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Superdrive Problem - What could cause this?

jbrown

jbrown

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jul 7, 2002
997
4
London
Hi Brains!

I seem to be having problems burning DVDs on my MBP 2.4. I'm just copying data / photos.

It's burnt one disc, then ejected it saying there was a problem with the disc.

When I examined the disc, all the data had copied fine.

To be safe I tried to copy it again ( several times ), and on each disc as it began to copy - it stopped copying and ejected the disc. The gave me this message.

" This disc can't be burned, because the device failed to calibrate the laser power level for this media"

The discs are non-brand DVDs.

Is it a problem with my Superdrive - and if so how can I test it? Or is it the media? I have a slow HP DVD RW drive, and it seems to be copying alright with the same media.

cheers all:)
 
Thanks for the replies chaps

No joy yet.

I've done the following:

I tried the Macosxhints tip ( resetting languages in the prefs )- no joy.

I rebooted into a Tiger partition, but it wouldn't burn.

I tried burning a CD, and it burnt no problem.

I tried burning a small file to DVD, but it wouldn't burn.

Tried to PLAY a DVD - this works no problem

Tried different brand media.

I've also tried zapping the pram....but I don't seem to be getting a normal pram reset ( from what I've read, you hold down command / alt / P / R on start up, let it beep twice, let go of the keys and let it restart. But if I hold down the keys, it never beeps, just keeps restarting. )

ANy other ideas gang?:(
 
Update...

Sorry for the delay, I've been busy with work and school. Turn around was really quick, I sent it off on a Friday and it was returned Monday. I don't think they replaced any parts because the paper says any replaced parts would be denoted with an (*). None of the parts have that symbol, the list looks like:

Description - Symptom
Optical SuperDrive - Optical Drive Read/Write Data Error
Optical Drive Flex Cable - Cable Issue
Fan - Noise/Hum/Vibration Issue
Fan - Noise/Hum/Vibration Issue
1GB RAM - Memory Module (RAM) - No Boot

From that list it looks like the SuperDrive had a cable issue, but I can't be certain.
 
Greasy DVD?

AlexJ0702 said:
Sorry for the delay, I've been busy with work and school. Turn around was really quick, I sent it off on a Friday and it was returned Monday. I don't think they replaced any parts because the paper says any replaced parts would be denoted with an (*). None of the parts have that symbol, the list looks like:

Description - Symptom
Optical SuperDrive - Optical Drive Read/Write Data Error
Optical Drive Flex Cable - Cable Issue
Fan - Noise/Hum/Vibration Issue
Fan - Noise/Hum/Vibration Issue
1GB RAM - Memory Module (RAM) - No Boot

From that list it looks like the SuperDrive had a cable issue, but I can't be certain.
Click to expand...

Hi,
I have some problem when burning discs. Take a look at the disc that faild, is there some grease or scratches on the surface. I have 5 iMACs that put grease on the CD / DVD. At the moment the MAC is verifying the disc it fails reading the disc, it wont play properly in a DVD player. But you could wipe the grease of with some alcohol, then it works.
Is ther anyone else haveing this problem?

Best regards
Lasse Martinell
 
Superdrive Problems

My superdrive will accept audio CD's and I am able to get my music into iTunes. That's the good news. Recently, it keeps ejecting program disks, including Tune Ranger, Disk Genius 2 (a bootable disk), and OSX itself.

WTF?
 
I had the exact same problem with my superdrive (2.2 Ghz Macbook Pro). After exhausting all of the possible software and hardware fixes, I just went out and bought a CD-cleaner disk as a last resort. It worked like a charm.

Just thought you might want to try this before sending it in for repairs. :)
 
MBP Superdrive problems

I had the exact same problem with my superdrive (2.2 Ghz Macbook Pro). After exhausting all of the possible software and hardware fixes, I just went out and bought a CD-cleaner disk as a last resort. It worked like a charm.

Just thought you might want to try this before sending it in for repairs. :)

jvanyt - thanks for the suggestion - I'll let you know if it works out.

Boy, it looks like Apple ought to rethink this drive. Mine has had less use than average, and it is too soon to behaving poorly.

Again, thanks.
 
I made a wedding video for some friends on idvd, but when I go to burn the project it says your computer does not have the superdrive to support this so while you can work with idvd you will not be able to burn discs...Help!

I thought that all macbooks should be able to burn discs?
 
I'm having similar problems

I have a late 2008 MBP that will no longer burn to media I have used successfully in the past. I don't have AppleCare, but due to it being a suspected hardware issue Apple waived the tech support fee.

Went through a bunch of resetting and still could not get the drive to burn to my Maxwell DVD+R or my Ativa CD-R, despite having done so in the past. Discs ejected by my MBP burn fine in the university's iMacs.

Took the MBP into a local service center today and they just called saying they were unable to replicate the problem, so it's not hardware. Despite Apple having said it WAS hardware.

Is there a list of recommended media to use in the Matshita drives? And WHY ON EARTH should media brand matter?
 
I had the exact same problem- could read CDs/DVDs fine, but would refuse to burn a disc, by spitting out "failed to calibrate power level".

Took it to the Apple Store, they tried to burn a disc, and the same error. They replaced the Super Drive.

It works great now.
 
Optical Drive Disk Cleaner Fix

jvanyp - Thanks for the suggestion - I cleaned the drive and it works better now - not 100%, but 90%, which, without AppleCare will have to do.

Again thanks for sharing.
;)
 
jbrown said:
Hi Brains!

I seem to be having problems burning DVDs on my MBP 2.4. I'm just copying data / photos.

It's burnt one disc, then ejected it saying there was a problem with the disc.

When I examined the disc, all the data had copied fine.

To be safe I tried to copy it again ( several times ), and on each disc as it began to copy - it stopped copying and ejected the disc. The gave me this message.

" This disc can't be burned, because the device failed to calibrate the laser power level for this media"

The discs are non-brand DVDs.

Is it a problem with my Superdrive - and if so how can I test it? Or is it the media? I have a slow HP DVD RW drive, and it seems to be copying alright with the same media.

cheers all:)
Click to expand...

Ive had the same problem... twice!

My original Combo drive needed to be replaced when it couldnt read CDs anymore, It got replaced with a single layer MATSHITA DVD-R UJ-857, which had the same problem as you have. I just got my macbook back from repair with a new superdrive and when burning from iTunes or a burn folder, it spins up the disc twice then spits it out. I have been using the same CDRs since I had my combo drive, which worked perfectly on that, My brother's macbook and on our family PC.

Im gunna buy some different CDs next, then archive and install, but I wonder if it could be to do with a logic board fault or some piece of hardware other than the superdrive.
 
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