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

Your internal drive seems toast to me, but repairing permissions in safe mode could let you use your external drive again. Have you tried that?

I have tried repairing the permissions. But not in safe mode, how do I start my mac in safe mode please?

So presumably its:

Safe mode
Repair permissions
Restart Computer
Connect External drive
Fingers crossed

Thanks!

Have already done this... It is funny that Apple monitors this forum (and edits what they don't like) but never once puts up "Please go to this web site address". Very poor customer service.

Add me on. Reads cds and dvds fine, but not empty ones. Spinn for a while and then spit out. Worked fine a before firmware update. Repair permissions doesnt help, neither did a hardware test.
MBP 2.16 GHZ Core Duo, with the MATSHITA DVD-R UJ-857: Firmware Revision: HAEA
Just out of warranty 😟

I posted just recently with same problem. I used an aircan to blast inside my drive for a bit, and then my DVD-R disks were able to be read. I burned 3 DVDs in a row, and it is still recognizing the disks, even different brands.

I did not go to the store yet, but I had read that a possible dust or dirt problem is causing the problem in MacBook Pros, and that's what my problem seemed to be.

I will eventually go to the Apple Store and discuss this with them. Right now blank DVDs are being recognized.

I had similar problems with my drive - would read some CD/DVDs and not others etc.

Easy fix - just used one of those CD/DVD cleaners (the disks with small brushes on), after that every disk I tried worked perfectly!

So seems like the sensor just gets a bit dirty - the cleaning disks are only a few pounds (£3 on Amazon), so worth giving it a try!

We're in chartered territory here: something (an update, a security update, something else?) rendered recent SuperDrives more sensitive to specks of dust and/or dirt on their lenses. From there, two possibilities:

1) The dirt/dust on the lens isn't too thick, and your drive will let you run a cleaning CD, or will go on its own with compressed air. Good for you... Or

2) You're too far down the dirt path (pardon the pun), and you can buy gold-plated cleaning CDs if you want, it won't change a thing, because your drive will spit ANY CD you insert in it, be it a cleaning CD, before it can do any good...

I've belonged to the second category for several months before returning my MBP to the French retailer I bought it from, and they replaced the SuperDrive for free, since I had subscribed a long term warranty plan with them.

My humble opinion is that some Apple update has lowered the tolerance to read/write errors due to dust/dirt in SuperDrives, especially the Mat(su)shita ones, and caused a lot of problems to unsuspecting end users as a result.

And my beef is that Apple isn't communicating at all on the subject... Along the same lines, how much "coincidence" can you take when you learn that lots of people posting here tell us their SuperDrive stopped working shortly after the warranty ended...?

I have tried fixing the permissions in safe mode which did not work.

Strangely enough my external Freecom DVD drive will except discs UNTIL I connect it to my MAC, it then 'chugs' and then ejects the disc!!

My internal drive as I posted before always ejects all discs.

Must be my mac but how do I solve it!!!??

I will test the external drive on other computers. hmmmm

I have to add myself to this list. GSA-S10N drive on a less than 2 years old macbookpro is randomly accepting only VERY few dvds. I think we deserve an official answer to these embarassing issues.

Have you tried resetting the PRAM/NVRAM, as explained below?

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1379

CONFIRMING someone's answer below. Simply spraying compressed air with the thin straw attached into the drive opening cleared something out and now the DRIVE WORKS AGAIN!

THANKS to who ever suggested it! Yippee.

Yep add me to the list too. just 1 month out of warranty and POW! it wont accept blank CDs or DVD's.

This cant be purely a hardware (cleaning) issue, and all of a sudden effecting so many machines of varying ages. This is surely connected to the recent updates. Can anyone confirm that this happened before 10.5.6??

And another one! In my case it can't be a hardware problem as my MBP will mount non-Apple software DVDs (Canon camera and printer) but not Apple ones, including iLife 09 and Disc 2 of the install discs that came with the laptop when it was purchased.

well , add me there too, it's not the first topic about dead superdrive.
mine is the infamous MATSHITA DVD-R UJ-857 , firmware HAEA, so well knowed to be the baddest laptop drive on Mac, as so many have it dead. Mine die after 65 DVD burns...
just to say, i have an external cd burner since 2002, which have burn 1600 cd (yes, i'm on video and keep all my rushes.) and have verify them, so it 1600 burning, and 1600 reading..
and that Liteon is still burning and reading, a bit less fast, that's all ( 24 x now)
I'm a heavy smoker, but on the 8 mac around me, only the MBP have that issue.
Matshita is Panasonic, I hope they will get bad advertisment on their products from all of us.
btw, I didn't pay so much for a computer to not be able to burn after one year.

I am SURE that it just come from dust, from a cooling problem, and not a real hardware problem.
I didn't yet open it, but , looking at the dust under the battery, on the firewire, ethernet and usb right connectors, i'm quite sure that I will found if I open it, dust above, and under the lense, and maybe on the rails.
I will keep you informed
Of course, a firmware update can be responsible too, as I made a combo to 10.4.11, and my super drive had not accept any home made dvd or cd since that update.
but, btw, whe have a lot of different system in that topic, so i really think it came from the cooling which bring dust inside the drive