MB Optical Drive Recall? Anyone else having problems importing to iTunes?

[MacVault]

I have a new C2D MacBook (about 3 weeks old) and I'm having to use my 3+ year old iBook to import my CD collection. The new MacBook will rip only BRAND NEW CDs. Anything with the slightest scratch or dust it always hangs on when importing. It will start importing (via iTunes) and get part way through the CD and just hangs on a track, the drive spins up, down, up, down, etc... and usually iTunes quits responding and takes 99% CPU.

I see many others are having this problem.

A couple weeks ago I started a thread about it here, but no real answers yet.

Is anyone else having this problem? Is there a fix anywhere? I'm PISSED! This is unacceptable!

 

[CaptainCaveMann]

I have a new C2D MacBook (about 3 weeks old) and I'm having to use my 3+ year old iBook to import my CD collection. The new MacBook will rip only BRAND NEW CDs. Anything with the slightest scratch or dust it always hangs on when importing. It will start importing (via iTunes) and get part way through the CD and just hangs on a track, the drive spins up, down, up, down, etc... and usually iTunes quits responding and takes 99% CPU.

I see many others are having this problem.

A couple weeks ago I started a thread about it here, but no real answers yet.

Is anyone else having this problem? Is there a fix anywhere? I'm PISSED! This is unacceptable!

One thing I found interesting is that I am able to copy the "bad" track in the finder. But when ripping with iTunes it never works except when using BRAND NEW CDs.

Just another reason why Apples current line of notebooks suck. I still want one though haha.

 

[crazzyeddie]

Some CD drives are more touchy than others. If you take care of your media this won't happen.

The iBook drives were bigger, and bigger drives are less sensitive to scratches, etc...

If its really a big problem talk to Apple. If they won't do anything about it, just buy an external DVD burner ($100). It will be faster and more reliable than your internal drive.

 

[CaptainCaveMann]

Some CD drives are more touchy than others. If you take care of your media this won't happen.

The iBook drives were bigger, and bigger drives are less sensitive to scratches, etc...

If its really a big problem talk to Apple. If they won't do anything about it, just buy an external DVD burner ($100). It will be faster and more reliable than your internal drive.

Or you can sell your macbook and buy a PPC apple laptop and have no problems at all. Hahaha

 

[amycishere]

....MINE IS GOING TO BE HERE TOMORROW...OMG...I am sooo freaked out right now.

 

[MacVault]

....MINE IS GOING TO BE HERE TOMORROW...OMG...I am sooo freaked out right now.

Yea, well you're going to be more freeked out when you try to rip a CD and it doesn't work.

 

[MacVault]

Some CD drives are more touchy than others. If you take care of your media this won't happen.

The iBook drives were bigger, and bigger drives are less sensitive to scratches, etc...

If its really a big problem talk to Apple. If they won't do anything about it, just buy an external DVD burner ($100). It will be faster and more reliable than your internal drive.

HAAA! "Take care of my media?" I REALLY do take care of them! But that's no excuse! This MacBook is 3 years NEWER than my old iBook! The tech in it should not go backwards, it should be more advanced and SHOULD be even better at error correction, etc.

This is total CRAP, and even if iTunes can't seem to get past a track it SHOULD be SMART enough to NOT freeze up the whole computer! It should at least give the user the option to skip/abort! I HATE OVERSIGHTS LIKE THIS! "World's Most Advanced Operating System" Yea, right

What is Apple's return policy? Any kind of 90 saitisfaction guarantee?

 

[Roy Hobbs]

I have imported over 1200 songs into my itunes library with out issue.
Using a C2D Black Mackbook.

If you are having issues call AppleCare or take you Macbook into an Apple Store.

Complaining about it on a rumors forum will not fix the issue.

 

[aristobrat]

If you are having issues call AppleCare or take you Macbook into an Apple Store.

I agree.

MacVault, the C2D MacBooks have been out long enough so that if this was a "plague", there's already have been umpteen dozen threads with hundreds of posts each about this.

To rule out of the obvious, you don't have your MacBook on your lap when you're ripping this stuff, do you? Maybe your moving slightly enough to set off the sudden motion sensor?

If not, then it sounds like your MB has a bad drive. iTunes shouldn't freeze up the whole computer, but if the kernel is having a problem reading data from a malfunctioning optical drive, I wouldn't be surprised if it froze your whole computer.

 

[MacVault]

I just called Apple Support... Not a shred of help!

