Superdrive not reading Data DVD's

[yojitani]

I've posted this on the apple discussions, but thought I would also try here to see if you guys have had any luck.

Basically, I'm finding that when I backup data onto DVD+R disks on my PM G5 1.8 (Dual), they burn fine but they won't mount . It's odd because they mount on my 1.67 PB, no problems. I've just tried cleaning the drive, but still no luck. It looks like this might just be a common hardware problem - thankfully I still have applecare... But I'd much rather keep the PM here with me!

And the drive is a HL-DT-ST DVD-RW GWA-4082B (I think it's hitachi).

Any suggestions???

 

[superbovine]

I've posted this on the apple discussions, but thought I would also try here to see if you guys have had any luck.

Basically, I'm finding that when I backup data onto DVD+R disks on my PM G5 1.8 (Dual), they burn fine but they won't mount . It's odd because they mount on my 1.67 PB, no problems. I've just tried cleaning the drive, but still no luck. It looks like this might just be a common hardware problem - thankfully I still have applecare... But I'd much rather keep the PM here with me!

And the drive is a HL-DT-ST DVD-RW GWA-4082B (I think it's hitachi).

Any suggestions???

you try different brands of media. verbatim or apple branded is the one apple tells you to try on the phone.

 

[yojitani]

you try didn't brands of media. verbatim or apple branded is the one apple tells you to try on the phone.

Thanks. I will give it a try, although I don't see why they can't supply a drive that will deal with any brand . Is this some issue with PM drives only? As I said, they will mount on my PB and also on the imac's in my office....

Anyone else with something different?

 

[Nermal]

I found that the HL-DT-ST (yes, that is Hitachi, it's something like Hitachi/Lucky Goldstar Data Storage Technologies) drive in my G4 tower was a bit picky too, but not as bad as the drive in my iBook G3 (I can't remember what brand that was). The Pioneer SuperDrive in my G4 was a lot better though.

Anyway, yeah, try some different brands. I use Verbatim CD-R, Imation DVD-R and Imation DVD+R DL, and have had no problems whatsoever.

 

[yojitani]

Anyway, yeah, try some different brands. I use Verbatim CD-R, Imation DVD-R and Imation DVD+R DL, and have had no problems whatsoever.

Ah, how I wish I were in NZ...

I suppose I should have mentioned that I've been using Philips' DVD+R 4x - I bought 75 of the buggers. When it comes to DVD movies and DVD Studio stuff, I have no problems. The trouble comes when I want to back up a project... oh, and when I have burned data on the imac g4 at my office, I have not generally had any problems reading those disks...

In fact, come to think of it, I have had a lot of problems burning disks on this drive. For example, when I burn disks in iTunes for the car, the disks either don't play, skip, or reset. Some do work though. Hmm. Is there a connection? The odd thing is that those CD's DO play on this computer and on my CD/DVD player...

This is starting to sound like I need to talk to apple care. I'll hunt around for some imation and verbatim disks on Monday and see what happens.

Edit: Going through the DVD's I've burnt at the office, I noticed that all of them were DVD-R (8x)whereas the ones at home, the ones not working properly, are DVD+R (4x). The drive is supposed to handle +R, though I wonder if this is the problem. All of them were written in Toast 7.

Thanks!

 

[superbovine]

I found that the HL-DT-ST (yes, that is Hitachi, it's something like Hitachi/Lucky Goldstar Data Storage Technologies) drive in my G4 tower was a bit picky too, but not as bad as the drive in my iBook G3 (I can't remember what brand that was). The Pioneer SuperDrive in my G4 was a lot better though.

Anyway, yeah, try some different brands. I use Verbatim CD-R, Imation DVD-R and Imation DVD+R DL, and have had no problems whatsoever.

in general pioneer drives in any aspect of consumer electronics including car audio, cd-rom, cd-players, dvd-players are usually the least picky.

 

[ammon]

in general pioneer drives in any aspect of consumer electronics including car audio, cd-rom, cd-players, dvd-players are usually the least picky.

I have never had any issues with my Lite-On. It will read anything I can throw at it!

 

[issicus]

same thing

i have a g5 with a superdrive and the damn thing will not read any dvd-r. it used to, but now it doesn't. it burns them okay and it reads cds and cdrs and even factory dvds. but it wont read any of my imation or memorx dvdrs. although my ps2 does read them... the only thing i can think of is cleaning the drive. anybody else got any ideas?

 

[yojitani]

Well, I haven't had any luck with mine. I spent $20+ on a drive cleaner that had no effect. If you look over on the apple forums you'll see that this is a pretty common problem. Once I have some time to part with my computer, I'll call applecare. I think it's pretty crappy that the recommendations are to buy a certain brand of CD/ DVD. I can burn anything on my pc with no problems, but then I have to deal with windows I did try Imation, recluctantly, and to no avail. It seems apple is ignoring this problem. Guess they are getting to big for their britches...

YOJ

 

[issicus]

>>

has any one gotten it to work with a different brand? because i really doubt that will do a damn thing not to mention i have a lot of stuff on dvds that i can't get too..
im starting to hate apple they are starting to make some of the ********* hardware i have ever seen. my damn biege g3 worked better then this dp g5 ... memory problems up the ass and that's with 2gb of ram. and f*ck apple care they want 50 bucks just to tell me it doesn't work. ass holes..

 

[yojitani]

has any one gotten it to work with a different brand? because i really doubt that will do a damn thing not to mention i have a lot of stuff on dvds that i can't get too..
im starting to hate apple they are starting to make some of the ********* hardware i have ever seen. my damn biege g3 worked better then this dp g5 ... memory problems up the ass and that's with 2gb of ram. and f*ck apple care they want 50 bucks just to tell me it doesn't work. ass holes..

