[andreas_g4]

I was just converting some old CDs in iTunes, when out of a sudden everything but the GUI stopped responding. The CD has some nice scratches that generated the problem. Force quit didn't work, terminal was unable to start etc. Where the hell is the emergency eject button, found on all other (correct me if I am wrong) Macs, including slot in iBooks/Powerbooks etc. There is none in the Mac mini, which is kind of scary since the easiest way to bring down OS X is a faulty optical media… Apple's KBase didn't find anything on "eject cd".

[discotronic]

It should have one. It is probably hidden under the "dust cover". The cloth like barrier that covers the slot. It should be on the far right or left hand side.

[turtle777]

I guess you are talking about that little hole, where you stick in a paper clip to release a spring.

Wouldn't exactly call that a button though...

-t

[Leonard]

Originally posted by andreas_g4:
Where the hell is the emergency eject button, found on all other (correct me if I am wrong) Macs, including slot in iBooks/Powerbooks etc. There is none in the Mac mini, which is kind of scary since the easiest way to bring down OS X is a faulty optical media… Apple's KBase didn't find anything on "eject cd".

Hate to tell you, but it's been gone on the PowerMac for ages, and I coulda sworn it's been gone on the iBook and probably Powerbook for awhile too.

Hold down the mouse button on start-up and the CD will eject (I know this opens the CD tray on the Power Mac - not sure about slot-loading drives).

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=153415

[Hi I'm Ben]

Originally posted by Leonard:
Hate to tell you, but it's been gone on the PowerMac for ages, and I coulda sworn it's been gone on the iBook and probably Powerbook for awhile too.

Hold down the mouse button on start-up and the CD will eject (I know this opens the CD tray on the Power Mac - not sure about slot-loading drives).

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=153415

what he said. Besides, sticking a paperclip into a slot loading drive wouldn't be the best idea i've heard all day. Possibly the reason they stopped doing it.

[amazing]

you can add an eject menulet to your menu bar. Go to System/Library/CoreServices/MenuExtras and double-click on the eject menu (this adds the eject option to your menu bar.) If at a later date you decide you don’t want it on your menu bar: You can remove it from the Menubar by holding down the command key and dragging it off.

you can eject using open firmware
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106752

this might work as well
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=51008
1. Place the computer in sleep mode.

2. Press the Media Eject key at the top-right corner of the keyboard.

3. If that doesn't work, drag the disc's icon to the Trash.

4. If that doesn't work, restart the computer, then hold down the mouse button.

[andreas_g4]

The problem is not that I wouldn't get the CD out with rebooting the mini. But a reboot is not always an option.

The iTunes eject button is often able to eject media that are not easily ejectable. But when the GUI stops working, the only hope to get a CD out without rebooting is the damn eject button!

Leonard: I dunno about the Power Macs, but in the iBooks/Powerbooks are these buttons, hidden under the "dust-sleeve". My Titanium had that, and my iBook, too. Maybe it's gone in the AlPowerbooks.

[P]

Easiest way would probably be to launch Disk Utility. From there you can see the actual drive (not just the disc) and force eject.

[andreas_g4]

Originally posted by P:
Easiest way would probably be to launch Disk Utility. From there you can see the actual drive (not just the disc) and force eject.

A good idea that I didn't think of.

But as I stated before - you can't launch Disc Utility when the GUI doesn't respond!

[amazing]

Originally posted by andreas_g4:
The problem is not that I wouldn't get the CD out with rebooting the mini. But a reboot is not always an option.

Well, there is one other eject option, which I didn't put in because of its ubergeekiness. You can actually use the terminal to eject a CD--and you really need to be comfortable using the terminal and knowledgable. So, I'd say a reboot is the lesser evil, in 99% of all cases.

You can use Tinkertool et al to add a "quit" option to the Finder menu . "Force Quit" allows you to quite the Finder as well.

[chabig]

Originally posted by andreas_g4:
But a reboot is not always an option.

If the GUI crashes, a reboot is your ONLY option. When the GUI is working, use any of the methods described by others.

Chris

[Dog Like Nature]

Originally posted by chabig:
If the GUI crashes, a reboot is your ONLY option. When the GUI is working, use any of the methods described by others.

Chris

Well, if you have remote login enabled and a spare machine, you can always ssh in and clean things up. Sometimes you can get the GUI working again this way.

[chabig]

True, but I don't think Andreas was planning to do this. He just kept saying that he couldn't use the GUI AND that he didn't want to reboot.