Hey, I thought the Apple techs are suppose to "know" tech stuff! I call Apple support this morning. Talked to Regina about my issue... check this out... SHE JUST WANTED TO GET OFF THE PHONE QUICK SO SHE TOLD ME TO TRASH ITUNES, REINSTALL IT, AND THEN CALL HER BACK! WTFFFFF?!

I told her I really didn't think that was the issue because I have the same problem even when copying the AIFF files from the CD via the finder. But I figured I'd give her the benefit of the dout, or humor her, so I tried it. Sure enough that was a WASTE of my TIME.

So I called back, got a sweet, young sounding girl. She didn't know jAcK***** either. She acted like she has never heard of this issue. Finally she just suggested going to my nearest Apple Store and have them troubleshoot it there.

What happened to the days where you could actually get a tech dude (usually a male) on the phone who knows stuff?



Edit: Sorry for the semi-sexist remark there in my last sentence. Hey, I love girls, and girl vs guy doesn't really matter to me as long as they know their stuff. I know there are good and bad techs in either gender, and I know there are girls out there who know a heck of a lot more than myself. It's just that I usually talk to a male, and then when I do happen to talk to a female (like today) they happen to know nothing. They really were NO help AT ALL.

 

[richard4339]

I used to work at an american electronics store who started selling radios, and I have to say, some of our best employees were women. There were countless women who worked there who knew far more than I did, and I was one of the most knowledgeable people in my district. Yet people came in all the time and would specifically look at my co-workers and refuse to speak to them because they were women and automatically didn't know anything for that fact. Furthermore, I now work in tech support at a call center; we only have 6 of 25 technicians that are female, but the top two people I want to deal with are women because they know the most.

/soapbox

Anyway, long story short, you got two people who didn't know much about what they were talking about (it sounds like). I spoke with an Applecare rep a few weeks ago who told me that Macs were really prone to computer viruses and that I should install Norton. It happens. Keep calling till you get someone helpful, or take it to a store.

 

[suneohair]

Way to be a little sexist there buddy.

Seriously. Calm down. There doesn't need to be a recall. My girlfriends whitebook rips CDs just fine.

Your tech support experience sucks, no doubt. It is not easy to fix a hardware problem over the phone. And I assure you that is what it is. Go to the Apple Store or certified repair center and have them look at it. There is clearly a problem and it needs to be addressed.

I would also suggest you calm down and avoid making fun of the reps. Most likely it is just a job and it required little training. Not everyone is a computer genius, and the numbers are dying down.

Be a little more reasonable because right now you sound like a whiny little baby.

 

[MacVault]

...Be a little more reasonable because right now you sound like a whiny little baby.

Well, I've had at least 10 Macs ove the last 10 years and have NEVER had a problem or had to send them in for servicing. Never had to make use of the warranty. Now, I have a problem, and Apple's support - at least phone support - seems very lacking.

 

[suneohair]

Well, I've had at least 10 Macs ove the last 10 years and have NEVER had a problem or had to send them in for servicing. Never had to make use of the warranty. Now, I have a problem, and Apple's support - at least phone support - seems very lacking.

That is understandable. But honestly there isn't much troubleshooting that can be done other than reinstalling iTunes or the OS. Can you play DVDs? Does it read anything really?

I think you know it is hardware and with that in mind you should realize that asking for software support on faulty hardware will get you nowhere.

No phone person will ever be able to reach in your notebook or computer and fix it, or even see the software problem. Which is why the people at the Apple Store and certified repair centers know what they are doing, because they just get referrals from phone support when phone support gets you nowhere.

Your past track record with good Macs isn't going to fix your current one. Do the best and quickest thing you can which is take it in. Phone people can't help you in most cases and like I said they don't need to know everything since they will never be the one to physically help your computer. They simply read from a set script which ends with a possible solution or a trip to the service center.

 

[MacVault]

That is understandable. But honestly there isn't much troubleshooting that can be done other than reinstalling iTunes or the OS. Can you play DVDs? Does it read anything really?

Yea, I've watched several DVD movies - no problem, I've burned two DVDs - no problem. I've installed software from CDs - no problem.

I think you know it is hardware and with that in mind you should realize that asking for software support on faulty hardware will get you nowhere.

I'm not asking for "software support". I guess I was a little shocked though that there is no recall and that they knew nothing about this issue that I'm reading that so many MacBook & Pro owners are having. You're either a lucky one, or you have prestine music CDs.

 

[suneohair]

Yea, I've watched several DVD movies - no problem, I've burned two DVDs - no problem. I've installed software from CDs - no problem.



I'm not asking for "software support". I guess I was a little shocked though that there is no recall and that they knew nothing about this issue that I'm reading that so many MacBook & Pro owners are having. You're either a lucky one, or you have prestine music CDs.

