Gryff

Q: Drive won't read any dvd-ejects it automatically after spinning some time

The SuperDrive on my MBP has stopped recognizing/reading any blank DVD media (and many recorded DVDs, including movie discs). It spins for some time with a noise and then ejects it out. The same media works fine in my wife's Sony Vaio laptop.

 

There was a thread on this previously, but Apple has closed it:

 

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1295681

 

I know Apple won't own up to the problem, so has anyone found a solution?

 

----------

 

Drive details:

 

HL-DT-ST DVDRW GSA-S10N:

 

Model: HL-DT-ST DVDRW GSA-S10N
Revision: AP09
Serial Number: K0***********928
Detachable Drive: No
Protocol: ATAPI
Unit Number: 0
Socket Type: Internal
Low Power Polling: Yes
Power Off: Yes

 

<Personal Information Edited by Host>

MacBook Pro - Intel Duo Core 2.4GHz, Mac OS X (10.5.6), null

Posted on Sep 23, 2015 10:49 AM

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Q: Drive won't read any dvd-ejects it automatically after spinning some time

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  • by coyote moon,

    coyote moon coyote moon Apr 19, 2009 11:37 AM in response to OneCatFamily
    Level 1 (75 points)
    Apr 19, 2009 11:37 AM in response to OneCatFamily
    Thanks Didier but I've tried the repair permissions and it had no effect...
    Gonna try the flash - fingers crossed...
  • by coyote moon,

    coyote moon coyote moon Apr 19, 2009 11:55 AM in response to coyote moon
    Level 1 (75 points)
    Apr 19, 2009 11:55 AM in response to coyote moon
    Tried the Simple Flash but no joy! Drive still tries to spin up two or three times and then just ejects. Guess I'm down to hoping the lense cleaning disc works and then shopping for a new drive. Other than Apple (pricey), anyone know a good replacement brand? Ebay lists several but many are from Hong Kong or Taiwan and I'm a little hesitant to go there...
  • by OneCatFamily,

    OneCatFamily OneCatFamily Apr 19, 2009 1:39 PM in response to coyote moon
    Level 1 (30 points)
    Apr 19, 2009 1:39 PM in response to coyote moon
    Bought an LG Slim for about 60-70 dollars at a retailer. It's USB-powered, with an extra cord in case you need more power (second power is USB too). I'm sending my MBP back in to have the SuperDrive replaced, since I'm still on extended warranty and I've exhausted all other avenues, software- and firmware-related or otherwise.

    Good luck to you!
  • by coyote moon,

    coyote moon coyote moon Apr 19, 2009 2:09 PM in response to OneCatFamily
    Level 1 (75 points)
    Apr 19, 2009 2:09 PM in response to OneCatFamily
    I did the same a couple months ago - an external USB powered DVD burner that i can use when I have the MBP docked to my Cinema monitor here at home. But I travel extensively May-November and I don't want to have to lug around yet another piece of computer equipment. I'm going to wait and try to lense cleaning disc and if that doesn't work, then I'll simply replace the onboard superdrive.

    Thanks for all your help Didier - at least by process of elimination I'm getting closer and closer to a diagnoses of a DOA superdrive.

    Lovely country France! Have visited twice and would love to get back there someday.
  • by milo7380,

    milo7380 milo7380 Apr 20, 2009 7:46 AM in response to OneCatFamily
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 20, 2009 7:46 AM in response to OneCatFamily
    Well, I took 2 hours out of my day to go to the Apple store and speak to a "Genius". A bit of a mission to book an appointment but ces't la vie. Arrive and explain my problem. The "Genius" does not even look at my computer but instead quotes me prices of replacement parts. First it was £300 for the part, and after I told him that was impossible, he looked again admitted his error and quoted me £130 for the part and £50 for the repair time. Absolutely ridiculous if you ask me.

    What bothers me most is that I think it is probably just a small part that fails within the drive. However, the only option apple offers is a complete drive replacement at a very high cost, rather than fixing the actual broken drive. Perhaps that will cost more, I don't know. However surely LG know the problem and could purchase and recondition these drives deffering some of the cost.

    The "Genius", who was actually less informed than the users on this forum, acknowledged that this has happened before but as I am 3 months out of warranty, there is nothing they could do.

    So in order to save money, I am ordering a drive replacement which is £30 cheaper than Apple and installing it myself using the ifixit manual. I'll probably brick my whole laptop though.
  • by Wowplayer,

    Wowplayer Wowplayer Apr 20, 2009 11:51 AM in response to coyote moon
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 20, 2009 11:51 AM in response to coyote moon
    Disk cleaner! The kind with the little brushes on the disk; it plays pleasant music while it spins...

    Worked like a charm. A little PMCS, ya know? I ran the cleaner twice. Once for a short cycle and saw instant but not perfect results on a random movie DVD. Second cycle I let it run for quite a while. Took a nap even. Works great now.

