Superdrive / Firmware / G5 Hell

[bruiserbox]

I hope someone out there can help. I'm freaking out and I'm sure someone here can help me.

I have an older powerpc g5 dual 2.0 mac. It has a superdrive that started to get a bit crazy and wouldn't recognize some store bought cds and then didn't recognize or play store bought dvds and now for some reason, since I did the latest and greatest security update from apple when I go into my apple/more info - system profiler/disc burning, my computer says I have no disc burning device. Well, I do and it spins and make all kinds of noises and it holding a copy of LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE hostage. How's that for a freakish story.

I tried to install some software thing to flash the firmware but since there's no disc burning device, the install said I didn't have a pioneer drive. I'm confused. Maybe I don't have a pioneer drive spinning LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE. Maybe I don't even exist. Maybe apple screwed up my mac. Maybe it's just a firmware problem acting up as a software problem. Maybe I'm carrying on too long.

Thanks for reading and for any future help.

 

[searay345]

Hello Bruiserbox!

Unfortunately, I have no idea why your drive is not being recognized. However, I may be able to help you out getting Little Miss Sunshine out of the drive. Try resetting your computer. As soon as your screen goes black, hold down your mouse button. Hopefully that should eject Little Miss Sunshine. Give that a try and let us know if you need further help on that part.

Now, as for your drive not being recognized, I speculating here that Little Miss Sunshine is the culprit. I am hoping as soon as you get that DVD ejected, it will fix itself. What model G5 do you have? What version of OS X are you running? Try ejecting the DVD first and then we may be able to figure out what is going on with your drive. Again, let us know if/when you need further help!

Cheerio
Searay

 

[larryc]

I was searching for a solution to a similar problem when I cam upon your post.

The SuperDrive in my G5 seems to have been working fine until I tried to install Final Cut Express upgrade.

The DVD would be ejected just a few seconds after it was inserted.
No icons would appear on the desktop.

I tried inserting the Tiger OS disk and the same thing happened.

Other CDs and DVDs that I have tried (including blank) seem to work OK.

The only Application and OS DVDs that I have are Tiger and Final Cut Express upgrade. These are the disks that will not mount.

I tried the same DVDs in my G4 PowerBook and they mount OK.

Both the G5 desktop and the G4 PowerBook are at 10.4.9.

I am beginning to think it's my SuperDrive but it is strange that it only occurs with Apple furnished DVDs.

 

[Stanley_Beamish]

May I suggest you run Disc Utility and repair Permissions and verify/repair Disc .... Also a maintenance app like OnyX could possibly help out. You can download it from this link.

I first run the Cleaning & then the Maintenance Tabs. Don't run anything else from OnyX as it is a very powerful app and you could inadvertantly damage your system unless you really know what you are doing. I just leave the default settings in these two tabs and click execute.

If you are asked to restart your Mac at any stage, do so. Make sure you note where you are up to in the task so you can continue from where you left off.

If OnyX asks for an admin name and password, it's fine. You wouldn't want anyone having access to this powerful app.

Basically OnyX totally cleans out and optimises your system which can only be a good thing.