MacBook Superdrive grinds and scratches when tilted?

[cleanup]

1. Put a CD or DVD into your MacBook's Superdrive.
2. Wait for it to spin up a bit.
3. Tilt your MacBook slightly.

Hear that noise? That's your MacBook going to town on your shiny CD/DVD. All I was doing was carrying the thing around while it had optical media in it. It wasn't even playing, but the DVD was spinning, and the slightest tilt made an awful grinding noise.

What's the deal? Anybody else have this? I have a newest revision Blackbook.

 

[mikehokie]

1. Put a CD or DVD into your MacBook's Superdrive.
2. Wait for it to spin up a bit.
3. Tilt your MacBook slightly.

Hear that noise? That's your MacBook going to town on your shiny CD/DVD. All I was doing was carrying the thing around while it had optical media in it. It wasn't even playing, but the DVD was spinning, and the slightest tilt made an awful grinding noise.

What's the deal? Anybody else have this? I have a newest revision Blackbook.

I have a MBP and I had the same issue. Except it was at any angle. I am NOT impressed whatsoever with that sloat loading superdrive. Tray loading ones are a lot better IMHO because when you pull out the disk even though there is the little fuzzy stuff on the end, there is a chance it will scratch.

 

[eluk]

Don't do it. What were you expecting?

 

[BlackMax]

My MacBook does the same thing. Scared the heck out of me the first time when I moved my MacBook to grab a soda while watching a movie. It has happen several more times since then and I've never encountered any CD or DVD damage. I am much more careful now though.

As a comparison I tried the same thing with my IBM T42 and the T42 had no problems handling slight movement or tilting while watching a movie.

I'm guessing because of the 1" height of the MacBook the clearances are probably much less. I doubt it has anything to do with slot loading versus tray loading.

Just be careful moving your MacBook while you have a CD or DVD playing.

 

[uicandrew]

Don't do it. What were you expecting?

my sentiments exactly.

it's like saying, "when i turn the steering wheel, the car goes in a different direction."

it is part of the inherent design. if you want to go ahead and screw up your discs, be my guest, but please stay away from my macbook and optical media.

besides, why would you want to tilt it with a disc inside when it is spinning? that is asking for trouble.

 

[Stratification]

It's called gyroscopic force (though some physics junkie may correct me on that). When you tilt something that's spinning it resists, no shocks there. So until you can get the laws of physics upgraded it'll be an issue.

 

[Merlinus]

It's called gyroscopic force (though some physics junkie may correct me on that). When you tilt something that's spinning it resists, no shocks there. So until you can get the laws of physics upgraded it'll be an issue.

ROFL. I definitely need to get myself one of those upgrades. Mine's horribly outdated

 

[cleanup]

I just don't understand why I haven't experienced it on any other laptop I've owned, or in my iMac?

And I'm not tilting it on purpose. It's just when a disc is inside and perhaps I'm holding the laptop and it happens to tilt slightly. Or it's on my lap and I'm on my bed listening to an album or watching a DVD and occasionally I move my legs and tilt the notebook. Or maybe I'm on a train or a bus or a car and the occasional bump or jerk makes the notebook tilt. Then the scratching occurs if the jerk is sudden enough. In my experience, it's never happened before with another laptop. Is it because this is only an issue with slot-loading drives?

 

[BlackMax]

I just don't understand why I haven't experienced it on any other laptop I've owned, or in my iMac?

You are correct, this behavior does not occur on all notebooks. It did not occur on my T42. As mentioned above I believe it is because of the tighter clearances on the 1" tall MacBook.

If you want to go really thin, there are going to be some trade offs. Not a huge deal in my mind.