc]

I bought my MacBook Pro August 2007, complete with iLife '06--I'm still using Tiger, and only recently decided to upgrade to iLife '08 since it was only...$8. The thing is, I put in the iLife '08 DVD install disc, and within 30 seconds of attempting to read it, my laptop spits it back out. I've tried holding down "option" when I inserted the disc, and restarting my laptop, doing the software updates, etc. So far, not so good. It's a brand new, clean DVD disc with no scratches. My laptop will read other DVDs and CDs and even burn CDs. Granted, I've had issues with it lately; my "eject" button will randomly react and attempt to eject a CD/DVD that's not even in it, and occasionally my trackpad and keyboard stop working altogether (I had to finally break down and take it to the store; it's been temporarily fixed, even though it seems to freeze up every now and then still). I do not know why my laptop is so...sketchy, nor why an official Apple product cannot be read by it. Any suggestions?? Thanks so much!

I know I won't be the last to be curious about this, so will ask- where did you manage to find an "official Apple product" disk of iLife 08 for $8? I have a distressing feeling that that may lead to the basis of the problem with that particular disk.

Some info though- an iLife disk does not have an operating system on it, so the "Option" key idea will not work with any iLife disk- the "Option" key startup will only list bootable disks available to startup from.

 

[pottergnome]

Oh, someone on another site told me the "option" key would work, and when it didn't, I just decided to write that there before someone else suggested it--thanks!

Haha I'm currently attending the University of Oregon; I bought the iLife disc at our "Digital Duck Store"--they are 90% off for Valentine's Day (...).

 

[sickmacdoc]

Oh, someone on another site told me the "option" key would work, and when it didn't, I just decided to write that there before someone else suggested it--thanks!

Haha I'm currently attending the University of Oregon; I bought the iLife disc at our "Digital Duck Store"--they are 90% off for Valentine's Day (...).

Congrats on the purchase at that price! Of course it would be even better if it worked right?

No great advice from this point really other than to see if you can try the same disk in any other Macs (I imagine someone else you know has one) to at least begin troubleshooting to determine if it might be the disk itself. Even though it does look ok visually the laptop drives are notoriously picky so it would be good to eliminate the disk as a cause- if it turns out defective calling Apple would be in order to get a replacement for it.

Even better is if there is an Apple store in your area, you could take it (and the computer) in to do the testing since if it failed to read on theirs too you could probably arrange for a replacement disk at very least (take the disk receipt along to prove you just got it- they might even swap it for the newer iLife 09 since it is unlikely they would have any 08 disks on hand still), or they could take a look to see if there are other problems with the drive itself if the disk works in theirs- that is certainly not unheard of. The other symptoms you have described would certainly favor taking it in if it is possible.

Good luck- I hope you get fixed up right!

 

[eckndu]

do you use the superdrive often? have you tried read other disc?

mine couldn't read many DVDs and the OEM OSX disc, i had it replaced by a "genius"

 

[pottergnome]

Thank you!!! There is an Apple store a few blocks from campus, so I will probably just take it there--you're right, they probably will replace it. Now that I think about it, my laptop has been picky with discs before; it'd take one blank DVD, but not another.

I'll let you know if they replace it/fix it~!

 

[sickmacdoc]

Thank you!!! There is an Apple store a few blocks from campus, so I will probably just take it there--you're right, they probably will replace it. Now that I think about it, my laptop has been picky with discs before; it'd take one blank DVD, but not another.

I'll let you know if they replace it/fix it~!

Geez- how convenient that is! Wish the nearest one to me was as handy! Good luck with it- they will get you straightened out one way or another I'm sure. And yes, please do post back the results for the good of people experiencing similar difficulties and searching for answers.