External DVD-drive not accepted (MacBook Pro with up-to-date Catalina)

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Level 1

9 points

External DVD-drive not accepted (MacBook Pro with up-to-date Catalina)

When connecting a DVD-drive via USB to my MacBook Pro with Catalina 10.15.4, I can enter a DVD. Then nothing happens. The DVD is not shown in the Finder.

When I start the DVD-Player app manually, nothing happens either: It opens a black window, the DVD is turning; then it hides the menu bar, stops the DVD and thats it.

The VLC does not see the DVD either, it asks me to enter a medium.

It is no problem of the DVD which is well used. And it happens with all DVDs.

When I enter a CD into the DVD-drive, the CD is turned for a while and then stopped. It is not shown in the finder.

After much testing, also with the professionals at Gravis, it seems that the software for accessing a DVD-drive is incomplete -- as if a driver was deleted accidentally. This may have happened on uninstalling a burning software or such.

Is there any possibility to install "something" like a complete package for the DVD-Player? I would prefer not to reinstall my Mac from scratch. But I do want to watch DVDs and listen to CDs via MacBook...

Any idea what I could do?

Thank you in advance

Nachtkrabb

MacBook Pro 15", macOS 10.15

Posted on May 25, 2020 11:26 AM

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Answer 1

Old Toad

Level 10

215,178 points

May 25, 2020 4:18 PM in response to nachtkrabb

What system version are you running?

What model optical drive is it? If a SuperDrive when was it purchased?

Try downloading and reapplying the macOS Catalina 10.15.4 Combo Update then check the optical drive again.

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Answer 2

Barney-15E

Level 10

122,024 points

May 26, 2020 7:40 AM in response to nachtkrabb

"SuperDrive" was Apple's name for the combined CD/DVD drive. I think others are using it, now.

To reinstall the CD/DVD software, you would have to reinstall the OS. That is usually non-destructive, but strange things can happen.

If you can determine where the software installer package is in the full installer, Pacifist may be able to install just that part.

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Answer 3

Barney-15E

Level 10

122,024 points

May 25, 2020 3:56 PM in response to nachtkrabb

Sounds like the drive is bad.

CDs and DVDs use different parameters for the laser (if not different lasers). Since it recognizes but cannot read a CD, it sounds like it is out of alignment. Cleaning it may work, but it may just be toast.

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Answer 4

nachtkrabb Author

Level 1

9 points

May 26, 2020 9:27 AM in response to nachtkrabb

01.04.18 BEFORE installing maxOS High Sierra 10.13.4: No problems with the external CD/DVD drives. Use plugged in at the macbook or at the USB plug of the external screen.
Afterwards (12.04.18): external CD/DVD drives had to be plugged in at the macbook. No connection via USB plug of the external screen.
Installation of OS X 10.13.4 High Sierra (12.04.18) did not help. Sometimes a restart helped and a DVD was read, but not always. Sometimes a DVD or CD was read without problems.
On 17.02.19 the external drive did not work at all. Installation of OS X 10.14.3.
On 31.01.19 CDs were read. No burning possible.
Later: constant trouble with DVDs and CDs. No reading.
On 18.11.19 at Gravis' a DVD was read and the film displayed. Not at home, not even with the same drive.
On 25.11.19 Installation of OS Catalina. No help.

During the whole of the time: no deinstallations at all. I do not understand it.

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Answer 5

nachtkrabb Author

Level 1

9 points

May 26, 2020 6:15 AM in response to Old Toad

Thank you very much for your replies. I have used two drives at home which both have worked perfectly with another MacBook, plus a third drive at the Gravis shop that they use for testing at their shop. Thus I do assume that it is no fault of the drives.

I run a MacBook Pro from the middle of 2015 with Catalina 10.15.4.

One of the drives is a "USB 3.0 slim drive mode no CB31007", no idea who produced it in China, bought by Amazon.

The other one is model no. RH-DVD-001 by Networx, bought by Gravis.

I assume that both are no SuperDrives (what is this?) but general normal things in good working order.

I will try to download download and install the Combo Update, thank you very much.

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Answer 6

nachtkrabb Author

Level 1

9 points

May 26, 2020 9:00 AM in response to Barney-15E

Thank you two again. I have now reinstalled Catalina 10.15.4 using the downloaded dmg. After the restart, a DVD was displayed in the Finder. Well, that was after a restart! I do not trust that will happen again.

When I entered a music CD, the well known error message came again:

"The medium entered could not be read by this computer." Initialise / Ignore / Eject.

Well, nice try.

The Pacifist software sounds interesting. But I am not sure what I should do now, I have neither a macOS Catalina download (from scratch) nor any idea where inside it the CD/DVD-drive-software is stored.

Something just came to my mind: I will check if the problem already existed *before* installing Catalina. Just a sec.

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External DVD-drive not accepted (MacBook Pro with up-to-date Catalina)

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