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Q: both superdrive not writing DVD's

i own a Mac Pro (early 2008) with 2 superdrives originally assembled by Apple.

The system is running OSX Yosemite 10.10.2

 

I do not write often DVD's nor CD's but i realize recenttly that it doesn't burn and DVD anymore. It seems strange that the problem is on BOTH the superdrive so i think that must be a software problem. Is it possible? Nobody experienced with such a problem?
Any possible solution will be appreciated.

thanks

 

m.

Mac Pro (Early 2008), OS X Yosemite (10.10.2), 12 Gb RAM

Posted on Mar 3, 2015 1:00 PM

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Q: both superdrive not writing DVD's

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  • by lllaass,

    lllaass lllaass Mar 3, 2015 1:05 PM in response to oesse
    Level 10 (188,672 points)
    Desktops
    Mar 3, 2015 1:05 PM in response to oesse

    What happens when you try?

    Error message(s)?

    Do they ready DVDs?

    If you go to System Report and look under how they are connected (SATA or PATA) does it show burning capability?

  • by oesse,

    oesse oesse Mar 3, 2015 1:35 PM in response to lllaass
    Level 2 (165 points)
    Mar 3, 2015 1:35 PM in response to lllaass

    the superdrives are listed as OPTIARC DVD RW AD-7170A and are ATAPI

    The error is "the attempt to burn a disc failed. The disc can't be burned; it might be incompatible with this disc drive. Please try a differente brand of disc, or try burning at a slower speed (this happens trying to write a DVD using iTunes).

    Using the finder, the error message is "The disc can’t be burned, because the device failed to calibrate the laser power level for this media"

    DVD can be read without problems

    thanks

     

    m.

  • by lllaass,

    lllaass lllaass Mar 3, 2015 1:41 PM in response to oesse
    Level 10 (188,672 points)
    Desktops
    Mar 3, 2015 1:41 PM in response to oesse

    Try a cleaning disk.

    Can you burn these DVD on another drive/computer? Maybe they are bad. How old are they?

    I would try ones from batch that burn on another drive.

  • by pmiles,

    pmiles pmiles Mar 3, 2015 1:50 PM in response to oesse
    Level 6 (15,951 points)
    Mar 3, 2015 1:50 PM in response to oesse

    This can be quite common with burning a DVD.  It's why commercial DVDs are pressed not burned.  They can be quite finicky towards media.

     

    You say the error happens while using iTunes.  Have you tried burning a data DVD from Finder with the media?  If the media is bad (relatively speaking) it won't burn under any application.  Have you cleaned optical drives lately?  Dust is the number one culprit.  Speed at which the media is rated is also a factor, the slower the rated write speed, the better (2X or 4X write media for example).  Sometimes merely using a different brand or write speed is the ticket. 

  • by oesse,

    oesse oesse Mar 3, 2015 1:50 PM in response to lllaass
    Level 2 (165 points)
    Mar 3, 2015 1:50 PM in response to lllaass

    i cleaned already many times the driver with the cleaning disk but unsuccesfully

    I have tested some DVD-R branded APPLE dvd (quite old indeed, maybe 6 or 7 years) as well as a Verbatin DVD 16x certified quite new (less than 1 year) . What i find strange is that BOTH the drivers are not working.....

     

    m.

  • by lllaass,

    lllaass lllaass Mar 3, 2015 1:57 PM in response to oesse
    Level 10 (188,672 points)
    Desktops
    Mar 3, 2015 1:57 PM in response to oesse
  • by pmiles,

    pmiles pmiles Mar 3, 2015 2:00 PM in response to oesse
    Level 6 (15,951 points)
    Mar 3, 2015 2:00 PM in response to oesse

    You could also try resetting the NVRAM/PRAM and SMC.

     

    When was the last time you actually burned a DVD?  And have you ever successfully burned the Verbatim media on these drives?  16X is a fast write speed... DVDs that are only certified for slower write speeds force the drive to only write at the lower speeds... which is why you want slow write speed media for the best possible chance of success.

  • by oesse,

    oesse oesse Mar 3, 2015 2:01 PM in response to lllaass
    Level 2 (165 points)
    Mar 3, 2015 2:01 PM in response to lllaass

    done already, even the pram

    still the same error, unfortunately

  • by pmiles,

    pmiles pmiles Mar 3, 2015 2:04 PM in response to oesse
    Level 6 (15,951 points)
    Mar 3, 2015 2:04 PM in response to oesse

    Still likely to be the media itself... 

  • by oesse,

    oesse oesse Mar 3, 2015 2:07 PM in response to pmiles
    Level 2 (165 points)
    Mar 3, 2015 2:07 PM in response to pmiles

    with 2 different media?

  • by pmiles,

    pmiles pmiles Mar 3, 2015 3:33 PM in response to oesse
    Level 6 (15,951 points)
    Mar 3, 2015 3:33 PM in response to oesse

    If you haven't burned a disc with either media successfully recently, then yes both media could be to blame.  Try slower speed rated media, 2X or 4X write speeds.  They tend to do better with fickle drives.  It can be a bit of trial and error to find the right media.

     

    Again, have you tried burning just a data DVD from Finder?  iTunes could be the problem child, but you have to prove that you can burn to this media (or any DVD media) successfully to prove that it is.

  • by gumsie,

    gumsie gumsie Mar 3, 2015 10:35 PM in response to oesse
    Level 4 (2,174 points)
    Mar 3, 2015 10:35 PM in response to oesse

    There are 3 at least possibilities as I see it. The OS, the media or the drive and you would need to eliminate what you can.

     

    If it's the OS can you boot into a different one and try it?

    If the Media, can you purchase a small quantity of 'quality' discs and try?

    If the drive, do you have another chassis, (Mac or PC), that you can try?

  • by oesse,Solvedanswer

    oesse oesse Mar 4, 2015 3:18 PM in response to pmiles
    Level 2 (165 points)
    Mar 4, 2015 3:18 PM in response to pmiles

    I have solved the problem simply reducing the number of files (and consequently the total dimension) to be burned on the DVD.

    I have no words....

  • by gumsie,

    gumsie gumsie Mar 5, 2015 12:10 AM in response to oesse
    Level 4 (2,174 points)
    Mar 5, 2015 12:10 AM in response to oesse

    Before we put this to bed. Can you tell us what you reduced from, to?

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