SuperDrive Broken

[jasphair]

Sooo 2010 Mac Mini. I never used the optical drive until the other night. I installed Windows 7 using Boot Camp, and when rebooting, held down the left mouse button to eject the DVD. No problem.

I went to put in another disc, and the super drive is acting like it's offering a disc to me still. I can only get a new disc in about an inch. It feels like the ejector is stuck. I thought this might be some weird software thing, and did the usual PRAM and SMC resets. No change. The drive shows up in Disc Utility. I took the mini to the Apple Store, and they said it'd be $200 to fix the drive, and that it looked like it jammed.

Seriously... a jam after only one use? Is there nothing else I can try, or am I SOL? I found plenty of threads on DVD's being stuck in the drive, but in this case, there's no disc. The drive just acts like it's offering me a disc, and won't eat anything I try and put in.

I sad.

 

[JAT]

I had a similar issue, but discovered it one day before my warranty ran out. Got it fixed free, but the new one sounds like it is dying. Basically grinding sound, probably should've taken it back again. Just waiting for it to die. I really don't use it that much.

Could fix yourself if you are handy. Or go external. Either is far less than $200.

Oh, I don't know there is much you can do other than replace it. These slot loaders don't have a lot of give.

 

[mdgm]

I had a similar issue, but discovered it one day before my warranty ran out. Got it fixed free, but the new one sounds like it is dying. Basically grinding sound, probably should've taken it back again. Just waiting for it to die. I really don't use it that much.

How long have you had the new one?

 

[JAT]

It's been 5-6 months, Sept maybe. I think I've installed from 2 discs and burned 3 in that time. Ooh, and ripped one.

 

[jasphair]

I fixed it. I felt ballsy, no longer caring if my Mac Mini became further ruined, and really put a bit of pressure getting the disc in. I got it in about an inch, and heard a crack. I pushed it in further, and heard and felt another loud crack. Then finally when it was almost in, the drive came alive and grabbed it. The disc showed up on the desktop, and we were good to go. I ejected it, and it came out fine. Then I put the disc back in, and it grabbed it just like old times.

I no sad anymore.

 

[blueroom]

I had the same problem on my MacBook, took it in for service. Fixed in no time.
I even blogged about it

 

[Sedulous]

Every SuperDrive I have had has needed replacing. Apple does replace them quickly.