I have an iMac late 2011 running Yosemite. Lately it will not play DVDs. It will try to load it for about 30 seconds. I can hear it spinning inside the computer but then it will just eject the dics. However, it will play an audio CD just fine. Any thoughts?
intel based iMac, Mac OS X (10.4.8)
The DVD laser lens/es are not reading DVDs.
FIrst thing to try is shutdown your iMac.
Use a credit card covered with a microfiber cloth insert it the long way into the drive slot and push it in and out a few times to remove any dust or lint in the drive.
Then start your Mac and try a DVD, again.
If still no joy, purchase and try a commercial "dry brush" CD/DVD drive cleaning disc and insert this into the drive and follow its instructions.
If still no joy, you'll need to purchase an external optical drive such as these.
Not all optical drives are Mac compatible.
Most Mac compatible drives you will only find to be purchased online.
Here are two on Amazon.com that are cheap and Mac compatible
http://www.amazon.com/LG-GP10NB20-Portable-External-Drive/dp/B004K2Z4MS/ref=sr_1 _3?ie=UTF8&qid=1398883289&sr=8-3&keywords=Mac+compatible+external+LG+optical+dr i ve
http://www.amazon.com/LG-Electronics-Portable-External-GP40NB40/dp/B009DS6OFU/re f=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1398883289&sr=8-7&keywords=Mac+compatible+external+LG+opti c al+drive
Here's another source for Mac compatible optical drives. These are better quality optical drives.
These are also tray loading drives.
Tray loading optical drives are more reliable, plus they are capable of playing those smaller mini sized discs.
http://eshop.macsales.com/item/OWC/VLU2SD24XS/
http://eshop.macsales.com/item/OWC/MR3F82SD24S/
Good Luck!
Okay, sorry it took me a while to try the suggestions. I did buy the lens cleaner. I ran it through a few times and it didn't work.
Are there any other options other than just scrapping the disc player at this point?
No.
Purchase one of the optical drives I supplied links for you to look at.
The optical drives in iMacs is, usually, the first piece of internal hardware to fail early in an iMac's life.
If you decide to get it replaced by Apple, they will only install the same drive and it will fail, again in a few years and will cost you more to replace and install, through Apple, than to just buy either a cheap, external optical or one of the better, longer lasting external drives that I have recommended.
iMac will not play DVD
