Faulty optical drive / Install windows from USB

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Faulty optical drive / Install windows from USB

Guys,

I am having a double problem here, which I could not find a definite solution.

I was trying to install Windows 7 on my MBP Pro 15" Early 2011 running El Capitan. Unfortunately the DVD drive failed as I tried to burn Win7 on a blank DVD. I tried the disc on another Macbook and it works. When I use it on mine you can hear it tries to spin, but after a couple of tries it ejects the disk. So let's assume that the drive broke down after having used it 5 times in 4 years.

I have two options:

1. replace the DVD drive with a new one, £25 on ebay and I install it myself. Cheap solution, but pretty useless going forward.

2. replace the DVD drive with a SSD and effectively upgrade my MBP Pro.

Since DVD are obsolete I would lean towards 2. However I understand that if the MBP Pro was born with a DVD drive, it will be impossible to boot windows from a USB key. I am really confused on the topic.

So my questions are:

a. Is there anyway to install Win7 from USB on my machine

b. following a.: If I remove the DVD drive (and install a SDD) would the firmware just see it as no DVD drive installed and let me boot from USB?

c. let's say the drive is just dirty and not broken: how do I understand that and what do I have to clean?

I know there are posts on the issue but noone seems to point to an exact solution.

Thanks!

MacBook Pro (15-inch Early 2011), OS X El Capitan (10.11)

Posted on Nov 10, 2015 4:44 AM

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Answer 1

Nov 10, 2015 9:14 AM in response to ponch10

ponch10 wrote:

...let's say the drive is just dirty and not broken: how do I understand that and what do I have to clean?...

While I doubt you have a BestBuy in your location, you should be able to find something like this locally. I've used it on a non-functioning MBP optical drive and it was working again in seconds.

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Answer 2

ponch10 Author

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Nov 10, 2015 9:21 AM in response to FatMac-MacPro

Thanks. I am wondering if anything like this work, since it won't even spin a blank DVD ?

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Answer 3

Nov 10, 2015 9:27 AM in response to ponch10

ponch10 wrote:

Thanks. I am wondering if anything like this work, since it won't even spin a blank DVD ?

You said earlier it will spin an optical disk but then eject it. If it does spin a disk, cleaning the read/write head may be all that's necessary and if it is, that cleaning disk will do it. There's no guarantee that's what's wrong but the alternatives are a lot harder and more expensive.

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Answer 4

ponch10 Author

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Nov 10, 2015 9:29 AM in response to FatMac-MacPro

You can hear something moves internally, and the typical sound of the spin starting but failing immediately, as if something was pulling it back.

I don't think it does a full spin, but certainly something moves.

What's another solution? open the reader up?

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Answer 5

ponch10 Author

Level 1

5 points

Nov 20, 2015 10:14 AM in response to ponch10

If anybody cares: I opened the reader, dusted it internally and cleaned the laser lens with a Q-Tip with some lens cleaner liquid (which I use for my photographic equipment) on it. Now it works. So indeed it was just dusty.

Also, I successfully installed Win7 from DVD in no time.

Thanks!

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