CD/DVD Player reports "damaged" disk

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Level 1

48 points

CD/DVD Player reports "damaged" disk

mid 2010 iMac 27" Yosemite. Mac OS 10.10.5

My internal DVD player now reports almost all DVDs that I insert as damaged and it skips over large sections or even the entire disk. I put the same disk into my wife's Mac Book Pro and it plays flawlessly. Is there any home remedy for my internal disk player? Is there an economic way to either repair it or replace it? Should I visit Apple store or find a non-Apple repair shop? Any recommendations in Palo Alto? Should I shop for an external DVD/CD player with USB or firewire connectivity? My wife's computer has the same operating system but is about a year older. We watch a lot of DVDs from the library on my iMac.

iMac, OS X Yosemite (10.10.3), 27"

Posted on Aug 15, 2015 9:42 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Klaus1

Level 9

52,749 points

Aug 16, 2015 2:29 AM in response to Gil Woolley

Start by cleaning it by using a standard CD/DVD lens cleaning disk that uses tiny brushes (not on any account a liquid).

If that doesn't work look at buying an external Superdrive. Other models than the expensive Apple one are available!

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Answer 2

Gil Woolley Author

Level 1

48 points

Aug 16, 2015 8:41 AM in response to Gil Woolley

Klaus, Thanks for the recommendation. I'll hit Fry's today and see what they have. I've discovered lens cleaning disks at Amazon. Good to know that they at least sometimes work. I guess it is not surprising since we use the internal drive a great deal that it would accumulate dust. More later after I try such a disk.

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Answer 3

Gil Woolley Author

Level 1

48 points

Aug 16, 2015 11:01 AM in response to Klaus1

I think that your first solution worked. I bought the Clean Drx for Computers Laser Lens Cleaner. It did not operate as I expected. It did not allow me to select the Clean Now option. It kept reverting to the introduction. However, I then removed the disk and stuck in a DVD which has been giving me much grief and it now plays perfectly.

As for the second option, it looks like if I want in the future I can find a CD/DVD external drive for about $40 or a BluRay player for about $109. For the moment, BluRay holds no value and if the cleaning disk works, I'll stick with the internal drive.

I read somewhere that Apple recommends against using a cleaning disc inside the iMac. Maybe that is why I could not get the cleaning disc to operate as the menu suggested. However, before the internal drive was virtually useless and right now, based on a sample of one "damaged" disc, I seem to have regained full use of my internal drive.

Thank you very much.

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