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My iMac won't read a game DVD that every other Mac and PC will read

MrT8064

MrT8064

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jun 7, 2006
716
22
UK
Hi,

I just bought a windows dvd game of Toca 3, and my iMac superdrive won't load it. The drive will try and spin up, make a groaning noise a couple of times, then eject the disk.

I have tried the same disk in a friends MacBook Pro, and 2 friends PCs and there drives read the disk perfectly. I have tried the disk in both windows and mac, and neither will read the disk. I have also tried cleaning the disk.

My iMac is a 2.4ghz Aluminium 20incher... any help would be much appreciated, as i am currently having to use my friends MacBook Pro (unibody) to play the game and he is getting a little anoyed!!
 
Service if you under warranty.

Buy external optical drive if no longer under warranty.
 
not sure if it is a hardware fault, as my drive is fine with all other CDs and DVDs?
 
Is there a way i could either use remote disk in windows to install the game, or copy the DVD to my hard drive or another DVD, seeing as this is the only DVD that doesnt work?

thanks
 
You have 2 options...

It seems you have 2 options.

1) If the game does NOT require the disk to be in the drive to play, then use disk utility on your buddies' Mac to create an image of the game disk (CD/DVD Master). Then copy the image over onto the iMac, and then you can mount it and install the game. On windows, you may need to rename the .cdr extension to .iso. You will also need something like Daemon Tools or Alcohol 120% to mount it in windows.
NOTE, that this method may not work with games which include DRM (ie they require the disk in the drive to play); if this is how your game is, then you will only be able to install, but you won't be able to play (it can tell if it's a disk image or a real DVD). Still, this is the first method I would try before trying number 2.

2) If the game DOES require the disk in the drive to play, then you will have to buy an external USB or FireWire DVDROM drive. Here is a cheapie one (with Lightscribe as an added bonus too!): http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106278. It ain't pretty, but it will undoubtly do the job if you are unable to or too lazy to do option 1
 
Thanks very much for the advice, i did give it a try, but because my windows partition is FAT32, it didnt like the 4.7gb file i was trying to put on there!

I don't think i will go down the external cd drive route as the game was cheap, its just really strange that all other disks work in the superdrive!

I wonder if i can format a 8gb memory stick as NTFS then try installing off that.
 
That ought to do the trick. Again, using the image won't work if the game needs the game disk to actually be in the drive before it will let you play (most commercially released games are like this). It knows that you are just using an image, and it the game won't start.

Another word of advice, if you do use daemon tools, MAKE SURE YOU UNCHECK THE TOOLBAR IN THE INSTALLER, AS IT IS SPYWARE.

EDIT: Upon further reading, it appears Toca 3 includes the Starforce Malware (err, I mean DRM). So now you either have to go with the external DVD drive, or with a No-CD crack (after installing off of a USB Drive). If you choose to go with the No-CD, then I can't help you further, as I am sure discussing it would be considered bad.
 
I think they just die eventually like CD-Roms used to.

The iMac uses the Panasonic (Matshita) UJ-85J.

Here's a take apart guide for the iMac if your brave. It's very cramped in there and looks pretty delicate:-

http://www.briandorey.com/post/Apple-iMac-hard-drive-upgrade.aspx

I had issues with that brand of CD-Rom before I replaced it with a DVR-A07 on my beige G3 and there's a huge thread that started in December 2007 on the Apple support forums about failing internal Matshita drives:-

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1291866&tstart=0

My Pioneer DVR-A07 drive only lasted until early 2005 before I ended up having problems reading disks just like you're having, then it needed replacing because things got worse and it wouldn't burn.

I bought another one, just for compatibility which just started having the same issues at the end of December 2008 and I replaced it with yet another pioneer drive, this time a DVR-116D.
 
AlexisV said:
Does it work in OS X? The CD should mount on the desktop (although you won't be able to run any files obviously).
Click to expand...

Nope it doesn't mount in OS X, its just so odd as EVERY other disk I try does seem to load!

I don't know if getting an external drive would be the best idea, as the game was cheap, also taking apart my iMac seems a little extreme especially as i've heard that its very easy to get dust all over the screen.
 
i 2nd the bad dvd drive. i can only play newer dvd movies on my mac. the one that is slightly scratched will only get puked back out. surprisingly, my burned cds still reads well. since i'm still under warranty, i'm not taht worried
 
My imac won't read some DVD either

Brand new iMac will not read a picture CD. My 1 year old Macbook pro has no problem. l I think Apple may have a problem.
 
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