[muchisgiven]

i just wanted to know on a scale from 1-10 how difficult would it be to change the superdrive on a powerbook. I'm having problems with mine, it appears that it has some junk in it, which prevents the discs from coming out smoothly, or even coming out sometimes. I found this great dual layer dvd burner for 149.00. I would like to do the work on it myself, but I'm afraid of messing something up.

I read the instructions on PB fix it...looks easy, but I'm sure when I open up this bad boy it will be something totally different. Well let me know guys

[kafoochy]

I've taken apart my 15" PB before, and they're all manufactured the same so no, it isn't going to be totally different, it's actually probably going to be exactly the same. The difference comes in your experience taking apart computers. I've taken apart computers before including laptops, so even though I had never gone inside my PB, following instructions was easy to do. If you've never done anything like this before, the instructions may make it sound easier than you expect it to be and this would probably be the only real difference.

[capuchin]

Find some good take-apart instructions (check out xlr8yourmac.com systems section for a sample).

Pay careful and detailed attention to what screws/parts go where, so you can easily reassemble the powerbook.

Make sure you have the correct tools.

Go very, very slowly and carefully, and you should be okay. It's not brain surgery, but it's a detail-intensive procedure.

[pcummins]

Odd, you should be able to get a Pioneer DVR-K05 for less than $90 US or thereabouts, this is what I fitted into my Alu 15". I found the last clip on the Alu 15" (close to where the drive is) to be a major pain to get undone, but apart from that it was pretty easy to get apart screw wise. Depending on what model PowerBook you have you may get different issues to deal with. Just make sure you have all the right tools, proper anti-static precautions and have a good amount of time set aside to go slow.

[acalderon]

Does any one have instrucctions on how to change the superdrive?

I was trying to just check my superdrive but after removing all the screws I could not take it apart and start checking the insides.

I have never before opeded up a PB G4 12', so I am lost.

Any help is apreciated.

[acalderon]

Never Mind.

I foun some instructions.
It is for a hard drive upgrade, but it gets me close enough to the superdrive...



http://www.xlr8yourmac.com/systems/p...e.htm#storytop

Thanks.

UPDATE: It does not get me close enough. It is ok for the Hard Drive.

[kafoochy]

You can use the xlr8yourmac.com instructions although I prefer PowerBook FixIt's.

http://www.pbfixit.com/Guide/53.18.0.html

[acalderon]

Thanks kafoochy.



This are awesome instructions. The instrucctions I found were not even close to the point I wanted to get. There was still a long way to go for me.

Thanks again.

P. S. Do you know of any good priced superdrive for the PB G4 12"?
Does any one??

[amazing]

muchisgiven: do you still have applecare--if so let them fix it. For ejecting disks, install the menu-bar eject button, because it sometimes will eject a problematic disk where the keyboard button will fail. You'll find it in System/Library/Coreservices/Menu Extras, double click "eject menu" to install. To uninstall, option-drag it off the menu.

If you've got a problematic disk, make a copy and use that, because it'll most likely work.

Personally, I'd assemble an external 16X Pioneer burner ($45) in a firewire case (fw-400 about $45) because you'd have a truly fast dual-layer burner rather than a slow internal superdrive. Burning speeds are dramatically better than internal superdrive, mostly. You've seen all the posts about slow laptop superdrive burning speeds?

[acalderon]

The problem I am having is that the drive will get the disk unsuccessfully try to read it and ejects it immediately (the disk does not even spin).

Since portability is my priority, I want an internal drive. Also I want the FireWire 400 free for an external Hard Drive I want to install linux on so I can boot from it (at least that is the theory).

I found a Pioneer Model #: DVR-K05 at www.newegg.com, for $ 89.00 plus s/h, I can make it work with http://www.patchburn.de/.

Pioneer Specs:
Black 8X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 4X DVD+R DL 8X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 8X DVD-ROM 24X CD-R 24X CD-RW 24X CD-ROM 2M Cache IDE Slim DVD Burner - OEM

[amazing]

"The problem I am having is that the drive will get the disk unsuccessfully try to read it and ejects it immediately (the disk does not even spin)."

Does this happen to all discs, or only particular discs?

for compatibility on internal drives, check the database at xlr8yourmac.com

[acalderon]

Originally Posted by amazing

"The problem I am having is that the drive will get the disk unsuccessfully try to read it and ejects it immediately (the disk does not even spin)."

Does this happen to all discs, or only particular discs?

My current drive is MATSHITA DVD-R UJ-816, it is the original superdrive. It ejects all discs.
I suspect it has something inside, like a piec of paper, and it is making it malfunction. I will revise it, if I cant fix it I am going to replase it with the Pioneer.

[amazing]

I have heard of optical disk drives malfunctioning because of OS-related problems, in other words the drive is OK, it's the OS that's at fault.

I presume that you've repaired permissions, reset nvram, and the problem still persists. Have you tried setting up a second admin user and logging in as that user (does the problem persist?) Lastly, what happens if you insert the Install DVD you received with the laptop and try to start up holding down the C key?

If that works, then an archive and install may be in your future.