SuperDrive refuses to burn data CDs and data DVDs!

Joined
Feb 14, 2008
Messages
443
Reaction score
13
Points
18
Location
Chicago
Your Mac's Specs
MacBook(3,1): C2D 2.2ghz, 4g RAM, 10.7.5; iMac(12,1): 2.5ghz i5, 16gb RAM, 10.9.1; iPhone5S iOS7.04
So...new problem for me.

This is different from my prior issue in which using a lens cleaner repeatedly for about 15 times will solve the problem....

The deal is....the SuperDrive won't burn DATA. It has no trouble burning video DVDs or audio CDs, but data? Forget it. Regardless of what program I use to burn, I'll get any of a huge variety of errors -- media error, calibration error, etc. Never had that issue until now.

I know it's specifically the SuperDrive, as I pulled the DVD burner out of my PC and used a USB-to-IDE thingy to connect it to my MacBook and it worked like a charm.

Thoughts??
 
Joined
Jul 2, 2006
Messages
4,554
Reaction score
146
Points
63
Location
Crawley, England
Your Mac's Specs
20" Intel iMac 2.4 Ghz/3G Ram/320HD, Snow Leopard. PBook G4, 1.5Ghz/1.5 Ram/250 HD, Leopard 10.5.6.
Time for a new Superdrive I would reckon.
Very odd that it won't burn data, but is ok with other things, but I really think that given your older problem, it would seem to be on it's way out for sure.
Probably going to be cheaper to buy an external, and maybe even consider a BR drive if you have Toast and can use it.
Plextor have just released a BR (read only) drive for $99

Plextor Releases USB Blu-Ray Drive
 
Joined
May 18, 2008
Messages
3,612
Reaction score
95
Points
48
Location
Amberley, Canterbury, New Zealand
Your Mac's Specs
MacMini 14.3, 8.1 & 4.1, OS 13.5, 10.14, & 10.11 & 10.6; Macbook Pro 8.2, OS 10.12.
I think Kevriano's pretty-much covered it. Writing data to cd's and dvd's is done differently, and who can say what changes might have occurred in the s'drive hardware?

External setup seems to be the most popular way to go when an internal optical drive fails.

Did you particularly want a blu-ray optical drive? Early days with the Mac yet, but in any event, check out the range of Pioneer drives. Firewire would be preferable to USB.
 

Shop Amazon


Shop for your Apple, Mac, iPhone and other computer products on Amazon.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
Top