Barry Midgorden

Q: DVD Plays but Audio CD is Ejected

I recently helped a friend update an early 2008 iMac (20-inch) by upping the RAM to 4GB and installing OS X 10.11.5 El Capitan (he was running Snow Leopard). One of the issues he was having before the upgrade (which he told me about after the fact) was that audio CDs had stopped working. He was unable to play them or rip them into iTunes. So when I was on-site orienting him to the new OS, he brought it up and we tried it. Sure enough, no form of audio CD would be read by the optical drive (we tried a computer-burned audio CD and a brand new commercial CD of jazz diva Etta James—both were spun up, and then unceremoniously ejected). I figured that the optical drive was failing.

 

But here’s where it gets strange. We tried a commercial DVD and, low-and-behold, it spun up, launched DVD Player, and began playing the movie.

 

Any thoughts on why a video DVD would work fine, but audio CDs would not in the same optical drive?

 

Thanks,

Barry

Posted on Jul 8, 2016 7:54 AM

Close

Q: DVD Plays but Audio CD is Ejected

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

  • by Limnos,Solvedanswer

    Limnos Limnos Jul 8, 2016 8:27 AM in response to Barry Midgorden
    Level 9 (53,643 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jul 8, 2016 8:27 AM in response to Barry Midgorden

    CDs and DVDs use different lasers in an optical drive. You can have one fail and the other work.

     

    You can try a drive cleaning disc. If you are lucky it may just be lint blocking the CD laser.  If not you will have to replace the drive or get an external drive.

  • by Barry Midgorden,

    Barry Midgorden Barry Midgorden Jul 8, 2016 8:30 AM in response to Limnos
    Level 1 (19 points)
    Desktops
    Jul 8, 2016 8:30 AM in response to Limnos

    Thank you, Limnos. I didn’t realize there were separate lasers. My friend said he had tried a drive cleaning disc, but I will pass on your answer. I thought he might have to have the entire drive replaced.

     

    Thanks again for your helpful and prompt reply!

    Barry

  • by littleT154,

    littleT154 littleT154 Jul 29, 2016 12:51 AM in response to Limnos
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Desktops
    Jul 29, 2016 12:51 AM in response to Limnos

    What if both aren't playing? Could it still be the same, just maintenance/cleaning?