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iMac scratching my disc?

I've kept my Sims 3 game disc in relatively perfect condition, only to find out that it had gotten many scratches from what I assume to be my iMac. I've never had it in anything but my computer, and it's case since I've got it, and it is really bothersome because I don't like it when my discs get scratched. Is this unusual, or a problem on my part?

Intel 20 in. iMac (late 2008), iPhone 3G 8GB iPod video ( 5th Gen) 30GB, Mac OS X (10.5.7), Ipod Shuffle (2nd Generation) 1 GB, iPod Nano ( 4th Generation) 8 GB.

Posted on Aug 4, 2009 7:15 PM

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141 replies

Aug 4, 2009 9:17 PM in response to Rae Jay

I can't see how an optical drive can scratch up the disc. If it was spinning and rubbing against something, I think it would probably cause a loud and constant sound and you would know something was up.

Are the scratches in a circular pattern, straight across the disk, or in a random arrangement. If the latter two, I doubt it could have been produced by the disc spinning in the drive. Maybe someone borrowed it without telling you. 🙂

Aug 5, 2009 3:36 AM in response to Kenichi Watanabe

It could be the side of the slot, but I don't think that is the case, because I don't tip the disc when I put it in or remove it, and the scratches are lines going in a straight line in various places.. Some are of varying widths there's three sets of them. ( one is a long stretch of lines growing from medium sized to large, then growing small. Another is just a small set of lines growing larger then smaller. The last one is pretty hard to describe, but it is still the sake kinds of lines, just a different set of them.)

Aug 5, 2009 9:11 PM in response to 5imacintosh

I can't really test this theory because most of my other disks have scratches on them and might make it hard for me to tell wether it was the computer or the edges of the slot. But there is a chance it is the disc. I think it may have been the edges of the slot, but I can't really tell because of the way the scratches are set.

Aug 8, 2009 10:51 PM in response to Rae Jay

I have also had the same problem with my iMac. I noticed it a few months ago, when I converted a new CD into mp3 files. Also, I have noticed scratches that are straight across the disk on my Sims3 and on newly burned DVD's of home videos, where there had previously been no scratches. I've also put each disk in straight and not at an angle, so I don't think it's me putting in the disks.

Aug 19, 2009 6:37 AM in response to Rae Jay

If your iMac is still under warranty, then bring it into Apple. Show them the discs that it has scratched. They will probably test it themselves before replacing the optical drive. If they want to be awkward about it, then be more aggressive and tell them its simply unacceptable - and that you can prove that your iMac is not the only one doing this. There are multiple posts on the forums from people having the exact same problem with their iMacs.

Sep 7, 2009 4:38 AM in response to Starrkiller204

That is the exact problem I have with my iMac as well! Been scratching discs while burning. Initially I thought it was the discs that i bought.  After a few coasters, I have realized that they were scratched during the burning process....

Oct 4, 2009 2:43 AM in response to Rae Jay

Hi Rae Jay,
I have an iMac that is scratching my brand new disks. I have nothing sharp protruding, nor does it move off of my desk. I have gone through about 4 brand new disks. They all have circular scratches, about 1/2" from the outside of the disk. I am wondering if you solved this problem. If so how? I have cleaned the drive, turned the computer off (unplugged from the wall) and it continues to do this. I hope to hear what happens.

Oct 4, 2009 7:22 AM in response to joshuacuk

I have a brand new iMac. I noticed scratches on the disks and I went into the Mac store yesterday and showed my disks to the tech. He recreated the problem by inserting the disk at an angle into my computer and an iMac in the store. I swear I wasn't being that rough or careless. He said it couldn't be an error caused while the disk is spinning, because in that case the scratches would be circular; so he says it's user error but if I wanted I could return the machine and get another computer. The problem is that I'd like to have an iMac that doesn't scratch disks, not some other type of computer. Whether this is the metal slot or some other part of the drive, clearly this is a design flaw.

iMac scratching my disc?

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