Pioneer DVD-RW DVR-118L

Question

Level 2

189 points

Pioneer DVD-RW DVR-118L

I recently replaced my optical drive on my G5 as it was not reliably burning DVDs. I ordered the Pioneer DVR-188L from New Egg after I did some research online. The drive burns great. But intermittently the drive won't eject and then the computer won't shut down. I tried zapping the PRAM and that seemed to work at least during my immediate tests. But if I put in a DVD and play it with the DVD player sometimes I can't get the drive to respond afterward. Then I force shut down and restart and then it will be fine. Is there some type of setting in the computer that needs to be adjusted or does this mean this drive won't work with this machine?

Graphite 2x 500 G4 PowerMac, Mac OS X (10.2.x)

Posted on Jan 14, 2010 7:32 AM

Reply

Answer 1

japamac

Level 7

24,400 points

Jan 14, 2010 7:45 AM in response to Keith Brown

Hi-

Is OS X 10.2 really your OS version?
If so, that's probably the problem.

10.3x and 10.4x can use Patchburn to get full, native recognition of the drive.
http://www.patchburn.de/

Running Disk Utility and repairing your hard drive (boot drive) may be helpful if it is a software problem.

Reply

Answer 2

Keith Brown Author

Level 2

189 points

Jan 15, 2010 10:29 AM in response to japamac

I'm sorry. My systems is 10.5..8. Will that program still work

Reply

Answer 3

japamac

Level 7

24,400 points

Jan 15, 2010 6:21 PM in response to Keith Brown

Patchburn isn't needed in OS X 10.5x.

If repairing the hard drive with Disk Utility or Disk Warrior doesn't help, one might consider that the drive is compromised in some way, and consider a warranty replacement.

Before that, what is the jumper set to?
If it is Cable Select, try Master.
If Master, try Cable Select.

The jumper setting could be the cause of the drives unresponsiveness.

Reply

Answer 4

Keith Brown Author

Level 2

189 points

Jan 15, 2010 7:15 PM in response to japamac

There are three rows of pins and the jumper is on the row furthest in from the side of the computer where the panel comes off. I'm not sure how to check which is cable select and which is Master select? Is there a way you could explain what that means?

Reply

Answer 5

japamac

Level 7

24,400 points

Jan 15, 2010 7:32 PM in response to Keith Brown

Hi-

That would be the set of pins closest to the IDE ribbon connector?
I believe that is Master.
The middle pair is Slave, and the pair on the left (looking at the back of the drive) would be Cable Select.

There should be a tag on the top of the drive that tells you the pin/jumper positions to confirm.
The positions that I have stated are form other Pioneer drives that I have, so they should be correct.

Reply

Answer 6

Keith Brown Author

Level 2

189 points

Jan 15, 2010 8:35 PM in response to japamac

So I should try switching it to the other settings and see if it works better?

Reply

Answer 7

japamac

Level 7

24,400 points

Jan 16, 2010 12:34 AM in response to Keith Brown

Yes.

Reply

Answer 8

Keith Brown Author

Level 2

189 points

Feb 5, 2010 7:11 AM in response to japamac

I tried all the different settings on the jumper and it didn't make a difference. I called Pioneer and the man said that the jumper wouldn't not matter because these are plug and play drives. He said it would be a Mac problem and I would need to find a patch. I'm not sure what to do now.

Reply

Answer 9

japamac

Level 7

24,400 points

Feb 5, 2010 8:04 AM in response to Keith Brown

Hi-

Did you ever repair your hard drive?
Directory problems will cause what you describe....

As far as a patch goes, the guy that told you that doesn't know what he's talking about.

Drives either work, or they don't, in OS X 10.5x.

Reply

Answer 10

Keith Brown Author

Level 2

189 points

Feb 7, 2010 2:44 PM in response to japamac

I repaired the drive before with disk utility. I just did it again today with Disk Warrior. It repaired fine but the drive is still crashing. Would you recommend I buy another drive to try it? Is there another model that I should get?

Reply

Answer 11

japamac

Level 7

24,400 points

Feb 7, 2010 3:01 PM in response to Keith Brown

I suppose that you could try a Lite-on or Samsung.
Pioneer has always had good native support in OS X, some of the other not so.
It really is as simple as it works or it doesn't.

I'd look at getting a replacement.

Reply

Answer 12

Keith Brown Author

Level 2

189 points

Feb 9, 2010 6:59 PM in response to japamac

The first drive I got was A18MBK. I ordered another drive 118LBK. This drive is doing the same thing. Could it be something else to do with the computer? When it freezes, you can't even press the eject button on the DVD drive to eject, it won't work.

Reply