iMac reads DVDs, but not CDs

Question

iMac reads DVDs, but not CDs

My computer will mount and open DVDs, no problem, but will not mount CDs, and will eventually eject them. I tried several CDs, including DiskWarrior, and music CDs. They are all ejected, except DW sometimes will just keep going (never getting past the gray Apple logo). I have run Disk Utility and repaired permissions, I've run DW (on my hard drive) and repaired permissions, I have reset PRAM and NVRAM, and CDs still won't be read. Is this broken hardware that needs to be replaced, or is there something else to try?

imac G5, Mac OS X (10.4.11), 1.8 GHz, 2 GB RAM

Posted on Jul 26, 2009 9:39 PM

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Answer 1

Jul 26, 2009 11:31 PM in response to Susan Hatcliff

Try going to System Preferences +CDs & DVDs+ pane. Try changing one of the settings, such as +When you insert a music CD+ to Ignore. Try inserting a music CD to see if it is accepted and mounted (not eventually ejected). If that works, set it back to whatever it was before and try other types of CDs to see if they are now also accepted.

If that does not help, as a test, create a new admin user account in System Preferences Accounts pane.

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?path=Mac/10.5/en/8235.html

Log out and log in to the new account. See if you have the same issue in the new account, or if things work as they should.

If it works fine in the new account, you have narrowed down the cause to something in your normal user account. The hardware and overall system are OK.

If the problem recurs on the new account, the problem is more likely to be caused by some issue with the overall system, or possibly hardware.

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Answer 2

Jul 27, 2009 12:22 AM in response to Susan Hatcliff

I had already tried modifying the CD action in system preferences, and that had not worked. I just tried the suggestion to create a second admin account, and that didn't work either. Any other way to narrow this down and ensure it's the hardware, and not a system issue?

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Answer 3

Klaus1

Level 9

52,879 points

Jul 27, 2009 1:29 AM in response to Susan Hatcliff

You should get your Superdrive checked. The laser settings are different for CDs and DVDs which is why it may accept one but not the other.

But first, try to clean the lens by using any proprietary CD lens cleaner - the ones with a tiny brush NOT the ones using liquids!

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Answer 4

Jul 27, 2009 2:05 AM in response to Susan Hatcliff

So it seems to be either an overall system issue, or a hardware issue.

The only way to narrow it down further would be to reinstall Mac OS X and see of the problem recurs or not. Ideally, if you have an external FireWire drive that you could erase, you could install a fresh system on that drive and boot off of it, then check the optical drive.

One more thing you can try before doing all that, is to go through the reset SMU procedure.

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1767

Perhaps disconnecting it from power and reconnecting it following this reset procedure with "reset" something with the optical drive.

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Answer 5

Jul 27, 2009 7:57 AM in response to Susan Hatcliff

Any suggestions on brands to try for CD cleaning? I've done some searches, and nothing is evident.

At this time, I don't have a backup (external drive) system, so would really rather not reinstall Mac OSX at this time - this is what I'm trying to prepare for - I wanted to run Disk Warrior prior to putting everything on a bootable backup, then upgrading the internal hard drive, but at this time, I'm not able to run DW because it uses the CD drive. I've only just ordered the hardware (internal and external hard drives).

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Answer 6

Klaus1

Level 9

52,879 points

Jul 27, 2009 8:22 AM in response to Susan Hatcliff

CD lens cleaners can be bought in almost any store, record shop, hi-fi shop etc, and only cost a couple of $/£.

The brand is immaterial.

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Answer 7

Jul 28, 2009 6:06 PM in response to Susan Hatcliff

Thanks for all the help. Short of reloading OSX, none of the above suggestions worked. Although after using the CD/DVD cleaner, the music CDs mount and will play, but DiskWarrior will not, nor will a blank CD be recognized. In fact, now I can't even get to the gray apple logo per DiskWarrior. Before, I'd get to the apple logo, but would go no further (and sometimes be ejected). Now, the disk gets ejected before even getting there. So, I think I'm to the point of taking the computer in to Apple and have them checking it out. Bummer....

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