iBook won't recognize DVD drive...

Which model iBook is it? (What is the MHz rating?)

How much RAM is installed?

How big is the hard drive and how much space remains available on it?

And you are running Mac OS X 10.4.11 on the iBook?

I am assuming that it is the same with Tiger as it is with Panther. Check out the information here.

Another way that may be possible to address the problem is by using VLC instead of Apple's DVD Player.

(Thanks go to BDAqua for assistance with this question.)

Did you choose the PowerPC version of VLC for download?

http://www.videolan.org/vlc/download-macosx.html

Excuse me if you already have done this, but I would like to give you specific instructions in case you have somehow ended up with the wrong version.

Look for the PowerPC version:


Click on this on under the PowerPC version heading on that page to show all the download sites:


Then choose a site from which to download by clicking on "Download" next to one of the following:


It's supposed to work with Mac OS X 10.4.

Again, I apologize if you have done all this and it still doesn't work. If that's the case, post back and I'll look for further help.

This may be so obvious that you have already done it, but in VLC Preferences/Video, have you ticked the box 'Enable Video'?

Will it work in the eternal FW drive when attached to the iBook G4, or were you using the internal drive in that case?

What sort of drive is it, and what format and brand were the discs themselves?

I thinking back a long way now, and not from direct personal experience, but didn't the early standalone Pioneer DVD reader/writers have some slightly quirky disc "finishing" processes?

Cheers

Rod

Thanks for posting back and letting us know what worked for you. It may help someone else in the future.