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Not able to reinstall Mac OS X 10.6 because Cd Slot isn't working!

Hey there,

I have had this problem for quite some time now and still haven't found a solution:


I am not able to install anything, not even system updates and Mac AppStore Apps.

Plus

I can't get my Mac to recognize USB flashdrives etc. so I think that a full reinstall of the operating system might solve these problems right?


Now the only reason I can't go ahead without asking for advise first is because my data is still on the mac and can't just be downloaded to an external hard drive 'cause the external hard drive it isn't recognized AND because my DVD drive won't read the Installation CD (or any other cd/dvd) for the same reason I believe.


So please help me out here, what do I do?


I really need the data to be saved somehow. Then do a clean reinstall of the OS.

iMac, Mac OS X (10.6.8), Late 2006 iMac

Posted on Feb 13, 2013 11:56 PM

Reply
7 replies

Feb 14, 2013 6:36 AM in response to olafwr

Hello olafwr


So how much GB is the Data you need to save? if it is not that much just upload it to DropBox or iCloud or any Alternative, then reinstall the OS, if that won't work with the "Traditional" methods (USB Thumbdrive / Install Disk) remove the Harddisk and place it in another Mac / Hook it up with an Adaptor as external one and reinstall the OS that way...


Hope that helps

Feb 14, 2013 8:27 PM in response to olafwr

Am I understanding that none of your USB ports work?

Do any of the USB ports work? Is your Keyboard and/or mouse connected via USB?

Is the USB drive just use power from the USB port or does it have its own power supply you plug in?

Sometimes some bus/USB powered drives will not work with a Mac.

Does the external drive appear if you launch the Disk Utility app?

Has the drive been formatted for Mac by setting up the drive in HFS+ (extended) format using the GUID partition scheme?

Feb 14, 2013 8:36 PM in response to olafwr

It sounds as if your internal CD/DVD SuperDrive has stopped functioning.

This is the problem with optical drives mounted in a vertical position.

The drive doesn't spin even in this position and the drive eventually fails being used in this position.

If you re not sure about the USB ports, you can purchase an external FireWire 400 CD/DVD optical drive that you can connected via FireWire 400 port.

You can read/write and play CD/DVDs just like if it was the internal optical drive.

Feb 14, 2013 9:20 PM in response to MichelPM

Yeah well the usb ports are working because the mouse and keyboard is plugged into it and when I connect a flash drive for example, it doesn't appear in the finder etc.

Looking at dick utility, the 4GB flashdrive appears and says S.M.A.R.T status Not supported (didn't say this when every thing was working a few weeks back) and not mounted but when I click on mount nothing happens except for a message popping up saying that it cant be mounted, (same again, it was all working before)


Now, the DVD or cd drive is build into my late 2006 imac.


Then there is stull the not letting me install anything problem, how am I going to fix the?

What is wrong?

Feb 15, 2013 6:40 AM in response to olafwr

What about your external hard drive?

Is there data of this drive or is this a new blank drive?

What kind of external drive is this?

Have you formatted it correctly?

You aren't answering to all of my questions and concerns.


You can buy a new external CD/DVD optical drive. Your internal optical drive appears to be dead.


The Flash Drive.

Can you try to reformat it in Disk Utility. Try formatting the Flash Drive as a HFS+ ( extended journaled ) drive with GUID partition scheme.

This will only allow it to work on Macs and not PCs, but you might be able to backup to the Flash drive.

Not able to reinstall Mac OS X 10.6 because Cd Slot isn't working!

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