CD stuck in a Powerbook G4 12"
April 13, 2007 1:15 PM Subscribe
My 12" Powerbook G4 has decided it likes the current CD inside it so much that it has refused to spit it out.
It tries to eject it, but it makes more mechanical noises than usual, and then it re-seats the CD and re-mounts it. It is as if something is blocking the exit path, but with the felt that covers the entrance, I can't see inside.
The manual does not show an emergency release button that you can poke with a paper clip, and with the felt covering the opening, I can't see inside. What else can I try before I end up following the 17 pages of the iFixIt manual for removing the optical drive?
It tries to eject it, but it makes more mechanical noises than usual, and then it re-seats the CD and re-mounts it. It is as if something is blocking the exit path, but with the felt that covers the entrance, I can't see inside.
The manual does not show an emergency release button that you can poke with a paper clip, and with the felt covering the opening, I can't see inside. What else can I try before I end up following the 17 pages of the iFixIt manual for removing the optical drive?
this is what you do. you take a knife, you insert it into the drive gently. then you gently twist for a few seconds, with some force, against the plastic/metal exterior. then try to eject again.
this happens to my macbook sometimes. there's no damage, no sign that the cd wont come out. but it will try to push it out, loudly, and then take it back in again.
posted by phaedon at 1:48 PM on April 13, 2007
this happens to my macbook sometimes. there's no damage, no sign that the cd wont come out. but it will try to push it out, loudly, and then take it back in again.
posted by phaedon at 1:48 PM on April 13, 2007
ugh. i had that problem with my powerbook. eventually the disc drive froze up and i had to have it repaired. then it happened again.
i think it just gets so hot that it locks up.
posted by thinkingwoman at 1:51 PM on April 13, 2007
i think it just gets so hot that it locks up.
posted by thinkingwoman at 1:51 PM on April 13, 2007
Before you do something that might physically fuck over your computer, try this.
posted by mcwetboy at 1:53 PM on April 13, 2007
posted by mcwetboy at 1:53 PM on April 13, 2007
Response by poster: Follow-Up: I tried gregvr's suggestion and after sliding a thin piece of cardboard in and trying my best to push it on top of the CD so that it could slide out when ejected, I managed to hit what felt/sounded like a thin metal clasp. When I hit it, the CD jumped out of the drive.
Thanks, gregvr.
posted by bryanzera at 2:11 PM on April 13, 2007
Thanks, gregvr.
posted by bryanzera at 2:11 PM on April 13, 2007
My 12" G4 has a dead optical drive. After I got the disc out (thankfully it was a burn -- my answer involved grabbing the edge of the disk with my leatherman tool's pliers, not elegant but effective) I just bought an external firewire DVD writer and got on with my life.
posted by Alterscape at 3:17 PM on April 13, 2007
posted by Alterscape at 3:17 PM on April 13, 2007
This thread is closed to new comments.
Here's what I did to get it out:
1. Insert a piece of thin cardboard into the slot, maybe about 2 inches inside. (I used a cereal box).
2. Press eject.
3. The CD will try to eject.
4. The idea is that it can eject OVER the cardboard, and then you will tilt the cardboard up to prevent the mechanism from pulling it back in. Once you can see the disc, pull it and the cardboard out at the same time.
Sorry if this is hard to understand-- it was a little while ago, and a lot of trial and error...
Good luck!
posted by gregvr at 1:33 PM on April 13, 2007