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

forgive my ignorance... which boy king???

A class action would be great but I doubt it will happen with apl stock going upandup... I mean I'm a software idiot but this has got to be that or any combo that also includes flimsy superdrive quality.

I can burn fuji dvds, can't read most cd's, and my call of duty4 hangs like crazy trying to eject... I seem to recall problems starting after one of the updates recently. I've complained at the apl store to ze genuises, left feedback, yada yada yada... Apple won't listen, and probably doesn't care unless some bad press starts to happen or enough moderators find a way to say something to someone that watches the trends on these sites, but there are so many issues.

Our macs are amazing, that's why we buy them, but clearly something has happened and apple can't make it go away by ignoring C U S T O M E R S ! ! ! I don't buy the extended warranty thing either. Why not just build a quality product and charge for it??? We'll pay for quality, we always do...

My confidence in Apple was shaken after the iphone, this is same day different s*.

I apologize for my rant if it offends.

regards,
s.

I experienced the same as the other contributors when accepting 10.5.8 upgrade. DVD drive not recognised and could not do SL upgrade. CDs were read. After getting myself in a real knot and wiping out my whole OS I managed to reformat etc via Boot Camp and my trusty Windows XP OEM disc. Reinstalled Tiger from my original discs, then Leopard upgrade and finally Snow Leopard. As you will all know the DVD problem still remains which is why I had to buy external DVD drive to reinstall the above OS. Still tinkering about, and this is the interesting bit - I inserted a Region 1 DVD which was recognised!!! and asked me if I wanted to use any of my remaining Region changes up. I did and hey presto my Bob Dylan "No Direction Home" plays. I have also inserted my ILife 08 DVD in and it has installed.
As we all know, and Apple will not acknowledge, this is a software glitch which *****. My dilemma is whether to change Region back to 2 as I only have one Region 1 DVD and hope that software DVDs continue to be read or leave things as they are.
What can we out of warranty consumers do to make Apple act responsibly, especially for those who have no Region changes left.
Windows is frustrating but not as much as OSX

This could be interesting!!
Did anyone else made a Region change?

same problems..

HL-DT-ST DVDRW GSA-S10N:

Firmware Revision: AP09
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, CD-Raw, DVD-DAO
Media: To show the available burn speeds, insert a disc and choose View > Refresh

autumn 07 mbp

Model Name: MacBook Pro
Model Identifier: MacBookPro3,1
Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Duo
Processor Speed: 2.2 GHz
Number Of Processors: 1
Total Number Of Cores: 2
L2 Cache: 4 MB
Memory: 4 GB
Bus Speed: 800 MHz
Boot ROM Version: MBP31.0070.B07
SMC Version (system): 1.16f11
Serial Number (system): System Serial#
Hardware UUID: 00000000-0000-1000-8000-00233299240F
Sudden Motion Sensor:
State: Enabled

the drive stopped working gradually about 1,5 years ago.. I never cared because I never it, but now I need to install windows and it won't boot from an external optical drive.
since I live in norway, and basically have five years of warranty by law, I could get this fixed, but it will take at least ten days (support here ***** because they normally need to get the parts shipped in from america). and I can't go that long without my computer (work, studies, etc).

same problems... all cd's, no dvd's

HL-DT-ST DVDRW GSA-S10N:

Firmware-revisie: AP09
Verbindingstype: ATAPI
Ondersteuning voor branden: Ja (door Apple geleverde schijfeenheid)
Cache: 2048 KB
Leest dvd's: Ja
Beschrijven cd's: -R, -RW
Beschrijven dvd's: -R, -R DL, -RW, +R, +R DL, +RW
Schrijfmethoden: CD-TAO, CD-SAO, CD-Raw, DVD-DAO
Media: Plaats media en werk de weergave bij om de beschikbare brandsnelheden te zien

Modelnaam: MacBook Pro
Modelaanduiding: MacBookPro3,1
Processornaam: Intel Core 2 Duo
Processorsnelheid: 2.4 GHz
Aantal processors: 1
Totaal aantal cores: 2
L2-cache: 4 MB
Geheugen: 4 GB
Bussnelheid: 800 MHz
Opstart-ROM-versie: MBP31.0070.B07
SMC-versie (systeem): 1.16f11
Serienummer (systeem): System Serial#
Hardware-UUID: 00000000-0000-1000-8000-001B639127FF
Sudden Motion Sensor:
Status: Ingeschakeld

Edit: i just noticed all of this is in Dutch.. but I think you get the point

Message was edited by: Niek Derksen

You can add me to this ongoing list as well.

