superdrive on imac not reading after update to high sierra

Hello Vaughanjem,
Thanks for reaching out to the Apple Support Communities. I understand you're having some trouble with superdrive, and I have some information that may help.
In cases like this, it may be helpful to test the issue in both safe mode and a new user account. Doing so will help to isolate the issue to a startup item, or a user specific issue. Safe mode may also help resolve the issue on its own, as it clears some cached items.
Use safe mode to isolate issues with your Mac - Apple Support

How to test an issue in another user account on your Mac - Apple Support
If you run into any trouble, please reach out again.
​Best Regards.

From your description it sounds like the drive may be dirty. If a Mac can't read a disk because the disk is damaged or the lens of the drive is dirty it will take a disk in then spit it back out. You could try an optical disk cleaning disk.

I have an external SuperDrive which works fine with High Sierra. FWIW, the drive won't appear in the Finder without a disk in it.

There's also the possibility that the drive coincidentally failed when you upgraded.

Vaughanjem wrote:

Sorry no I haven’t, tried all I can think of. I don’t think the drive is faulty but more likely to be iOS software issue.

hoping it will be resolved in next update but don’t hold out much hope.

So how do think it is an iOS software issue when there is no iOS?

1. Have you tested several different disks: CD, DVD, Data, Movie etc? Do they all not read?

2. Have you tried booting off an older macOS e.g. Sierra, to check whether it is High Sierra or a Hardware problem?

Peter

Contact Apple for support and service - Apple Support

Hi,

I am having the same issue with my internal superdrive. Were you able to resolve this issue? Thanks for letting me know. Best regards!