My CDs are in good condition. I typically buy them, rip them and store.

I think it is a little crazy to assume that it should read a scratched disk. While an older iBook may be able to, the tech is different. The iBook was thicker obviously.

These newer thin drivers may have a compromise... maybe a less powerful laser. Miniturization is just that, it doesn't imply a better product overall.

 

[richard4339]

Your past track record with good Macs isn't going to fix your current one. Do the best and quickest thing you can which is take it in. Phone people can't help you in most cases and like I said they don't need to know everything since they will never be the one to physically help your computer. They simply read from a set script which ends with a possible solution or a trip to the service center.

I work in a call center, which I think I said above, and we, specifically don't have scripts we read, but we have internal documentation which accounts to that much. We are a call-center only, which means that if its not software we can fix remotely, we send out a ticket. If its a hardware problem and we know it for sure (ie, clicking hard drive), there's nothing we can do. However, if someone calls in and its not neccessarily an obvious hard drive problem (ie, monitor issues, could be the monitor, video card, driver, Windows, etc), the only thing we can do is give software support and see how far that goes. When you look at the other entry level support people in here, suneohair is exactly right in saying that it can depend on who you get. I've been in this call center for two years and know quite a bit more about nit-picky details then the person sitting next to me who's been here a few months.

Edit: And here's one thing I CAN definately tell you (and this applies to anyone)... be nice to the people when you call tech support; we respond more to the nicer people, and don't show any sexist/racist attitude, because what it boils down to is that we're here to help, but if you're just going to bad mouth everything said and give that kind of reaction, we can very easily hang up.

 

[MacVault]

...Edit: And here's one thing I CAN definately tell you (and this applies to anyone)... be nice to the people when you call tech support; we respond more to the nicer people, and don't show any sexist/racist attitude, because what it boils down to is that we're here to help, but if you're just going to bad mouth everything said and give that kind of reaction, we can very easily hang up.

I had NO bad/sexist/racist attitude when I called, or after for that matter. I have no such attitude now. Heck, I would GRACIOUSLY give a rainbow colored monkey the chance to help IF HE/SHE KNEW THEIR STUFF! Apple's tech support should be up on things and not play dumb like they've never heard of my issue before. If Apple's support can't help me then who the heck can???

 

[richard4339]

I'm sorry, and I wasn't meaning to imply you had, I was simply making a generalization based on the two years I have spent doing tech support. The truth is, if everyone would act like that, tech support would be a much better career.

 

[aristobrat]

I guess I was a little shocked though that there is no recall and that they knew nothing about this issue that I'm reading that so many MacBook & Pro owners are having. You're either a lucky one, or you have prestine music CDs.

Why would you think that there would be a recall in the first place?

In your other thread, there was one person who had the same problem as you.

The Macintouch.com article you linked to has a total of 67 comments about the MacBook Pro optical drive, half of which were comments to other comments. Very, very few of those had to do with MBPs not being able to read old CDs.

Did you put the Macintouch.com link for the MacBook Pro optical drive area because you noticed that Macintouch.com hasn't had any complaints about the MacBook optical drive?

If you've had Macs for the last 10 years and are the "Mac guru" that you say that you are in your profile, then you know that the volume of threads and posts would be SIGNIFICANTLY higher than what's out there if this was an issue troubling a lot of people.

 

[2tallyAwesome]

Or you can sell your macbook and buy a PPC apple laptop and have no problems at all. Hahaha

Are you crazy?

I had SO many problems with my G4 ibook. The logic boards were utter crap and I had it repaired 4 separate times. Everyone I knew with a 12'' ibook had the same problem.

I know the macbooks aren't perfect, but let's not be dilusional about the quality of the last generation.

 

[richard4339]

I'll also note that while I'm using a MBP, I've never had a single problem ripping a CD, and I have some that are scratched beyond belief.

If you want to prove to Applecare that its not iTunes, try downloading another program to rip the CDs, and see if you can rip them using that software. If you have the same issues with the second piece of software and AppleCare still acts like that, request to speak to a product specialist.

 

[jeremy.king]

Yea, I've watched several DVD movies - no problem, I've burned two DVDs - no problem. I've installed software from CDs - no problem.

But rips and file copies don't work??? Wouldn't this seem to indicate a software issue?

What settings are you using in iTunes? Have you tried w and w/o Error Checking or a different file format (AAC, Lossless, MP3 etc...)? Have you tried another user account?

 

[amycishere]

Just got my new Macbook!!! Everything works PERFECT!

Just got my computer...optical drve is perfect. Thanks for scaring the **** out of me.