Superdrive Severely Scratching My CD's on New Macbook

This has happened to about 5 of my discs, when I noticed the scratches, I was using the macbook on my lap, with VERY little movement (just playing an audio CD). This disc happened when I was at a coffee shop, the Macbook was on the table and I turned it around to show my friend the display. I did not even lift it up to turn it around. The disc is ruined due to the circular scratching, it feels etched in to the touch.

Is this a defective drive? Surely a notebook cd-rom is not this sensitive, and I have never seen this problem before on my sister's Toshiba notebook.

Photo here:

User uploaded file

Macbook

Posted on Jun 26, 2006 3:17 PM

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22 replies

Jun 26, 2006 9:57 PM in response to Kid Robot

My 2nd macbook replacement did the exact same thing (first one had a bad PMU and wouldnt charge any battery). . . Ruined every disc that i put in it. Shame is, it doesnt make a noise when its scratching them, so i didnt realize until i went to use the discs again, that they were scratched beyond recovery . . . (they look like vinyl lp's) My MacBook was 27 days old when I took it to the apple store, they immediately replaced it . . . Consequently, the replacement laptop gave me had a dead trackpad. I am now on my 4th MacBook as of Sunday, and so far things are looking good.

Jun 30, 2006 3:40 PM in response to QHChamp

Had the exactly same problem. I am going for my first replacement. It's ridiculous having a laptop that cannot be used on your lap! Apple representative tried to convince me to take my computer for repair in a local Apple authorized dealer. Of course I did not accept. How come I have to fix a computer that came broken. I wanted a replacement. I hope the one that its coming doesn't come with this or any other problem (takes almost 3 weeks for the return/exchange).

Anyways, good luck to you guys.

Jul 9, 2006 12:59 PM in response to Kid Robot

Can you believe what people put up with to use these new computers? It's insane. The Apple store wanted to give me a 4th one too, after 3 crapped out with different issues each. I said I wanted a refund, even after 20 days they were glad to comply. They know there are inherent problems in these early units. If you can get a refund, do so and wait a couple of months for the problems to work out. It's a shame too as I really like this little box, but you also need something you can consistently depend on.

Aug 21, 2006 6:56 AM in response to Kid Robot

Ive not long bought a MacBook, and it's scratched 2 discs severely on me now! I was uploading an audio cd onto iTunes, and when it got a couple of tracks into
the disc the laptop started making unhealthy noises and crashed iTunes, when I got the disc out it was completely scrated all over in all directions (not perfect circles or anything), the same thing again happened when I tried to install a game onto it!! Its useless, I now have to buy new copies of the game and cd. Also burnt a data disc in between the two events and this work perfectly.

Aug 24, 2006 1:15 PM in response to Samuel Elackman

My windows disc was scratched by the macbook, but the difference was i moved it when it was spinning because i had to make space for more equipment for a moment. i inserted several discs and determined that it was the movement that damaged the disc, since none of the others i inserted ended up with scratches.
but when i tried to load windows it game me an error warning saying "I/O device error" i have no idea what this means.

Sep 22, 2006 9:27 AM in response to camus

NO NO NO NO NO!

I love my MacBook, however, i did not spend $1700 to have a machine that i have to worry about every cd I put in it is going to get scratched! Its like playing russian roulette with expensive cd's (Adobe Creative Suite) I installed Creative suite on my laptop this morning, it was fine, didnt scratch! I then, put my final cut cd in and now it destroyed it. When I first got it i put Boot Camp on it and it destroyed my Win XP Pro CD. So my new $1700 computer has destroyed almost its value in CD's. This is inacceptable, I urge everyone that is having this issue to call apple care and complain. I am doing it after work.

Let me add---- I commute 2 hours on a train to go to work, I do not tilt or move my computer eratically where it should scratch a CD. The train is pretty steady but when you hit a switch it causes your lap to jiggle a lil bit. A jiggle should not destroy a cd. I have had 4 other laptops (PC's) and this is my first MAC, like I said, its great, BUT DONT SCRATCH MY CD'S!

Everyone who is trying to stick up for apple -- It is 2006 not 1996, cd technology has come very far and tilting, moving, bumping and especially playing a cd on a stationary surface while the cd is moving in a laptop should not yield these results. NO EXCUSES, I work too hard for my money!

Sep 22, 2006 11:44 AM in response to Nate Spence

You've got a bad drive in your MacBook.

Call AppleCare. Even though they didn't make the CD drive that's in your MacBook, they'll replace it for you. Heck, they'll even do it for people who don't work hard for their money. Perhaps you can ask the customer rep to have your cd technology comments passed along to the manufacturer.

And stop putting CDs in your MacBook until it's fixed. Shesh.

If you need to replace you munched Final Cut and Windows XP cds, it looks like it'd cost you around $45 + taxes / shipping.

http://www.cdw.com/shop/search/results.aspx?key=finalcutmedia&sr=1&platform=all&x=0&y=0
http://www.cdw.com/shop/search/Results.aspx?key=windowsxpmedia&sr=1&platform=all&x=0&y=0

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Superdrive Severely Scratching My CD's on New Macbook

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