superdrive not so super

[rhuarc3]

i need some help. i have a mid 2010 27" iMac with a superdrive issue. i had an issue where my 4 year old thought the drive would be a fun place to put a quarter so the drive was replaced about 2 years ago. now since ML update it just reads discs for a few seconds and spits them out. i don't use it often so it hasn't really been an issue but my wife needed to load a program for work and its on a disc, so i'm trying to fix the drive.

i've tried everything i can think of, short of replacing the drive for the 3rd time, (yeah 1st was a quarter then 2 discs at same time, the monster is trying to break it i think). Any suggestions?

Thanks

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i forgot to mention that i have updated to yosemite since. everything else is running fine.

 

[Weaselboy]

Just grab a cheap external USB optical drive like this one.

 

[Brian33]

Unfortunately, Weaselboy probably has the best idea.

I doubt this would work, but what if you blow some canned "compressed air" (used for electronics dusting) in there, on the vague idea that dust/dirt is causing a problem? Like I said, it probably won't work but might be worth a try if you've got some handy.

For a movie DVD player that stopped working, I once tried a type of DVD "lens cleaner" disc (something like this, but not this particular one: at amazon), but it didn't help. So I don't really recommend that, either.

Otherwise I guess you'd have to remove the optical drive from your iMac.

 

[Fishrrman]

I, too, recommend weaselboy's approach above.

For about $20, you can find an external USB drive that will do what you need it to do.

I'd also suggest looking for a "tray loading" type drive (pull out tray, put CD/DVD in, close tray) rather than a "slot loader". They're often more reliable.

 

[leventozler]

Opening the drive and wiping the lens always worked for me. Did you try a lens cleaner?

 

[cynics]

I'd also vote external if that isn't out of the question. I picked up a Samsung SE506 Blu Ray burner for 69 bucks on Amazon a few weeks ago. Has worked flawlessly with no setup required. Reader only are surely significantly less expensive.

 

[PixelpusherBV]

Weaselboy's suggestion is the way to go for a simple solution, otherwise replace the drive... again.

Whilst you're at it, let your kid know that Mr Superdrive isn't hungry anymore

 

[rhuarc3]

Whilst you're at it, let your kid know that Mr Superdrive isn't hungry anymore

yeah he's learned. After a few weeks of no computer , he finally caught on.

 

[rhuarc3]

Ended up getting the Samsung external on Amazon. Didn't want to spend money but for an extra 6 bucks it's protected for an additional 2years beyond warranty.

 

[raytheappleguy]

About the super drive not so super

You did well to get that Samsung rhuarc3

I just bought a iMac last month, my first Mac; have OS X 10.10 and had difficulty using my LG Super Multi external optical drive (6 year old) so I bought the Apple Super drive and realized after a while that my LG was just fine, I hadn't followed the proper way to burn.

After plenty of testing I know now that the super drive only works if plugged in directly to the iMac's usb port, won't work on a hub.

Using the very same Memorex -R DVD discs on both optical external drives, the LG has the advantage of working if plugged into a powered hub, not the Super Drive; furthermore I can burn at 16x the very same data which for some reason I can only burn at max 12x but most often 8x on the super drive.

So your Samsung was a good choice as long as your son doesn't try to slide in a sclice of bread to make toast.