MacBook Pro will not read DVD-R

I have similar macbook superdrive problem to most people posting here, but am sure it's a OS X problem.

I've cleaned the optical lens, fixed permisions, zapped PRAM and SMC but it still gives "The disk you inserted was not readable by this computer" when trying DVD-Rom and DVD-RW, (CD-R, DVD+R,DVD-R are readable)

However, when I run Windows XP on BootCamp on the same macbook or OS X Tiger off a USB stick, the drive reads all discs perfectly fine.

I don't have timemachine so can't restore to earlier backup and don't want to fresh install everything.

Does anyone know exactly which files are involved in running the superdrive and how to reinstall them?

Running OS X 10.6.7 on MacBook1,1 with superdrive UJ-857D (KCVB Revision)

You guys are brilliant...I had fears of a $300 bill to replace or only being able to use an external drive...I used an EFTPOS cleaning card and it worked a charm - the fibre cards used for cleaning the magnetic swipe on a credit card machine...stationery stores will probably be able to supply for only a dollar or so...thanks for saving me a small fortune...stoked

Hi,

I have just discovered that I too cannot write to DVD-R. I have just bought a new batch of 50. Not being able to remember which type I bought last time (it was a while ago) I opted for DVD-R. I had been gifted some DVD+Rs by a friend who couldn't get them to write on his MacBook. They worked fine for me. Should have stuck with this format but stupidly didn't. Anyway, I happened to have one left and successfully managed a burn straight after trying, and failing, with several of the new batch of DVD-Rs. So the burner has not failed completely.

I tried booting in Vista and the problem still persisted. MacBook spins the disc up makes a few grumbling noises and promptly spits the disc out.

I have also tried a lens cleaner and that didn't cure the problem. I have no intention of resetting the PRAM as it is bound to give me grief, nor opening up my MAC and messing with the drive. New DVD+Rs will be as cheap as a can of air.

To check that the batch was OK I moved over to my old PPC running a third party DVD burner (It wasn't shipped with a DVD burner - just reader) and Tiger OS and succeeded to burn a file. I also noticed that the icon clearly displayed that the DVD was a -R. Placing the previously burned +R in the drive resulted in a different icon.

Bringing the now burned DVD-R back to my my MacBook Pro I shoved it in the drive, it was accepted, I doubled clicked on the icon and a window opened revealing the file I had burned. However I was unable to preview the Photoshop file by hitting the space bar. So I dragged the file onto the desktop in order to make a copy. The OS reported that the file was in use but there was an option to continue so I did. The OS then asked me for permission and I had to enter my password. A bit weird. I don't remember that happening before. The usual copy window appeared and to all intents and purposes the file was being copied in the normal way with the time bar displaying as you would expect. However once the copy was finished there was no sign of the file on my desktop. I tried again. Exactly the same happened with no warning that the file already existed. So clearly something odd is going on.

I have just updated to SnowLeopard from Leopard and have issues with my printer functionality being reduced, which is an annoyance, but at least it's working now. (no thanks to latest security update which broke it again) The DVD issue may just be a coincidence.

Looks like I'm going to have to buy a batch of DVD+Rs. I don't use DVDs very often now as hard disk space is so cheap compared to 10 years ago when I was constantly backing up to DVDs.

I am annoyed and frustrated. Not least by Steve Jobs latest slogan "…It just works". Well Steve, it doesn't.

MATSHITA DVD-R UJ-875:

Firmware Revision: DA09

Interconnect: ATAPI

Burn Support: Yes (Apple Shipping Drive)

Cache: 2048 KB

Reads DVD: Yes

CD-Write: -R, -RW

DVD-Write: -R, -R DL, -RW, +R, +R DL, +RW

Write Strategies: CD-TAO, CD-SAO, DVD-DAO

Andy Codling

I had the same problem and tried everything you have..... I got brave and took the macbook apart and pulled the drive out.... then pulled that apart, took a q-tip w a lil rubbing alcohol on it and lightly cleaned the lens. then used canned air to dry it all off.

Works beautifully for now.

Further to my previous post I went back to the PPC and found that it too could not read the Photoshop file. Nor could it read the original file. Turns out my PPC MAC had decided that this Photoshop file placed on my desktop was a system file and altered it accordingly. This is why I had the strange behaviour when trying to read and copy it on my MacBook.

I burned another file to a DVD-R and this was successfully opened and copied by my MacBook.

The upshot is: I can read DVD-Rs but cannot write to them.

Andy

The problem your having is the disk itself. NOT ALL DISKS ARE MANUFACTURED ALIKE.

Years ago I upgraded my burner on pc, once a month the burner manufacture would update firmware.

I have a basement load of blank disks from all differnet manufactures, that to this day i cant use.

There now used as coaster's for my bar.

Here is a link that explains it better from Wired. Back in 2005. Still holds true today.

http://www.wired.com/entertainment/music/news/2005/03/66911

Brilliant. In my case it is a dirt on the lens. The credit card and spectacles cleaning cloth seems to have done the trick. I've had to do it a couple of times. The first time only lasted a couple of disc insertions. No need to take the drive apart. Thanks for the suggestion and link. Though I still don't understand why DVD-Rs are so

susceptible it probably explains the partial burns (DVD+Rs) I have experienced that I had put down to poor quality DVDs.

Think I'll try and knock something up a little more permanent and use it regularly. BTW, I used isopropyl alcohol. This was recommended to me in the 80s for cassette/reel to reel tape head cleaning.

Andy

The "credit card and spectacles cleaning cloth" worked for me, too. Way easier than disassembling the whole drive, that's for sure. Allowed me to read commercial DVDs that were previously either ejected upon insertion or showed up as blanks.