Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Mac Notebooks > Are the new MBP C2D superdrives too thin to read from disks with labels on them?

Are the new MBP C2D superdrives too thin to read from disks with labels on them?
Thread Tools
atc ben
Junior Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Ormond Beach, Fl.
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Nov 7, 2006, 09:45 PM
 
Could it be possible that the new MBP superdrives are so thin that they can't read from a disk with a label on the top? I have been trying to install MS Office:Mac 2004 and Windows XP Pro (w/bootcamp) from my school's library, and all the disks have labels on them. The labels aren't extraordinarily thick or anything, but everytime I insert one into the superdrive of my new MBP, I can hear the drive squeaking, but spinning. Eventually, during the install, you can hear the disk slow down, and then stop completely. Once it stops, it won't eject unless I remove the battery and power supply and force a reboot.

I ran the AHT from the OS disk and it didn't find any hardware problems. (Also, that disk ran without a hitch in the superdrive, and I reinstalled Mac OSX when I first opened my MBP.) I've also burned CDs without a problem. The only thing I can think of is the label on those disks, but since this is my first Mac, I don't have any Mac software disks yet to test my theory. I really need Office on my MBP, but I don't want to buy it, when I could possibly get it from my school.

Can anyone confirm my theory?
-Ben- 15" Macbook Pro 2.33, 2GB RAM, 160HD, Matte
My
     
TailsToo
Mac Elite
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Westside Island
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Nov 7, 2006, 11:24 PM
 
Even my regular Windows CD sounded like that.
     
atc ben  (op)
Junior Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Ormond Beach, Fl.
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Nov 7, 2006, 11:28 PM
 
Originally Posted by TailsToo View Post
Even my regular Windows CD sounded like that.
Was the install successful?
-Ben- 15" Macbook Pro 2.33, 2GB RAM, 160HD, Matte
My
     
SurfSkateJeep
Forum Regular
Join Date: Sep 2006
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Nov 7, 2006, 11:29 PM
 
Is the label only on one side, b/c it may be making the CD unbalanced and as a precaution the Superdrive may be stoping it before it damages something on the inside.
Just a possibility
     
atc ben  (op)
Junior Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Ormond Beach, Fl.
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Nov 7, 2006, 11:32 PM
 
No, the label is round and nearly covers the entire top surface of the disk.
-Ben- 15" Macbook Pro 2.33, 2GB RAM, 160HD, Matte
My
     
MrN79
Forum Regular
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: CA
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Nov 8, 2006, 02:15 AM
 
I had the same problem using a WinXP install CD, it doesn't have a label, but it is a little thicker than a movie DVD or CS2 DVD (which i had no problem installing). I could hear the disk spinning, then it made this awful sort of grinding noise a couple of times and ejected itself. A couple times it got stuck in the Superdrive and i had to reboot to get it out.
     
atc ben  (op)
Junior Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Ormond Beach, Fl.
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Nov 8, 2006, 10:05 AM
 
I called the IT folks at my school this morning, and they're willing to burn copies of those disks if I provide the CDs. The woman I talked to sounded a little suprised that the drive would be that thin, but she believed it. I'll report back with the results.
-Ben- 15" Macbook Pro 2.33, 2GB RAM, 160HD, Matte
My
     
atc ben  (op)
Junior Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Ormond Beach, Fl.
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Nov 8, 2006, 02:26 PM
 
I guess the labeled disks were the culprit! I'm sitting in the IT office at my school right now, and they let me use the original office disk to install it and it ran very smoothly. They're burning an XP Pro disk for me now as well. These new double layer superdrives must be THIN! Now I just hope that handful of labeled disks I inserted didn't damage my baby.
-Ben- 15" Macbook Pro 2.33, 2GB RAM, 160HD, Matte
My
     
Burn
Forum Regular
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Winnipeg, MB Canada
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Nov 8, 2006, 08:53 PM
 
I never put paper adhesive labeled discs in my MBP. I thought there was a mention of not doing that from Apple and all slot drive 'books at one time...

A couple weeks ago I slid one in, and realized JUST as it was grabbed by the drive mechanism that it was a paper label... it spun up and down... up and down... then just stopped. Preview was able to open a cpl files, but when I heard the spinning stop.. I got the beachball..... I fidgeted and fussed and nothing would get it out.. I restarted and itmanaged to do the trick... Dang was I scared for a sec.
     
TailsToo
Mac Elite
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Westside Island
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Nov 8, 2006, 11:37 PM
 
Originally Posted by atc ben View Post
Was the install successful?
Yep, just took a while.. like the drive was having trouble spinning up the disc. At first I thought the drive was bad, but since then it has performed flawlessly.
     
atc ben  (op)
Junior Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Ormond Beach, Fl.
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Nov 9, 2006, 12:39 AM
 
Originally Posted by TailsToo View Post
Yep, just took a while.. like the drive was having trouble spinning up the disc. At first I thought the drive was bad, but since then it has performed flawlessly.
Good. I was concerned that some damage might have been done to mine, but it seems ok. I've burned CDs and watched DVDs with no issues, so hopefully I'm alright.
-Ben- 15" Macbook Pro 2.33, 2GB RAM, 160HD, Matte
My
     
TailsToo
Mac Elite
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Westside Island
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Nov 10, 2006, 01:08 AM
 
Yep - watched Cars with it tonight! Steve must be happy somewhere.
     
copanewbe
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Join Date: Dec 2006
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Jan 14, 2007, 11:11 PM
 
I'm somewhat relieved that I found that I'm not the only one with this problem. On the other hand, it kinda sucks that we cant really use disks with labels on them. I borrowed about 5 CD's from my university library, all of which have a super thin security label on them. Two CD's worked, but 3 of them would start spin and I could hear a click like it was hitting a part of the CD. As the spinning speed increased, so did the rubbing click sound. The drive slowly stopped spinning, and came to a hault after about 20 seconds. I then had to forcequit garage band to get the SOB out of there. My drive seems to be working fine, I've burned and read dvds, so that's good. I do think that Apple should try and find a solution to this problem though.
15" Macbook Pro - 2.16 C2D w/1GB
     
   
Thread Tools
 
Forum Links
Forum Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Top
Privacy Policy
All times are GMT -4. The time now is 11:01 AM.
All contents of these forums © 1995-2017 MacNN. All rights reserved.
Branding + Design: www.gesamtbild.com
vBulletin v.3.8.8 © 2000-2017, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.,