Level 1

0 points

Super Drive won't read blank media, will read others just fine...

Hi there -

My HL-DT-ST DVD-RW GWA-4165B superdrive on my Power Mac G5 has suddenly stopped reading blank media. When I put it any blank DVD-R or CD-R - of any brand - I get the alert that says "You inserted a blank DVD. Choose an action...etc.". If I choose "open in finder", I then get an alert that "This disc cannot be used because it is not recognized." If I try to ignore the "choose an action" alert, and burn something from the Disk Utility, I'm told "The disk is reserved for exclusive use by another application."

I'm able to run existing DVDs and CDs just fine.

Everything was working fine just last week. The only thing I've done of any significance since then is create a disk image from a DVD, using Disk Utility. But I've done that before without any problems at all.

I've reset PRAM, restored permissions of my boot drive in Disk Utility, and the Super Drive is showing up fine in the System Profiler.

Any ideas???? Any advice or assistance is hugely appreciated!

PowerMac G5, Mac OS X (10.4.8)

Posted on Jan 21, 2007 6:31 PM

66 replies

Jan 26, 2008 6:30 AM in response to Keith Cooley

I don't have the file you mention but I KNOW it is the My Book causing the problem since after doing a system reinstall the Superdrive functioned flawlessly - after pluging that @#$% drive in the MBP again will not burn DVDs.

Any thoughts? I do not know how to do the backup you did after the install of the new os - I am a bit new to that level of Mac operation.

Kirk

eyelook

Level 1

0 points

Jan 30, 2008 11:12 AM in response to xt4

Try quitting Parellels and Windows.

monomoit

Level 1

0 points

Feb 28, 2008 9:03 AM in response to Keith Cooley

Keith,

Thank you again, from another user whose burn capability was non-existent until your fix. Removing the file worked like a charm!

Rob

RWL1

Level 1

0 points

Feb 29, 2008 12:02 PM in response to xt4

Thanks Keith, whoever/wherever you are! I'm also one of the many myBook users who had the same DVD burning problems. You saved my •ss. Note: Not only did I have problems burning with my built-in SuperDrive... I went out and bought a brand new Sony CD/DVD burner and it wouldn't recognize any CDs or DVDs either. That's when I knew I had a much bigger problem. Many thanks for sharing your wisdom.

azz3879

Level 1

13 points

Apr 13, 2008 5:24 PM in response to Keith Cooley

One day's time and a $600 superdrive replacement later: same error.

Two day's time and a $1200 logic board replacement later: same error.

Total time, cost, and frustration: 3 days and $1800

... end result, wishing I had done a little more research in the first place.

Thanks Keith, thank god this was on Apple's dime and not mine.

Apr 25, 2008 10:59 PM in response to xt4

Yes, same here. I have a HL-DT-ST DVD-RW GWA-4082B and am having the same issue. I'm insert a blank CD-R. WILL NOT READ BLANK DISC. What's the problem? Will someone please explain? How do I get this fixed?

Apr 26, 2008 8:45 AM in response to xt4

Western Digital released new drivers taht fixed the problem. I had several problems with the WD Software. First, it took 45 seconds to go from login to finder. After deleting WD Notify it was instant. Second, couldn't mount any blank media in my drives. Removed the WD software and it worked.

I downloaded the update from WD and everything is working as it should.

Go to http://support.wdc.com/download/index.asp and select your model. I have the two drive version and it can be downloaded from:

http://support.wdc.com/download/index.asp?cxml=n&pid=26&swid=61

Here's what I did:

1) Eject WD drive
2) Download file
3) Run installer
4) Select UNINSTALL
5) Reboot
6) Run installer
7) INSTALL
8) Reboot

Works fine, it can mount blank media and the login to finder is as quick as ever. The new software makes it a status menu icon.

Hopefully this works for people having this problem.

Apr 26, 2008 11:09 AM in response to FCPMac Editor

I just sprayed the inside of my superdrive with a can of cleaning duster and....My drive is working now. Give it a try and its less technical.

JM

May 29, 2008 12:07 PM in response to FCPMac Editor

I know that this thread is a month old, but I just wanted to say thanks mucho. I just bought a WD drive and this thread saved me. Nothing worse than being on deadline to FED EX and something suddenly quits working. Thanks for all the help out there!

Jun 19, 2008 6:41 AM in response to xt4

I found that the drive has odd effects on other firewire accessories, not just my superdrive. If I have the drive unmounted and am capturing digital video via firewire 400, turning off the camera automatically mounts the WD drive!

I did not know that there was a driver update from WD to fix this, but I've found that if you plug in the drive after you start the computer, the superdrive recognizes blank media. If it is connected in any way during startup, you will have problems.

Jul 13, 2008 6:47 AM in response to oren_darling

I have recognized the same problems most of the users wrote about. After installing the firmaware update of the ext. MyBook the iMac still did not recognize the blank media. Unmounting and disconnecting the drive from the computer helped! So, if I want to burn a DVD I have to unmount and disconnect the drive. What a shame!

I hope Apple will fix the problem (or WD). I don't care who will but I want it to work!

Jul 25, 2008 2:25 PM in response to MacZilla3

Hey,

been having a problem with my macbook and blank CDs. I put a blank CD in and it doesnt get recognized. I have a WD MyBook 250 GB hard drive, and i checked the "LaunchDaemons" folder and there was no file in it. Now I probably havent updated all the necessary updates from WD for the Mybook external drive i have, but im not sure what to do. i read earlier that i should try updating all the updates from the WD website, and follow some instructions about uninstalling, rebooting and then installing and rebooting and then mounting cds will work.

I have Mac OS X 10.5(or whatever is the latest one)...

Any ideas?/???? the *plist. file in "LaunchDaemons" doesnt exist, nor does any other file.

Also, anyone got some free virus scanners I can download for my macbook?

Jul 30, 2008 1:15 AM in response to xt4

I had the same problem and fixed it by using a dvd lens cleaner, the ones that have brushes embedded and not recommended. Crude but it works!

joehood

Level 1

0 points

Aug 10, 2008 11:43 AM in response to Keith Cooley

I removed the suggested plist file and the RAID manager / startup applications suggested in an earlier post and everything started working again.

This question should be marked as answered so that it comes up on more searches. It was exactly what I needed to know.

mattlamb

Level 1

16 points

Oct 21, 2008 10:24 PM in response to xt4

1.5 TB mybook pro- same issue , blank discs not reading.

solution-use the WD drive manger installer to "uninstall" the stupid software(you do not need it anyway) problem gone.

now just need to figure out why it mounts fine using FW 400 but is not recognized using FW 800!!!!!

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Super Drive won't read blank media, will read others just fine...