2007 Mac Pro
2x2.66 GHz Dual-Core Intel Xeon

SONY DVD RW DW-D150A:

Firmware Revision: 1.MD
Interconnect: ATAPI
Burn Support: Yes (Apple Shipping Drive)
Cache: 2048 KB
Reads DVD: Yes
CD-Write: -R, -RW
DVD-Write: -R, -RW, +R, +R DL, +RW
Write Strategies: CD-TAO, CD-SAO, CD-Raw, DVD-DAO
Media: To show the available burn speeds, insert a disc and choose View > Refresh

Problem started when I tried to install 10.6. Drive just spun and then spit out the disk. I thought I got a bad disk, so I returned it to Amazon.com and had them ship a new one. Had the same problem with the replacement disk. Thinking that I couldn't possibly have received two bad disks, I started searching and found this thread. Seems like this problem extends to multiple models and multiple drive types.

My own experience over many years with Apple slot loading optical drives is that after they are a year or so old they tend to need a bit of TLC using a cleaning disc every couple of months.

Apple don't recommend cleaning discs (because of the slight danger that the disc may stick in the drive) , and replace drives under warranty or applecare if they show such symptoms, but if your warranty / Applecare has expired it is certainly worth trying a DVD cleaning disc before replacing the drive. I have been using this approach myself once the computer is out of warranty for iMacs, Power Books and Mac Books etc for several years and never had a cleaning disc stick. It has always resolved the problem for me, too, though on occasion I have had to use the cleaning disc 2 or three times in succession to get things sorted.

A common sign of an increasingly "dirty" lens is that first you experience difficulties burning discs, this progresses further down the track to reading DVD's, and finally to reading CD's.

So, if you are out of warranty or Apple care , and your drive is spinning, but failing to do what it is meant to, a cleaning disc is well worth considering as a first step to resolving the problem.

Cheers

Rod

I can't help but wonder if Apple even reads this stuff. This is going on for a long time now, and if Apple has responded I haven't seen it.

I posted over on the feedback forum also. Nada.

I wonder what Apple must think of the numbers in this interesting result of typing in part of a Google query about the MBP superdrive problems:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2758/40410107550651da9935o.jpg

The "superdrive" has been around on Macs for a long time, Tom.

I see if I follow the same approach that you have taken and Google:

"ThinkPad DVD drive not working" I get a higher figure - 1,110,000! (A similar search on "Dell notebook DVD drive not working" pops up a lazy 18,700,000 results compared to the 1,010,000 you mention for the superdrives!)
"ThinkPad DVD problems" - 1,100,000
"ThinkPad DVD replacement" - 463,000
"ThinkPad DVD firmware update" - 249,000
"ThinkPad DVD firmware" - 878,000
"Thinkpad DVD noise" - 211,000
"Thinkpad DVD update" - 9,500,000 !!!!???
"Thinkpad DVD Fix" - 475,000
"Thinkpad DVD failure" - 147,000
"Thinkpad DVD issues" - 367,000 (just by the way a "Dell Notebook DVD issues" search pops up no less than 16,300,000 responses!!!)

Now, I'm certainly not going to suggest that these results are directly comparable.

There are all sorts of other names that these drives are commonly known by - " DVD burner", Disc Burner", "Optical Drive" etc etc, in both "camps", and which we could Google up some results for.

But it seems pretty clear to me that notebook optical drives, even when fitted to "up market" computers like the MBP or an IBM/Lenovo ThinkPad have more than their share of problems.

Notebook slot loader DVD drives are one of the more fragile links in modern computing, regardless of brand or platform.

All of these manufacturers use much the same drives. They all have problems (in large numbers). They all, unlike many other aspects of computer operation, are directly affected by things like 3rd party media quality, the local environment (smokers, for example, or people living in very humid or very dusty environments, seem more likely to have problems with DVD drives than others) and so forth.

But there isn't really anything out of the ordinary statistically when it comes to "Superdrive" issues on MBP's or Macs generally , for that matter. Optical drives, especially slot loaders, are one of the "weakest links" whatever brand of computer you decide to buy.

Cheers

Rod

Classic "dirty drive" symptoms, Tom.

If your MBP is under warranty, or under Applecare, they will replace the drive. If not, try a cleaning disc before you think about replacing the drive at your own expense.

Cheers

Rod

Yes mine is outside warranty and and I called the local Apple Reseller (due to no Apple Store within a 2h drive) and they charge 260 euro (389 USD) for a new drive plus building in.

Ditto.. I have an HL-DT-ST DVDRW GSA S10N and just installed Snow Leopard. We have used this drive often when on 10.4.11 although it has always made a bunch of noise. Now it loads half the time. Please let me know when there is a solution. I will be watching. sigh

Hello,
I bit the bullet when drive recognised Region 2 DVD and usd my penultimate region change.
I now have fully functioning MacBook - as it was before the 10.5.8 upgrade.

here's another tidbit:

superdrive problems:

http://www.macnn.com/articles/09/09/28/no.solution.over.horizon/