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Q: Superdrive not working with El Capitan

Just upgraded to El Capitan on MacBook Air 11 inch and my UsB SuperDrive has stopped working ! Does not get recognized ? Anyone else have this problem ? Performed the SMC reset and all. Still no joy

MacBook Air (11-inch Mid 2013), OS X El Capitan (10.11), USB Superdrive

Posted on Oct 3, 2015 9:28 PM

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Q: Superdrive not working with El Capitan

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  • by Michael Paine,

    Michael Paine Michael Paine Oct 4, 2015 12:02 AM in response to homifromdubai
    Level 2 (348 points)
    Oct 4, 2015 12:02 AM in response to homifromdubai

    My Blu-ray drive works with El Capitan. It  connected via USB to my iMac.

  • by ChuckHMB,

    ChuckHMB ChuckHMB Oct 6, 2015 11:31 AM in response to homifromdubai
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 6, 2015 11:31 AM in response to homifromdubai

    I have this issue too on a Macbook Air late 2010.  I needed to reinstall Win7 Pro on my bootcamp partition.  Went to make an ISO file to reinstall Win7 Pro on my bootcamp partition and found the superdrive wasn't working any more on the Air.  I was just using it yesterday on my iMac...also with running El Capitan.

     

    I plug the drive in either right or left USB ports, doesn't matter, and drive never shows in Finder.  The drive makes the usual electro-mechanical click when I plug it in, so its getting power.  It won't accept disks and never shows in finder.

  • by kwatkin,

    kwatkin kwatkin Oct 7, 2015 8:37 PM in response to ChuckHMB
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 7, 2015 8:37 PM in response to ChuckHMB

    I too am having this issue with my superdrive.  The usb ports are working with other accessories.

     

    No luck finding a posted solution yet.

  • by ChuckHMB,

    ChuckHMB ChuckHMB Oct 7, 2015 9:31 PM in response to homifromdubai
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 7, 2015 9:31 PM in response to homifromdubai

    I figured a work around. If I plug the SuperDrive into my MacBook Air before I boot it up, then boot it the SuperDrive works. It doesn't work if I plug it in after the MacBook is already powered up. Works for me.

  • by Wentworth Falls,Helpful

    Wentworth Falls Wentworth Falls Oct 16, 2015 8:14 PM in response to ChuckHMB
    Level 1 (9 points)
    Applications
    Oct 16, 2015 8:14 PM in response to ChuckHMB

    I spent some hours on the phone with Apple about this yesterday and eventually was put through to a "product expert" who finally conceded that there appeared to be a problem with El Capitan. Clearly, it is most inconvenient and in appropriate to have to restart your computer every time you wish to connect your usb super drive.

     

    In addition, there is yet another problem with El Capitan. It is no longer is possible to delete a rewritable disk using Disk Utility.

     

    Hopefully these further difficulties with El Capitan also will be rectified promptly by Apple.

  • by art studio,

    art studio art studio Oct 22, 2015 4:18 AM in response to ChuckHMB
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 22, 2015 4:18 AM in response to ChuckHMB

    El Capitan is now updated to 10.11.1 on my mini. The issue is not resolved. The Superdrive works fine on another computer with Yosemite. I restarted my Mac mini (Mid 2011) and the Superdrive operates while connected directly to the mini.  I have yet to try this with start up while plugged into the Thunderbolt display.

  • by art studio,

    art studio art studio Oct 23, 2015 5:58 AM in response to art studio
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 23, 2015 5:58 AM in response to art studio

    I unplugged/ replugged-in the Superdrive into the mini. It did not work. The Superdrive only works when it is connected and rebooted as ChuckHMB mentioned above. I tried the same procedure on the Thunderbolt Display. No go for either option.

  • by stevenfromcalifornia,

    stevenfromcalifornia stevenfromcalifornia Nov 4, 2015 8:20 AM in response to homifromdubai
    Level 1 (4 points)
    iPhone
    Nov 4, 2015 8:20 AM in response to homifromdubai

    Hello Apple,

    I have a Macbook Pro Retina ( Late 2013). I upgraded from Yosemite to El Capitan and then downloaded an update on Oct 21, 2015. My Apple USB Super Drive does not work in either USB ports I am a dental educator and this is a HUGE problem for me! Please fix ASAP! I have been checking everyday for updates since Oct 21. How do you uninstall and put Yosemite back on?

