DVD drive problems?

I had a nasty shock a few minutes ago.

I loaded the DVD of Quantum of Solace into my iMac and it did not pull the disk all the way into the drive. Even worse, it then said there were do devices when I tried to eject it again.

I tried a reboot - no luck.

Then I tried gently pushing another disk into the drive to see if it would recognise the first one, once it was in properly. This still did not work. No devices.

I rebooted into Boot Camp and Windows Explorer also showed no DVD drive.

Eventually, I managed to get the edge of the disk to show outside the drive (not sure how). I used the tip of my penknife to grab hold of the disk (top of the disk, not the side with the film on it) and ease the disk out until I could get hold of it and pull it out. Then I rebooted again and heard something move in the drive.

Now it seems OK, although I have not risked putting a disk in again yet. At least both the eject button in the top of the screen menu and the DVD Player see a drive.

Anyone else seen that please? Was I just unlucky with the disk not being taken up correctly by the drive, did I insert the disk in the wrong place and miss the drive transport system, or is my drive on the way out? The system is not all that old, so I am hoping it is not a hardware failure.

Sounds like it missed the carrier for some reason. Try with an old or balnk disc a few times, just to be sure.

It doesn't seem to grab hold of the disk anymore.

What could have gone wrong?


Edit - it worked fine yesterday.

The carrier mechanism which takes hold of the disk and places it over the optical reader is probably out of alignment or may even be bent inside. That causes the drive to hang and be in a "non state" which is the same as if it were not installed.

If the machine is still under warranty or Apple care, make an appointment and take it on in. Otherwise, you may be looking at replacing the drive yourself.

Regards.

Oddly enough, it seems to be working now, although it seems to pull the disk a little less strongly than it did and a little later than before, i.e. after I push the disk in almost to the last few millimetres.

I suspect I will always be a little uncertain about it from now onwards.