iMac 27" 2010 super drive accepts Snow leopard install disc but doesn't seem to sit in drive to enable reading

I think you may find what you need in http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-boot-snow-leopard-from-a-dvdrom.htm l

If that does not do it, then your SuperDrive may have problems.

Going forward, create a bootable clone on an external HD. You will need either SuperDuper or Carbon Copy Cloner to do so. Then when installing a new HD, simply boot from the clone and format the HD and restore the complete system from the clone.

Your profile says that you "own a few" Macs, so this may work, if you have another Intel Mac (not the iBook):

Hold down the T key while booting your iMac and it should go into Target Mode, showing a Firewire symbol on the screen.

Boot another Mac with your Snow Leopard Install DVD and then connect both computers with a Firewire cable.

When going through the install process, it should offer you a choice of destination disks and select the iMac and not the internal drive on your 2nd Mac -- BE CAREFUL!

I would suggest that you click on the OPTIONS button and check off the Rosetta and QuickTime 7 options.

Install Snow Leopard on the iMac and when complete, shut down the 2nd Mac and power down the iMac.

Start the iMac and it should now boot into 10.6.3. Immediately use Software Update to install all of the available updates, including 10.6.8 and after restart, repeat this process until it informs you that no further updates are available.

You will then have your iMac with its most modern versions of Snow Leopard to operate with.

About the iBook (G3/G4) portables: These did not have a dual-layer

optical drive, + often only a Combo drive so recording to DVD media

was not likely. Or if possible, the system install DVD for OS X after

Tiger 10.4 (from Leopard 10.5, on) are dual layer and require much

better optical superdrive equivalent to make emergency backups of

OS X original media. So the idea is OK, but the hardware won't do it.

Not sure if a copy would be helpful. Did the computer ship with a

different version than 10.6. Snow Leopard? I haven't looked it up.

(Just checked against MacTracker... either factory grey label 10.6.3

or 10.6.4; perhaps boot from retail 10.6.3 possible -- see part numbers)

Original OS Mac OS X 10.6.3 (10D2322a)

Later OS Mac OS X 10.6.4 (10F2056, 10F2061, 10F2090, 10F2108)

The external superdrive option may be best; avoid the Apple USB

SuperDrive because it is not intended for use with the later Macs

with built-in optical drives. Try another brand. LC, etc. They cost

less and if the unit doesn't work, they should be returned to store.

And these USB superdrive-type drives (usually tray load is best)

will work with near any computer. In mac, many don't need drivers.

The OWC macsales site has examples of external tray-load drives.

And with the Intel-based Macs, with questionable internal optical

drive, the tray load external superdrive idea beats the Apple USB

superdrive if your mac has an issue with its original built-in drive.

Good luck & happy computing! 🙂

..iBook G4 12-inch 1.33GHz, 40GB HD, 1.5GB RAM, Mid-2005 Apple refurbished..

External USB DVD drives are very inexpensive now (~$40 or less) and BluRay drives with are also below $100, so that may be your best option.

They should be "plug-in" ready to use. Check to be sure it is compatible with a Mac.