Defective Optical Drive?

Question

Level 1

24 points

Defective Optical Drive?

First off, I have a 2.16ghz Intel Core Duo 15in Macbook Pro. The optical drive is a MATSHITA DVD-R UJ-857.

I have had it for a while and generally, I haven't had to use the optical drive very much thanks to the internet and home networking.

Anyway, since I bought it, I’ve noticed that the Optical Drive has seemed extremely sensitive to any sort of issues with the CD/DVD I put in it. If there is even the slightest scuff on the bottom of the CD or you put in a burned CD/DVD that didn’t quite burn right (verification error ect) it completely locks up the system. Basically, the disk spins up then spins down until you restart the system. And even then, some of the disks I have put into the computer refuse to eject after I force restart the computer (holding down the power button for a few seconds). At that point, the disk spins up and spins down while the screen is grey. The only way to get it out is to hold down the mouse button and pray.

So, is my optical drive supposed to be this hyper sensitive to disks that might be slightly flawed? Is it normal for a “bad” disk (that works in my other computers fine) to lock up the entire system and just spin up and down? Are the earlier mac book pro drives just sucky?

15" Macbook Pro Mac OS X (10.4.8) Intel Core Duo

Posted on May 4, 2007 10:07 PM

Reply

Answer 1

May 5, 2007 8:54 PM in response to Bret Comnes

I'm having a similar problem with the MATSHITA DVD-R UJ-857D (Revision: KCV9). What revision is your drive, Bret? It could be that earlier revisions cause a system wide lockup requiring a restart. Also, you're listed as using 10.4.8; an upgrade to 10.4.9 might help. I mention these solutions because I'm not having the entire system lock up that you're experiencing.

But, my problem is similar in that any disc that has any sort of visible flaw won't play--you can insert the disk, it spins up twice but is then ejected. The drive's sensitivity is frustrating: discs that play fine in other computers (a G5 at work, for example) simply won't run in my MacBook Pro. Disk utility never sees the discs and they never appear in the finder either.

Reply

Answer 2

May 5, 2007 9:00 PM in response to Bret Comnes

Sounds like the lazer was badly calibrated from the factory, thus you have a defective drive.

Matsushita drives have iffy quality.

Reply

Answer 3

May 5, 2007 9:04 PM in response to Bret Comnes

It may be defective. I had the same exact problem (down to the computer model).
I even posted a question here.
They told me to take it to the Apple store and have them look at it.
Other people said they got a replacment.
I, however, don't remember how mine fixed.
It just kinda healed itself. It works perfectly fine now.
The only thing I can think of is, my Mac was brand new and it just took some time to "fall together".
Go to the system profiler and see it the disk drive is appearing. If it isn't then there is a internal techincal error.

Reply

Answer 4

Bret Comnes Author

Level 1

24 points

May 5, 2007 10:00 PM in response to Joseph Tate

Its not a hard lockup, in that my mouse still moves, and the cursor is spinning still. I just cannot do anything.

Basically, its HYPER sensitive to any defects on the disks. Another symptom is that burning disks do not verify correctly (even though they work fine, they just fail verification checks). I dont know if its directly related.

I guess that I should find some disks that cause my computer to do this and then bring it into the apple store.

Reply

Answer 5

Soulab

Level 1

0 points

May 7, 2007 5:06 PM in response to Bret Comnes

These descriptions are so similar to what I'm going through with my MBP's drive... I bought mine "Apple Certified" refurbished about a month ago, so I thought maybe that had something to do with it. In a way, I'm kind of glad that I'm not the only one. I don't feel so alone now! 🙂

Strange, this drive will play pretty much any DVD I'd throw at it, but when I tried to install a program from the 2 installer CD's (perfect condition, no scratches, no visible signs of warpage), they would just spin and spin and do nothing else until I ejected them. I finally got to install the program by burning copies of the CD's (on my other computer), and those were read almost immediately on the MBP. The drive acted flaky again later, trying to load some other CD's (audio and data).

Like the originator of this thread, I don't have a need to use the drive all the time, but it'd be nice to have it work normally when I need it. I'm seriously considering taking it to my local Apple Store to have one of the "Geniuses" at least look at it, and see if anything comes of it.

Power Mac G4 Sawtooth 1Ghz, MacBook Pro 2Ghz Core Duo, PM G4 Quicksilver 1.4 Ghz Mac OS X (10.4.8) 1GB RAM, 20" Apple Cinema Display (ADC), iPod 40GB

Reply

Answer 6

Jun 9, 2007 4:17 PM in response to Bret Comnes

bump

Reply

Answer 7

l32

Level 1

0 points

Jun 9, 2007 4:26 PM in response to Bret Comnes

I guess you're not the only one here. I also got this problem where the drive ejects virtually every dvd or CDs that I put in including the osx cd.

I'm going to bring in to the reseller, I just hope that they can replace the drive or unit. To think that the unit is only 5 days old...

Reply

Answer 8

Jun 19, 2007 9:30 PM in response to Bret Comnes

First off, I have a 2.16ghz Intel Core Duo 15in
Macbook Pro. The optical drive is a MATSHITA DVD-R
UJ-857.
I have had it for a while and generally, I haven't
had to use the optical drive very much thanks to the
internet and home networking.

Anyway, since I bought it, I’ve noticed that the
Optical Drive has seemed extremely sensitive to any
sort of issues with the CD/DVD I put in it. If there
is even the slightest scuff on the bottom of the CD
or you put in a burned CD/DVD that didn’t quite burn
right (verification error ect) it completely locks up
the system. Basically, the disk spins up then spins
down until you restart the system. And even then,
some of the disks I have put into the computer refuse
to eject after I force restart the computer (holding
down the power button for a few seconds). At that
point, the disk spins up and spins down while the
screen is grey. The only way to get it out is to
hold down the mouse button and pray.

So, is my optical drive supposed to be this hyper
sensitive to disks that might be slightly flawed? Is
it normal for a “bad” disk (that works in my other
computers fine) to lock up the entire system and just
spin up and down? Are the earlier mac book pro
drives just sucky?

15"
Macbook Pro Mac OS X (10.4.8) Intel
Core Duo

No the MATSHITA DVD-R UJ-857 is defective. Yesterday I took my MBP to the mac store in brea to have my drive replaced (i was having the same problem but with brand new cds). I was surprised that it only took them one day replace the drive. Unfortunately, they replaced it with the same matshita drive. and sure enough, i had the same problem.......MAN! I even went out and bought a cd right after i received my mbp just to be safe (weezer blue album), and the the horrid noise of of the disc trying to read began. I love music so much but my mac is killing me right now. and the drive to brea is a long one. now i have to go back and return it once again. This is a very obvious issue that should be acknowledged.

Reply