Gotta agree with the sentiment there issicus. I got this computer after years of working in a mac only office for 5 years - iMacs and the old G4 towers - and while I still enjoy the software and stability, hardware issues are really beginning to piss me off. This drive, especially. I've heard here and on the apple support forums that apple reps have told people to use x or y brand disks, but that doesn't seem like a solution to me. For a $2,000 machine i expect to be able to burn and read any damn brand disk I use... I don't think ad sponsorship was part of the deal. Is apple becoming an even more mass market brand than before? Should we expect poor quality and over-the-top-priced service? ....

Anyway, I hear you!

YOJ

 

[rickvanr]

Try zapping the PRAM. Sounds weird, but when I had problems with my G5s DVD drive and called Apple they suggested I zap the PRAM, worked like a charm.

 

[yojitani]

Try zapping the PRAM. Sounds weird, but when I had problems with my G5s DVD drive and called Apple they suggested I zap the PRAM, worked like a charm.

OK. I could do a search, but could someone explain how to zap PRAM? Are there any risks doing this? Voiding coverage? Damaging something?

YOJ

 

[iEdd]

OK. I could do a search, but could someone explain how to zap PRAM? Are there any risks doing this? Voiding coverage? Damaging something?

YOJ

Yes, you could do a search, or look on Apple or even read the guides that are stickied. Doesn't matter though, good luck with your superdrive. I replaced my Pioneer DVR-107 that was in there with a Pioneer DVR-109 (the DVR-110 is out now).

 

[yojitani]

Yes, you could do a search, or look on Apple or even read the guides that are stickied. Doesn't matter though, good luck with your superdrive. I replaced my Pioneer DVR-107 that was in there with a Pioneer DVR-109 (the DVR-110 is out now).

OK. I just came here to edit my post. I did Zap my pram. No luck. However, I did a little test today. I burnt a DVD-R at my office on an iMac G4 and that mounts, no problems, on my computer. Then I burnt another DVD-R on my computer and, surprize!, that mounts ok too. But I put in a DVD+R that all my data is on and same problem. I guess this isolates the DVD problem, on my system at least, to DVD+R. Is there any reason, any issues, that would prevent DVD+R from mounting? What is still so odd is that I CAN read the DVD+R's burnt on my computer on all other macs... Just not mine!

Issicus, are you sure the disks you are having trouble with are DVD-R's and not DVD+R's? Just wondering if there are others with DVD+R problems

No idea what the problem is with audio CD's.

 

[issicus]

yeah.. well i tried an imation dvd-rw and it worked but none of my imation dvd-r's work. not to mention for some reason if i use toast to get info on a blank imation it says it's a fuji?? also toast sees a dvd+r that my friend gave me but it doesn't mount. it doesn't seem to even burn at higher speeds, if i put it at anything over 1x it doesn't even start.. it kind of seems to be software, but im not sure what would be doing that. maybe it just stopped working since i updated to 10.3 and i didn't notice..

 

[CanadaRAM]

The first generation Superdrives were DVD-R only; I have stuck with DVD-R since then with no problems.

 

[Danksi]

What is still so odd is that I CAN read the DVD+R's burnt on my computer on all other macs... Just not mine!

Sounds like you're having similar trouble as I am with my new iMac.

I recently burned an iDVD slideshow to DVD+R and although my PC laptop could play it, the living room DVD Player and the iMac it was burned on couldn't.

In the end I exported my iDVD file to an image and used the PC DVD+R burner to create the disk.

That worked for the living room DVD Player, but still not the iMac. I was using Fujifilm - I will grab a small pack of Verbatim DVD-R's and try those in future.

 

[issicus]

this may help. i got *one* dvdr working, and only after repeatedly ejecting and reinserting it.

how to
http://forum.rpc1.org/viewtopic.php?p=123415#123415
(has the dvr flash app you need to use with the firmware)

the firmware
http://flashman.rpc1.org/Firmware/P.../DVR-107D v1.21 - RPC-1 + 12xRip + nx4all.zip

 

[yojitani]

Are you saying that the problems we have been having is because of the region setting firmware? If that is the case, the problem is that, as far as I understand it, once we flash the drive and make it region-free applecare will no longer cover it. Hmm... what a pain in the arse.

 

[issicus]

I am not sure who makes the firmware updates that i linked too, so i am not sure how reliable they are. it is possible to use the pc firmware on a mac but pioneer does not offer support for their drive on macs, they say it was only designed for the PC. it could be that using one of these firmware updater such as dvrflash messes the drive up.

 

[issicus]

now iv got it. every one just call apple tech support and bitch at them.

 

[yojitani]

now iv got it. every one just call apple tech support and bitch at them.

Well, I won't bitch exactly, but I am going to take my mac next week. I've got a week off and have a PB to use, so now is the time! I'll keep the thread updated. It is a problem that apple should address.

YOJ

 

[sphereboy]

my powermac g5 superdrive is not reading any of my previous burned dvdrs

gonna try the pram trick

the pram didn't improve anything. my superdrive can read cdrs but no dvdrs.
and the weird thing is that it used to read all of these dvdrs just fine.
i think one of these updates messed up my superdrive.

anyone had any luck resolving this?

 

[dune]

I got exactly the same problem like sphereboy
CDs work, but all my previous burned DVDs are kicked out. I got a G4 quicksilver dual 800.
can anybody tell me how to solve this problem?