Repairing macbook superdrive/backlight?

[mackmack]

My girlfriend has an aging white macbook with an occasionally flickering backlight and a superdrive that will read cds but will not read dvds.

The flickering backlight I'm assuming I'll have to just replace the inverter. Is there anything I could try with the superdrive? If not, what can I use to replace it? Do all gen macbooks use the same type of interchangeable drive?

 

[logana]

The flickering backlight I'm assuming I'll have to just replace the inverter. Is there anything I could try with the superdrive? If not, what can I use to replace it? Do all gen macbooks use the same type of interchangeable drive?

The flickering is probably the inverter but might be the cable between the inverter and the logicboard...

All the plastic MacBooks use the same physical size of optical drives - they can all be swapped about - if you only need to read dvds (and not burn them) then go for a combo - off eBay maybe...

 

[mackmack]

The flickering is like the normal display dimming after a short period of inactivity. The display doesn't go completely out when it flickers. Could it possibly be something other than the inverter?

I'll look around for more info on the drives. I don't think she regularly burns DVDs so a combo could be a cheap solution.