I have an iMac 7,1 running OS X and my DVD drive has to stop working

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Level 1

25 points

I have an iMac 7,1 running OS X and my DVD drive has to stop working

I put a disk in the drive and it makes a noise like its going to read it, then makes the noise again, and again ... then spits it back out.

Basically I insert disk into the side slot.

It sounds like its going to mount then stops, then sounds like its going to mount again and again, ... then spits the disk back out.

Nothing seems to be here on the forum.

............

There was mention of a superdrive with a simular problem and said they solved optical drive problems by cleaning the lens.

Wrapped a lens cloth around a credit card and slipped it into the slot of the optical drive. I think the lens is on the left side.

Could this work ???, ... if so which side is lens. My drive is a slot on the right hand side, of the Mac.

Mac OS X (10.5.8)

Posted on Jun 13, 2013 6:50 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

MichelPM

Level 10

81,032 points

Jun 13, 2013 7:09 AM in response to fluffs007

I would NOT recommend shoving In a lens cloth cover credit card! Really!!???

That is a good way to damage the drive even further.

Best bet is to purchase a dry brush retail/commercially available CD/DVD lens cleaning disc to see if that will bring the drive back to life.

It's the cheapest fix, initially, if it works.

If the lens cleaning disc doesn't work, this means the drive is dead and will have to consider purchasing an external optical drive to use with your iMac.

SuperDrives failing in iMacs seems to be the first, and most common, of hardware failures.

Good Luck!

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Answer 2

fluffs007 Author

Level 1

25 points

Jun 18, 2013 4:22 AM in response to fluffs007

OK, Did the lens cleaning disc, and it still doesn't work.

So I went out and bought a USB Superdrive.

Got home all excited ... plugged it in ... NOTHING ... and by NOTHING ... I mean NOTHING ????????

CAN ANYONE HELP ... ????

As title says ... I have an - 2008 - iMac 7,1 - Intel Core 2 Duo - OPTIARC DVD RW AD-5630A -
Currently only running a OS X 10.5.8, but want to update.

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Answer 3

fluffs007 Author

Level 1

25 points

Jun 18, 2013 4:43 AM in response to MichelPM

OK, Did the lens cleaning disc, and it still doesn't work.

So I went out and bought a USB Superdrive.

Got home all excited ... plugged it in ... NOTHING ... and by NOTHING ... I mean NOTHING ????????

CAN ANYONE HELP ... ????

As title says ... I have an - 2008 - iMac 7,1 - Intel Core 2 Duo - OPTIARC DVD RW AD-5630A -
Currently only running a OS X 10.5.8, but want to update.

Help pleaseeee

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Answer 4

MichelPM

Level 10

81,032 points

Jun 18, 2013 6:34 AM in response to fluffs007

You shouldn't post more than once for the same problems/issue.

I answered your new post.

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Answer 5

fluffs007 Author

Level 1

25 points

Jun 18, 2013 7:47 PM in response to MichelPM

Sorry,

I thought would post up another, as I concidered it a seperate topic,
but pasted the beginning of the old post, to give any helpers a background of situation at hand.

Also this seems these built in dvd drives are a big problem, I thought it would be helpfull to others.

link to

USB SuperDrive install to 2008 iMac 7,1

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/5112085?answerId=22275997022#22275997022

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