Optical Drive Scratching Discs

[cptbigt]

Hi,

I've noticed that recently my macbook pro drive has been severely scratching DVD's now and then (doesn't always happen but when it does it renders the DVD unusable). At first I wasn't sure if it was the drive or not but now I am sure it is. The laptop hasn't been moved or dropped in anyway and its just started happening for no apparent reason - laptop isn't on a tilt either it hasn't been moved from the desk in weeks.

Is this an issue with the MATSHITA DVD-R UJ-868 drive? It's still in warranty and i'm going to take it into a authorised apple service provider tomorrow and see what they can do but I just wanted to check about this drive as I don't really want a replacement of the same drive if its just going to do it again. Also is there any chance apple could offer some form of compensation for the DVD that was just destroyed by it? It was a part of a boxset so kind of ruins the collection. Many thanks,

Cptbigt

 

[Dreamail]

That's pretty annoying to have a DVD scratched by your drive...

Over the years I saw it happening a few times on my old PowerBook too. DVDs and Audio CDs. But there was no real pattern to it. They're not always scratched. Nor do disks get scratched that are particularly noisy or strongly vibrating.
In total I think I had to re-purchase 2 DVD and 2 Audio CDs because of drive scratches.

But whenever it happened, the disks had 3 or 4 very strong radial, parallel scratches, which were so bad that the disk became unusable.
Because of their radial and parallel nature I think they get scratched on the way out. Not on the way in as the DVD was playing perfectly - one last time before it got ejected.

I don't think Apple will replace the disks though as it is impossible to prove it was the drive - especially since it is not 100% reproducible. At least with my drive.


The one possible clue I did find was that it seems to happen if the computer does too much at the same time and / or the disk is in full spin while pressing the eject button.

It's the combination of events that makes the drive scratch the disk. As if it is a Mac OS fault rather than a drive fault.

I now make sure that I press stop first, wait a few seconds and only then eject the disk.

 

[cptbigt]

Yeah I didn't think apple would do much about the DVD as its not always easy to reproduce the fault.

But do you think they would replace the drive after I take it into the store tomorrow? I can't prove or reproduce the fault that happens with it as it happens randomly which may mean they won't replace it