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

I had this problem. I solved with a can of dusting air. I gave several long shots, about 15 seconds total, in the drive slot. I put the air line about two inches in.


MATSHITA DVD-R UJ-868:

Firmware Revision: KB19
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
Media: To show the available burn speeds, insert a disc and choose View > Refresh

Add me to the list, My drive failed 1 day out of warranty, but with CDs not DVDs. Im running a MBP 13" with

HL-DT-ST DVDRW GS23N:

Firmware Revision: SB00
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

Can't believe this thread is such a size with no comment from Apple, poor show!!

1 day out of warranty Apple may still replace the drive.

I would think with the amount of drives they have replaced, sometimes more then once, it would form a pattern and they would do a recall, unfortunately they do cost more then some companies are willing to submit to unless pressed. It is very possible the percentage of failures to the percentage of MacBooks sold is not large enough for them to consider a recall. Some what like the logic boards that went a few months out of warranty on 2 of my iBooks, it was not considered a large enough problem for a recall.

Somewhere in this long list of posts was a person who recommended that even if you are out of warranty you should still call Apple and report it since posting here will not work for bringing it to Apple's attention but calling will eventually make them connect the dots.

One more frustrated user here. Details:

HL-DT-ST DVDRW GS23N:

Firmware Revision: SB00
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: Insert media and refresh to show available burn speeds

I can't believe this thread is growing to this size and there is no answer from Apple.

Perhaps I could share my tale, as well. Gather around, everyone, and listen:

I bought my MBP in October, 2009. I rarely used the disc drive, but a few months later, when I wanted to burn some cds, I noticed that all of them failed. Later, in August, I tried to install a Garageband Jam Pack, but the drive just spun aimlessly. I had the drive replaced free of charge, since it was still in warranty. The disc drive was working fine again for a while, but yesterday, when I was trying to install a software, it happened again, just six months after the replacement.

Oh, Apple, hear our cry!

Just wanted to add my experience. I have a 2007 Macbook Pro 15" which stopped reading any sort of disc 12 months or so ago. Not really an issue as I hardly ever need to do so. I am now planning to upgrade to Snow Leopard and Windows 7 on bootcamp so will need the dvd drive to work. Having read around the subject I was worried that a new drive would be needed etc. Having just spent £200 on a new screen panel I was not looking forward to a large bill for a new dvd drive.

I have however tried the compressed air duster solution (with the thin pipe inserted into the slot and moved around), along with a basic cheap CD lens cleaner disc (£4.99) and it has sorted the problem with reading discs. It will now read CDs, DVD-Rs, magazine covermount data DVDs and movie DVDs. I have not tried writing any discs but will try that later.

I hope this helps any others who may be sceptical about trying the cleaning route first.

PS I can thoroughly recommend David at Mactuition in the UK for screen replacement - his service was fantastic and £200 compared to £370 quoted by the Apple store. His website is http://www.macbookscreen.co.uk/Home.html

I was having the exact same problem, and all I did to fix it was literally blow into the optical drive opening. Works fine now.

Apple, you have failed me in every way possibe.
Story: it was my birthday yesterday, i got an ipod touch 4g. It said "plug into itunes", so i did. then it said i needed itunes 10 or above. i went to the apple website and downloaded itunes 10. then it said you need mac os x 10.5 or above to install itunes 10. by now im kinda mad, but whatever i went to the apple store and got snow leopard. I then tried to install it, the disk came right back out time and time again.
now i have to buy a whole new computer, im never buying a mac ever again.

LOL! Sounds to me like you should do some research before buying things, instead of blaming a company that puts all its product's requirements out there for any one to find at all times.

sorry, but LOL @ you.

shakes head, walks away giggling...

I used the Scotch DVD Player Maintenance Kit seemed to fix my issue! Blank DVDs and Dual layer ones would not read before using the kit, now they do after using the kit. I did run the dvd cleaner kit twice...

believe it or not. The compressed air method worked for me.

I felt the urge to sign up to respond to this lengthy thread. Dvd's wouldn't load on my Mbp.

Although there might be some truth in al the complaints posted, much to my surprise a cleaning job with a cleaning CD seems to have solved the problem for me. At least for now.

I hardly ever use my dvd-player, which probably attributes to the problem.

Model Identifier: MacBookPro3,1
Model: HL-DT-ST DVDRW GSA-S10N

I had same problem...but tried something that worked when DVD stopped on older G4 Notebook...a DVD Cleaner...which cost about 15 bucks...but Amazon has variety of prices...cheap if it works...and it worked. I have a 2.8 ghz w MATSHITA DVD-R UJ-868: It worked!!

I can't say it will work for all the posters...or even most...but there are about five separate threads with same problem that I had...I'll wager that it works for a goodly number of youse guys. I'm not recommending a brand cuz I DON"T THINK IT MATTERS If you're problem is disc cleaning. I hope it works for all of youse guys!!

Using a cd/ dvd cleaner works perfect , I had the same problem and was solved.

MacBook Pro 3.1 (late 2007) MATSHITA DVD-R UJ-857E Rev ZA0E.

Just after 12 months started being fussy about DVD media.

DVD lens cleaner seemed to cure the problem.

After 18 months was unable to complete disc burning.

Now wont read any DVD though will read CD's.

I have tried:

1. Blast of air.

2. Credit card with cloth through the slot.

3. Disassembling the superdrive and cleaning lens.

Still wont read any DVD media (commercially recorded, burned disc, blank disc)

Any further options or is it time to get a replacement??