SD card stuck in 2011 iMac CD drive

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Level 1

29 points

SD card stuck in 2011 iMac CD drive

For those of us still working on old iMacs that have a CD/DVD drive this is a perennial problem. Back in 2020 there were dozens of suggestions for the removal of the offending SD, none of them really worked. The reason why this happens so often is that the drive is far too close to the SD card slot and being on the side of the iMac out of view it is extremely easy to do this.

The only way to remove the SD is to have the machine taken apart (and the CD drive) to reclaim the SD. This is not cheap.

The way to avoid it is simply to buy an SD card reader that plugs into the USB port at the back of the iMac - well out of harm's reach.

The modern iMacs don't have a CD drive (bought separately) and don't have this issue.

iMac 27″, macOS 10.13

Posted on Jul 5, 2023 9:16 AM

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Answer 1

DavJam Author

Level 1

29 points

Aug 28, 2023 9:21 AM in response to ku4hx

This is was not the result of a product improvement. The iMac, I believe originally came with a CD/DVD drive and a SD card slot. The design issue with this was that they were positioned VERY close to each other in the right hand side of the iMac (slightly less than 4mm apart) and out of sight. In the heat of the moment it is very easy to push the SD card into the optical drive instead of the SD card slot. The result of this is that it makes the optical drive un-usable and costs a huge amount of money to fix. Design could have made this less of an issue.

The problem was finally solved by Apple not providing a CD/DVD slot, leaving the iMac without any easy means burning a disk without buying a separate drive.

Why did you say that SD cards "were not a good thing"? They are the fastest way of reading a camera SD card containing a large number of images.

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Answer 2

ku4hx

Level 7

23,688 points

Jul 5, 2023 10:19 AM in response to DavJam

Maybe not, but if you search this forum you'll find many posts about SD cards not being such a good thing on even the newest Macs.

If you know a reader works, and the card is stuck in the slot with no ill affects, just leave it alone.

Apple, like every other company that sells a product makes improvements. Some tiny percentage of which is not all that good. This is nothing new. I can start naming "improvements" made to Windows that didn't pan out; the same can be said once MS entered the hardware business.

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Answer 3

dialabrain

Level 10

135,815 points

Jul 5, 2023 11:01 AM in response to DavJam

DavJam wrote:

The way to avoid it is simply to buy an SD card reader that plugs into the USB port at the back of the iMac - well out of harm's reach.

The other way is to look where you are inserting the card. I didn't even know this was a "thing". I've had iMacs that had the card slot just below the CD/DVD slot and never confused the two.

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Answer 4

ku4hx

Level 7

23,688 points

Aug 28, 2023 10:39 AM in response to DavJam

"This is was not the result of a product improvement." Ok, then that leaves only intentional product degradation per your logic. Do you really believe that? Why are you paying your good money for retrograde junk as you seem to think of it?

We relegate cards to cameras only. The photos are uploaded via USB Cable between camera and Mac or, when available, Wi-Fi.

Optical drives were dropped in Apple's insatiable desire for thinner MacBooks as was the lighted Apple logo on the lid. The workaround is an external optical drive. There are many, many models out there for as cheap at $13 each. Too cheap to repair; buy a couple and have at it.

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Answer 5

John Galt

Level 10

155,270 points

Aug 28, 2023 4:10 PM in response to DavJam

This problem goes way, way back:

Camera Card in CD port... HELP!!!

I got my SD card stuck into the cd slot, is there any way of getting it out myself?

Scan Disc Issue

My cd rom drive is jammed

Camera Card in CD port... HELP!!!

If you put holes in your products people are 100% certain to stick things in them. Apple's been trying to get rid of them for ages.

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Answer 6

John Galt

Level 10

155,270 points

Aug 28, 2023 5:18 PM in response to John Galt

I missed the biggest one: SD card in the cd slot - Apple Community

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Answer 7

DavJam Author

Level 1

29 points

Aug 29, 2023 4:23 AM in response to John Galt

All the above responses make me smile. It is clear that is not a an unusual experience caused by "operator error pure and simple caused by carelessness and impatience" but a very common issue - and goes way back.

At least a couple of respondents to similar posts suggested other positions (including placing the sd card reader on the left side of the iMac. So simple.

Next time I have this issue, (we have two or three careless and impatient users in the family) I'll try the cornflakes carton tool! :-) with all due care.

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Answer 8

DavJam Author

Level 1

29 points

Aug 30, 2023 8:12 AM in response to John Galt

Excuse my ignorance, but isn't this an app for extracting data from files whether they be pdf, zip, etc? Or perhaps a little plastic device for extracting SD cards from cd slots in old iMacs?

An internet search seems to favour apple flavoured drink making machine. :-)

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Answer 9

DavJam Author

Level 1

29 points

Aug 30, 2023 1:56 PM in response to John Galt

If you Google Apple iExtract you get a zillion ads (mostly from Amazon) for soft drinks and one from Apple for an app that unzips files among other file types.

Actually the product would double the cost here in the UK!

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Answer 10

lkrupp

Level 7

22,201 points

Aug 28, 2023 9:33 AM in response to DavJam

I have to chuckle at your assertion this was a design flaw. It was no such thing. This is operator error pure and simple caused by carelessness and impatience.

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