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maclif · Feb 23, 2004, 11:12 AM

I've got a hiccup with a G4 iBook (slot-load combo drive)and wanted to see if anyone could shed any light on the problem.

A friend needed a part installed in her iBook. In putting the new stuff in, I had to partially dissassemble the computer. This included unplugging and removing the combo drive.

As I was putting it back together, my friend mentioned that there was a DVD in the drive.

When it all came back together, the DVD read ok. However, it would not eject. Pressing the eject (F12) button would make noises that it was ejecting, but the disk would not come out.

I tried clicking on the trackpad button when it restarts.
fscked it.
zapped pram
reset main power unit
apple system profile sees the drive

I ended up taking four screws off the top of the drive, and carefully got the disk out. I retested everything. It will not take a disk now.

It appears that the hardware and software (DVD ROM?) don't agree if there is a disk in or not.

I was very gentle with the drive when it came out. But, it appears that since there was a disk in there when the drive was unplugged, the drive no longer knows if it's got a disk loaded or not.

What can I do?

discotronic · Feb 23, 2004, 11:42 AM

What kind of part did you put in the computer?

This is just a guess but it sounds like the laser head is out of alignment. Since the computer was taken apart the warranty is void.

maclif · Feb 23, 2004, 12:52 PM

Had to swap the lid hinge.

It reads and plays ok, would the optics would be out of alignment?

When you insert a disk, it feels like it goes in until it hits the part that locks into the spindle hole.

d4nth3m4n · Feb 23, 2004, 01:19 PM

dude, you took apart a three month old apple product? some friend you are

maclif · Feb 23, 2004, 01:48 PM

I had 20 pages of step-by-step instructions with pictures on how to take it apart, and I've been working on mac hardware since about 95.
That said, the computer was first taken to Apple to see about getting it fixed. Apple was going to charge close to $500 for the same repair (except they'd replace the entire LCD, instead of just the broken hinge.) The break wasn't covered by the warrantee to begin with (a dog knocked the computer off a table), so $100 for a hinge repair sure beats $500 for apple to do it.

d4nth3m4n · Feb 23, 2004, 02:12 PM

Originally posted by maclif:
I had 20 pages of step-by-step instructions with pictures on how to take it apart, and I've been working on mac hardware since about 95.
That said, the computer was first taken to Apple to see about getting it fixed. Apple was going to charge close to $500 for the same repair (except they'd replace the entire LCD, instead of just the broken hinge.) The break wasn't covered by the warrantee to begin with (a dog knocked the computer off a table), so $100 for a hinge repair sure beats $500 for apple to do it.

i stand corrected.