Q: TSST SH-S222L DVD Writer Bad Behavior
Equipment:
PPC PowerMac 2.7 GHz dual-CPU G5, Early 2005 build. 5.5 GB RAM, two WD internal hard disks. New CPU/LCS assembly (replaced by Apple Store). Optical drive is a Samsung SH-S222L CD/DVD writer.
Software/Firmware:
Running Mac OS X v10.4.11, Samsung firmware vSB-03, PatchBurn v4.0.5.
Both hard drives tested with TechTool Pro v 4.1.2, Disk Warrior v4.4, and Apple Disk Utility. All tests pass. "Memorex cleaner CD" run several times.
Problem:
Random failures of computer to eject disk, to close tray, for tray to stay closed, for CD-ROM icon to appear on desktop, also unusual buzz-click sounds after disc is installed before CD-ROM spins up continuously. During video game play, requests for disc change result in strange behavior like the Mac claiming the disc is unreadable, but repeated eject/close tray cycles sometimes overcomes the problem. These problems have occurred off and on over a period of months.
I am unaware whether the Samsung optical driver is covered by the Mac OS I/O software or whether Samsung offers a special driver for the Mac. The CD-ROM disc supplied with the SH-S222L is exclusively PC-type, although the Mac can display the media contents, which are ".exe" files. "File Juicer" extracts some of these files which show ".dll" files internally, but I see nothing "Mac-like" on the disc at all.
Samsung's online info provided firmware update software for the Mac, which I have used to re-install vSB-03, but nothing on software drivers. Does anyone know of reliable 3rd-party software for testing this optical drive?
Thanks for reading!
Power Mac G5 (Early 2005), Mac OS X (10.4.11), 1997 Desktop G3
Posted on Dec 25, 2012 6:59 PM
Kensington sent me v3.0 of the Mouseworks program for the expert Mouse, which solved all the problems I was having with the trackball. It also seems to have solved the optical drive problems too, although I don't understand why! If I see anything come back, I will re-post here.
Posted on Dec 29, 2012 4:31 PM