MBER
Level 1 (4 points)
Desktops

Q: External CD player will not mount on OSX

An external CD/DVD player will not mount consistently on my up to date iMac running the most current OSX. I'm on my second CD player (sorry Amazon). When I load an audio CD, it is recognized. I'm able to rip the CD fine, but then the player will not respond to open unless I unplug it from USB At which time I am able to open it and change CD's. I've tried using external power for the player. That

s not the issue. Disk Util sees in only after fresh connection to USB. Sys profile sees it anytime. Rebooting does not correct the issue any better than unplugging and reconnecting. All OS updates have been applied. Not other devices or software issues. Is there some trick. This should be simple and yes, the CD player works on a Windows machine, but I have not yet tried it on another Apple machine.

 

Message was edited by: MBER it is OSX compatible and the issue is not solved.

iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, Late 2014), OS X El Capitan (10.11.6), null

Posted on Sep 5, 2016 8:13 AM

by rkaufmann87,Solvedanswer
rkaufmann87 rkaufmann87
Level 9 (58,073 points)
Photos for Mac
A:

Is the devices designed to work with OS  X?

Posted on Sep 5, 2016 8:10 AM

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MBER

Q: External CD player will not mount on OSX

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  • Helpful answers

  • by rkaufmann87,Solvedanswer

    rkaufmann87 rkaufmann87 Sep 5, 2016 8:10 AM in response to MBER
    Level 9 (58,073 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Sep 5, 2016 8:10 AM in response to MBER

    Is the devices designed to work with OS  X?

  • by MBER,

    MBER MBER Sep 5, 2016 8:13 AM in response to rkaufmann87
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Desktops
    Sep 5, 2016 8:13 AM in response to rkaufmann87

    YES...not solved

  • by MBER,

    MBER MBER Sep 6, 2016 4:53 PM in response to MBER
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Desktops
    Sep 6, 2016 4:53 PM in response to MBER

    More info, the CD/DVD drive works fine on a MacBook running the same OSX. This is really odd.

  • by babowa,

    babowa babowa Sep 6, 2016 5:40 PM in response to MBER
    Level 7 (31,868 points)
    iPad
    Sep 6, 2016 5:40 PM in response to MBER

    External burners will not show on your desktop unless you've inserted media. As for working reliably: Apple has decided that CDs/DVDs are "old-fashioned" and they discontinued including internal burners/readers. Although my external DVD burner/reader is compatible with Macs, the easy way to control it is to use third party software such as Roxio Toast (there are other burn softwares) - I can control it immediately after launching Toast as it shows there (in fact, it shows the actual burner/player).

     

    So, is your device compatible with Macs? It should show in the specs. And, what burn software do you use? I would no longer rely on OS X. What model/year is your iMac and your MBP? Does either have an internal Superdrive?

  • by MBER,

    MBER MBER Sep 6, 2016 6:25 PM in response to babowa
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Desktops
    Sep 6, 2016 6:25 PM in response to babowa

    The external DVD device shows up in the profile And it is recognized when I insert a cd and plug and unplug the device. My sole use for the device is to read audio CDs and rip them to iTunes. The problem is that each time itunes completes ripping a cd, I must unplug and replug even to remove the cd. So...will burning software like Roxio Toaster make the device more reliably available?

    also why is this device so readily recognized by the MacBook (at least 2-3 yrs old) and not by my iMac built late 2014/early 2015 with both devices running the exact same version of OSX?

  • by babowa,

    babowa babowa Sep 6, 2016 7:13 PM in response to MBER
    Level 7 (31,868 points)
    iPad
    Sep 6, 2016 7:13 PM in response to MBER

    Does your Macbook still have a Superdrive? Apple made some under the hood changes and, as I said, they decided to no longer support hardware for CDs/DVDs. I do not have an answer as to why it is recognized in your Macbook, but not your iMac except to say that external players/burners have never shown up on any of my devices' desktops - ever (as far as I can remember). The only time it "shows" is after you insert media and it really doesn't show the device, just the media.

     

    I don't use audio CDs regularly and rarely use iTunes. There are other players, some free. There is also the VLC player. Roxio Toast is a burn utility (and I use it to burn homemade videos to a DVD); it also works for audio CDs - not having used it for that, check their website for the features for those. Additionally, I just had a thought: if your CDs are commercial, then it may possibly be a built in protective feature since you would be trying to circumvent DRM protection which, by the way, we are not allowed to discuss here at all. See the ToU here:

     

    https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-5952

  • by MBER,

    MBER MBER Sep 6, 2016 7:50 PM in response to babowa
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Desktops
    Sep 6, 2016 7:50 PM in response to babowa

    The MacBook does not have a SuperDrive.

    THe CDs read just fine; not a DRM issue

    the issue is either a hardware USB issue (not a power issue as the drive has an option for external power that does not resolve the reliability) or a USB driver issue.

    DOes anyone one have experience with the iMac and external USB optical drives?

  • by babowa,

    babowa babowa Sep 6, 2016 8:34 PM in response to MBER
    Level 7 (31,868 points)
    iPad
    Sep 6, 2016 8:34 PM in response to MBER

    Sorry I couldn't help further; I do regularly use an external optical drive, but it is to burn homemade movies. I do not have a problem with it. FWIW, reading a CD and ripping it are two entirely different things.