     

    Thanks

  • by art studio,

    art studio art studio Nov 4, 2015 11:10 AM in response to stevenfromcalifornia
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 4, 2015 11:10 AM in response to stevenfromcalifornia

    Hi there, As above I had the same problem. Make sure you have a complete backup before you do anything. I did have success with plugging in the Superdrive and restarting the computer. However, I decided it was time to do a clean install of the system software. An apple technician walked me through it. One can migrate the documents, apps and so on after. After my clean install it is a plug and play again. Not sure if this helps your specific case... but this is what I did.

  • by skyborndancer,Helpful

    skyborndancer skyborndancer Nov 23, 2015 1:31 AM in response to homifromdubai
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Nov 23, 2015 1:31 AM in response to homifromdubai

    Hi All, I was also having the same issue since upgrading to El Capitan

     

    A solution that works for me is to use the plist modification technique. Note: El Capitan has a newer level of system file protection, so you first need to disable System Integrity Protection

     

    Disable SIP

    1) Print these steps so you can know the commands

    2) Restart into Recovery disk by holding command and R while starting up

    3) From the Utilities menu open Terminal

    4) Type csrutil disable

    5) Shut down

     

    Modify plist file

     

    6) In the finder use Go menu to go to

     

    /Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/

     

    7) Copy the file com.apple.Boot.plist to your desktop or someplace where you easily locate it.

     

    8) Rename it ORIGINALcom.apple.Boot.plist This way in case you need the original file, you can restore it back to com.apple.Boot.plist and put it back

     

    9) Again, copy the file com.apple.Boot.plist to your desktop or someplace where you easily locate it.

     

    10) Open it in text edit and change the text to add <string>mbasd=1</string>

     

    <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

    <!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">

    <plist version="1.0">

    <dict>

      <key>Kernel Flags</key>

      <string>mbasd=1</string>

    </dict>

    </plist>

     

    11) Save new file plist file

     

    12) Drag com.apple.Boot.plist into /Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/

     

    13) Type administrator password to make changes

     

    14) Restart to have boot change take effect

     

    Enable SIP

     

    15) Restart into Recovery disk by holding command and R while starting up

    16) From the Utilities menu open Terminal

    17) Type csrutil enable

    18) Shut down

     

    DONE! Congratulations

     

    References

     

    http://www.hardturm.ch/luz/2011/10/how-to-make-the-macbook-air-superdrive-work-w ith-any-mac/comment-page-12/

     

    http://osxdaily.com/2015/10/05/disable-rootless-system-integrity-protection-mac- os-x/

  • by MacFleckno,

    MacFleckno MacFleckno Nov 23, 2015 12:54 PM in response to homifromdubai
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 23, 2015 12:54 PM in response to homifromdubai

    I had this problem too. In my case, I had the SuperDrive plugged into a USB hub. The solution was to plug the drive directly into the USB on the computer.

  • by greenmilldude,

    greenmilldude greenmilldude Dec 6, 2015 7:31 AM in response to homifromdubai
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 6, 2015 7:31 AM in response to homifromdubai

    I've got a strange variant of this problem.  Macbook Pro 15" 2011 w/ internal superdrive.  After upgrading to El Capitan, music CDs no longer appear in Finder and iTunes.  I can insert and eject the CDs.  Also, I'm running VMWare Vusion w/ Windows 10, and Windows 10 can see\play\rip the CDs.  So, clearly the drive is functional and Windows\VMware drivers can operate the superdrive, but not El Capitan.

     

    Any suggestions?

  • by mclepore,

    mclepore mclepore Dec 20, 2015 7:37 AM in response to skyborndancer
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 20, 2015 7:37 AM in response to skyborndancer

    Totally works!!! Thanks!!

  • by homifromdubai,

    homifromdubai homifromdubai Jan 3, 2016 11:43 AM in response to homifromdubai
    Level 1 (1 points)
    Jan 3, 2016 11:43 AM in response to homifromdubai

    Update

     

    Just got off Apple Support Chat.

    None of the earlier solutions worked.

    Finally was asked to reboot with drive connected in safe mode.

    it accepted the disk. Rebooted in normal mood and it accepted the disk.

    problem solved.

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