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iv_zar · Feb 11, 2005, 10:01 PM

When I put a data DVD into the drive, I can hear it spinning (looking for the data) but then after a minute or so the sound (sounds like a fan) stops and doesnt even show up on the desktop that there is a cd in the drive.

I have tried two different dvds that have data on it and it wouldnt read it.

It did it once but has never repeated it since

I have tried the dvds on my friends imac G5 and it read ok, no worries

Could you suggest what the problem may be, my imac G4 is two years old

Thanks

iLikebeer · Feb 12, 2005, 03:18 AM

What brand dvd's are they?
How old are they?
Are they DVD+-R RW?
Did they ever work on your iMac before?

My iMac G4 800 really doesn't like DVD-RW. They'll work for several months, then not work at all.

Does it even show up on the desktop or in the finder?

dfiler · Feb 12, 2005, 01:49 PM

Try sticking in a movie DVD. If it doesn't work, the drive isn't a DVD drive...

iv_zar · Feb 12, 2005, 10:06 PM

they are princo DVD - R with 1 - 4x speed

It worked once but has never recognised it since

The dvd drive came with the mac so it is also 2 years old

the dvd is would only be ummmmmm... 3-4 months old

Thanks and by the way this is on a 1Ghz iMac G4

iv_zar · Feb 12, 2005, 10:07 PM

oh yeah also

it is a super drive, it plays dvd movies fine

iv_zar · Feb 20, 2005, 02:46 AM

ANYONE

YOOOOO HOOOOOO

osxrules · Feb 22, 2005, 10:27 AM

To the man with the 160GHz hard drive (seriously that is one fast drive), I have to say that some drives don't recognise certain discs. DVD is weird that way. I have an external firewire case with an LG-GSA 4120B dvd-ram drive I got from PC World on my ibook and it seems to work fine. However occasionally I get 8x discs that only burn at 4x or whatever. What could be the problem is if you used Toast to burn in UDF or worse a PC because Apple have been quite slow of the mark supporting UDF properly. I have a new slogan:

Apple Computers - taking the universal out of UDF.

Anyway, that might not be your problem but a cheap solution is to get an external firewire case supporting IDE (pay at most �40) and an internal dvd burner from a PC shop (the LG ones are cheapest but you can get the Pioneer 108 (no dvd-ram), which is an awesome drive online for about �60, maybe less). So one solution for probably under �100.

It's handy to have 2 drives for copying DVDs anyway and if you get a bad burn, it never hangs up the Mac because you just pull out the cable (aaaaah plug and play). External drives are faster too. The Pioneer supports 16X DVD write and dual layer support. My LG does 8X DVD, dual layer support and 5x DVD-Ram (except you can't buy 5x discs are rare but until Apple gets their a$$ in gear and supports packet writing it's my only option).

I would check your superdrive support docs to see what makes it likes. princo sounds like a cheapo make. Also, they say:

"Not refundable or exchangeable. We do not guarantee the compatibility of these discs. Princo media may only be compatible with certain brand DVD burners or DVD players."

I personally use TDK (8x 4.7G - 1� per disc with jewel cases) but it depends on the burner/disc compatibility. Hope that's been of some help.

Eug Wanker · Feb 22, 2005, 11:57 AM

Originally posted by iv_zar:
they are princo DVD - R with 1 - 4x speed

It worked once but has never recognised it since

The dvd drive came with the mac so it is also 2 years old

the dvd is would only be ummmmmm... 3-4 months old

Thanks and by the way this is on a 1Ghz iMac G4

Princo media sucks.

I would suggest using your friend's computer to reburn the DVDs onto Apple media (or other good quality media).