    I surmise, because of the fan ports in the rear that blow at varying speed, the largest vent on this negatively pressurized system is the DVD slot, sucking dust, mice and insects in there like a vacuum.
  • by Cornelius Qualley,

    Cornelius Qualley Cornelius Qualley Apr 20, 2009 7:21 PM in response to Gryff
    Level 2 (300 points)
    Apr 20, 2009 7:21 PM in response to Gryff
    Well, I tried pretty much everything but ended up just buying a new drive and replacing it. Hopefully this issue gets resolved in time. Or, if no firmware resolution is possible then Apple should definitely extend the AppleCare to 3 years for this particular issue. I know it has been done in the past, I had an iBook that the logic board went out on and Apple extended the AppleCare on that machine to three years. I guess we'll see!
  • by coyote moon,

    coyote moon coyote moon Apr 20, 2009 7:30 PM in response to Cornelius Qualley
    Level 1 (75 points)
    Apr 20, 2009 7:30 PM in response to Cornelius Qualley
    I'm still waiting (just ordered Saturday) the cleaning disc so I'm going to give that a try before then deciding to replace. Were Apple to act I would not be happy with extending AppleCare. That does nothing for those of us who didn't purchase AppleCare. If its a hardware flaw it should be repaired/replaced regardless of any warranty or extended warranty. The product should have been good when it was sold, if not, it should be recalled and repaired at Apple's expense,regardless.
  • by Cornelius Qualley,

    Cornelius Qualley Cornelius Qualley Apr 21, 2009 10:17 AM in response to Gryff
    Level 2 (300 points)
    Apr 21, 2009 10:17 AM in response to Gryff
    Apparently Apple moderates this thread enough to remove my post after 15 minutes which had a link to eBay. In any case, what I was trying to get across is the fact you can purchase replacement drives for a reasonable price off of eBay or from MacSales.com if anyone decides it comes to that point. The model number for the MacBook Pro 15" and MacBook 13" SuperDrives is UJ-857-C. The drives are relatively easy to install if you would rather do it yourself instead of paying for Apple to do the repair. I think I was able to do a swap in about 15 minutes (of course you need a couple of tools). Just check out macsales.com (OWC) for videos on replacing the drive.

    I guess it depends on whether or not $100-$150 for a new optical drive is worth it to you!
  • by Gryff,

    Gryff Gryff Apr 21, 2009 1:53 PM in response to Cornelius Qualley
    Level 1 (16 points)
    Apr 21, 2009 1:53 PM in response to Cornelius Qualley
    Monitoring a thread for their benefit, but not for ours. Nice.
  • by coyote moon,

    coyote moon coyote moon Apr 21, 2009 2:00 PM in response to Gryff
    Level 1 (75 points)
    Apr 21, 2009 2:00 PM in response to Gryff
    You bet! I put up a post a week ago seeking advice on which smartphone is easiest to sync with a Mac cause I'm gonna buy one. I want an iPhone but won't buy one so long as they're exclusive to ATT cause i don't like their service. Apple pulled it down (as I guess they will this one) saying the forum was for discussion among Mac users about Macs - duh! What is it about asking Mac users for opinions on how phones work with their Macs isn't suitable. Suspect it was pulled because I said I would not buy iphone. Well see if it happens again, rather when it happens again.
  • by OneCatFamily,

    OneCatFamily OneCatFamily Apr 21, 2009 10:36 PM in response to coyote moon
    Level 1 (30 points)
    Apr 21, 2009 10:36 PM in response to coyote moon
    That's the problem when a manufacturer hosts a forum like this one: the French call this "être juge et partie", to be at once one of the parties and the judge at a trial.

    I think Apple should spend more time contacting us about our respective griefs than deleting our posts. We ARE customers, and without us, Apple wouldn't be able to offer such a PER to its stockholders...
  • by coyote moon,

    coyote moon coyote moon Apr 21, 2009 11:01 PM in response to OneCatFamily
    Level 1 (75 points)
    Apr 21, 2009 11:01 PM in response to OneCatFamily
    I would agree. In this day and age forums like this give Apple and other manufacturers an unprecedented level of insight into customer satisfaction. While I would never expect someone from Apple to contact me personally based on a single post here, one would hope they would use these forums to gauge customer satisfaction, to learn of changes or improvements customers would like to see, and - on the occasion when the public sector identifies a repeated problem like this that certainly points to a possible manufacturing defect, be prepared to respond to it.

    Sure a recall/free replacement program would cost Apple, but why not a 1/2 price replacement, or a trade in/upgrade option? Sadly I suspect Apple too often feels that those of us who are dedicated Mac users will accept an inferior product, so long as it says Mac on the box, because the other options are even less palatable.
  • by coyote moon,

    coyote moon coyote moon Apr 24, 2009 1:35 PM in response to coyote moon
    Level 1 (75 points)
    Apr 24, 2009 1:35 PM in response to coyote moon
    Well I said I would report back... got the disc cleaning disc today. Oh Boy - I thought. Insert it into the drive but in order for it to work you have to open CD or DVD Player and push play to start it. Problem is, the DVD player says 'supported disc not available' when I insert the cleaning disc. Now ain't that a H of a note! So it can't clean 'cause the disc player won't let me start it. If anyone has any ideas - let me know.
  • by coyote moon,

    coyote moon coyote moon Apr 24, 2009 8:46 PM in response to coyote moon
    Level 1 (75 points)
    Apr 24, 2009 8:46 PM in response to coyote moon
    Looks as if it is time to bite the bullet and simply replace the drive. I've seen the number UJ857C as the drive these machines use, but my system profiler says it is a UJ857D? I've also seen a model CA? What's the difference??

    Cornelius - your's still available? please email me. glenmoyer@yahoo.com
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