External DVD drive not showing in mountain lion

With the DVD drive connected, go to System Preferences > Sharing and make sure CD/DVD Sharing is checked.

Do you have a Disc in the drive? Without a disc in it the only places it will show up in Disk Utility and Sys Info. It won't show in Finder or on the desktop without a disc in the drive.

In Finder > Preferences, is General > CDs, DVDs and iPods checked?

Could you try changing the USB Cable? And once that's done, go to  > About this Mac > More Info...> System Report (or just click  with "alt" pressed and click System Information) and checking whether it shows up under USB

Unfortunately I have come across this problem before, and there hasn't always been a solution.

I've used an external burner for years and have noticed the following:

a. it does not show anywhere except my Roxio Toast (burn) software, and

b. unless I have a disc inserted, I cannot control it from within Toast either.

So, my method: plug in burner, insert disk, launch Toast, and burn whatever it is I need to burn. Once done, use Toast to eject disk.

Well if your Mac has a Built in DVD drive that is the only way Apple lets you install Windows. All Mac's that have built in DVD drives Apple has put restrictions on where the Win 7 installer will boot from and that is only from the built in DVD drive.

So even if you get that external DVD drive to show up you won't be able to install Windows from it.

Try following these instructions: http://howto.cnet.com/8301-11310_39-20020513-285/install-win-7-on-macbook-air-fr om-a-usb-drive/

You know that works just fine on a Mac Air, or Retina, or the newest iMac computers as none of them came with or come with a "Built In" (That Is Built In) DVD drive.

If there was a workaround for jthis restriction I would of found it and I would of posted the solution. But the simple fact is there is one.

Zlig wrote:

Try following these instructions: