Imac G3 Lecteur CD intégré

As you wrote, the area below the motherboard is safe from shock hazards, but following the Terms of Use for these forums, we're not supposed to advise anyone to perform repairs if there's a potential for injury. The CRT (picture tube) section in the iMac is where the high voltage is stored, even for a period of time after being unplugged from electricity. Working around it could be dangerous (especially for a novice), if it hasn't been properly discharged in advance. For that reason, our suggestions are confined to the bottom section below the motherboard.

As for the slot-loading optical drives in the iMacs, there are a pair of rubber-covered rollers that pull the disk in and push it out. Over time, they typically dry out and lose their capability to grip the disk. When this happens, you can hear the drive struggle to load and eject the disk. If and when needed, the manual eject location is shown in this photo. Sometimes, it's hidden by the fuzzy dust shield along the slot. Insert a strong paper clip to force the disk to eject.

An external DVD±RW drive is the easiest workaround for the slot-loading iMacs, since they can boot to a FireWire-connected hard drive or optical drive.

If you still have the bad drive that was scratching the disks, you can open it up to troubleshoot a solution regarding the roller sleeves. Check if they're still bonded tightly to the metal shaft that they cover. If you can manually rotate them easily around the stationary shaft, you've found the problem. Finding a suitable adhesive that can bond them and stay in place while sliding them on would be the challenge.

If the sleeves are firmly stuck to the metal shaft, then their dried-out surface is slipping when attempting to grip the disk. Unfortunately, there's really no way to restore the natural grip that the rubber had when new. That's why I suggested connecting an external, FireWire optical drive.

MACHINE TRANSLATION of QUESTION:

Imac G3 Integrated CD Reader

Hello,

I have two iMac G3, strangely the CD drives have a power loss. When I insert a CD it ** feels bad to insert and spin and no longer wants to come out.

Obliged to open them and force them to exit by hand. Do you have the same problem and have you found another solution?

I have an external drive but at that time you had to install the software or the built-in reader.

thanks

RESPONSE:

Welcome!

G3 iMacs had two different types of drives. 1998-1999 models had a tray-loading drive; later models have slot-loading drives. What type are yours?

If tray-loading: I had a tray-loading drive in any older PowerMac desktop (PowerMac 8100) stop working. It would not open its tray. After replacing it with a spare drive I had, I investigated the failed drive. The transport mechanism was jammed with dust and other "debris of time." I gently manipulated the tray to free it. That was over a decade ago, and the repaired drive was still working in another Mac when thatt Mac went to the recycler.

⚠️ WARNING: Working inside a G3 iMac is unsafe because of the high-voltage CRT display. Best to try manipulating the tray without going inside the iMac. Servicing of G3 iMacs internals must be left to professionals.

You found Apple's English-language user-to-user forums. We have to translate before answering. If a French version is easier forr you to use, you can find it here:

Communauté d’assistance Apple officielle

MACHINE TRANSLATION of RESPONSE:

Bienvenue !

Les iMac G3 avaient deux types de lecteurs différents. Les modèles de 1998-1999 avaient un lecteur à chargement sur plateau ; les modèles ultérieurs ont des lecteurs à chargement dans un emplacement. Quel type sont les vôtres ?

En cas de chargement sur plateau : j'avais un lecteur de chargement sur plateau dans n'importe quel ancien ordinateur de bureau PowerMac (PowerMac 8100) qui ne fonctionnait plus. Il ne ouvrait pas son plateau. Après l'avoir remplacé par un lecteur de rechange que j'avais, j'ai examiné le lecteur défaillant. Le mécanisme de transport était coincé avec de la poussière et d'autres « débris ** temps ». J'ai manipulé délicatement le plateau pour le libérer. C'était il y a plus d'une décennie, et le lecteur réparé fonctionnait encore dans un autre Mac lorsque ce Mac est allé au centre de recyclage.

⚠️ AVERTISSEMENT : Travailler à l'intérieur d'un iMac G3 est dangereux en raison de l'écran CRT à haute tension. Il est préférable d'essayer de manipuler le plateau sans entrer à l'intérieur de l'iMac. La réparation des composants internes des iMac G3 doit être laissée aux professionnels.

Vous avez trouvé les forums utilisateurs à utilisateurs en anglais d'Apple. Nous devons traduire avant de répondre. Si une version française est plus facile à utiliser pour vous, vous pouvez la trouver ici :

Communauté d’assistance Apple officielle

Bonne chance!

I opened several computers it's my responsibility and I know the risk.

That's great, but others reading your topic might not be aware of the possible hazards of working around the iMac's CRT. I reiterated Allan's words of caution, because a response that downplays or ignores that risk could be deleted by the moderators.

As for the slot drive using a paper clip always been the way but sorry once again you are not answering my question...

As the former owner of (3) slot-loading iMacs, I experienced the quirk you've described. One of my optical drives needed assistance with inserting and removing the disk, but never got as bad as failing to eject a disk. When this nuisance was first reported in the Forums many years ago, the most likely cause mentioned was a problem with the roller sleeves. Only a curious and mechanically-inclined person would open a problematic drive to deduce the reason for failure. One individual who did posted photos online of the interior and pointed out the sleeves' slick surface, suspecting them as the culprit.

Unfortunately in this "Older Hardware" Forum today, the number of new topics posted about any of the PowerPC-based iMacs has dropped significantly in recent years. In fact, its dedicated Forum was discontinued. You may have better luck checking third-party, Mac-centric websites for discussions that were posted 10+ years ago concerning the slot-loading iMacs, when more of them were still in use. Perhaps some theories or findings that were expressed then will answer your question.

Progress!

I'm working from memory here, so bear with me. I'm old!

— I do not see a manual eject port on our slot-loading G3 iMac (2000 DV). On our 2006 eMac there is an eject port but the computer has to be powered up for it to work.

— One old way to eject a disk in an otherwise working drive is to press and hold the mouse button while starting.

— Shine a light in the slot. In newer iMacs the drive had a metal "safety fence" that deployed if the drive failed, blocking the port. It prevented users from continuing to insert insert disk, bt would 'trap" any disk already in the drive:

Note the vertical metal tab next to the thumb at the lowerright edge. That is the part of the fence that would show from outside.

Thanks for the image, Jeff. I pulled our G3 out of storage to look for the hole but could not find it. Too long in storage and too little light!