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iMac spits DVDs
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Tiresias
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Join Date: Sep 2006
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Jan 30, 2012, 10:55 AM
 
My iMac will mount and play CDs but not DVDs.

When I insert a DVD it makes a WHIRT.... WHIRT.... WHIRT sound, starts to spin the DVD, spins it spasmodically, then spits it out.

I tried restarting, reseting PRAM and NVRAM.

Any ideas?
     
Waragainstsleep
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Jan 30, 2012, 11:43 AM
 
Does it boot from a DVD?
( Last edited by Waragainstsleep; Jan 30, 2012 at 03:34 PM. )
I have plenty of more important things to do, if only I could bring myself to do them....
     
Spheric Harlot
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Jan 30, 2012, 01:25 PM
 
Blow into the drive slot short and sharply to dislodge possible dust particles and crap.

If that don't work: Replace optical drive or buy external.
     
MacNNUK
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Jan 30, 2012, 02:30 PM
 
Daft question, does it have a DVD drive ?

iMac Intel Core i5, 2.5GHz, 4GB RAM, 500GB 21.5" Monitor 10.8.3.
iMac 17" 2.0ghz Intel Core 2 Duo w 3gb memory (White one) 10.6.8.
Internal 500gb / 8x external HDD's 250GB - 3TB (4x Time Machine)
     
cgc
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Feb 1, 2012, 08:36 PM
 
Originally Posted by Spheric Harlot View Post
Blow into the drive slot short and sharply to dislodge possible dust particles and crap.

If that don't work: Replace optical drive or buy external.
Recommend using canned air so you don't get moisture in there. If that doesn't work is there such as thing as incompatible discs? I know some DVDs burn more reliably than others...are you using DL-DVDs? (grabbing at straws).
     
jmiddel
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Feb 1, 2012, 10:19 PM
 
There are CDs that clean the laser of optical drives, below is the link to an example, there are many more.

Dynex™ - Laser Lens Cleaner for CD/DVD Players - DX-CDDVDCL
     
Spheric Harlot
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Feb 2, 2012, 03:19 AM
 
Originally Posted by cgc View Post
Recommend using canned air so you don't get moisture in there.
True, but since it's likely the optical drive is a total loss anyway, what has he got to lose?
     
cgc
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Feb 2, 2012, 06:55 AM
 
Originally Posted by Spheric Harlot View Post
True, but since it's likely the optical drive is a total loss anyway, what has he got to lose?
May as well clean it with a wire brush then eh? DVD/CD drives are really cheap but is the one in the iMac user replaceable and if it is, is it inexpensive?
     
   
 
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