CD/DVD drive not accepting disk, just sits in slot, please help

Hi everyone! Ok, I am fairly new at all things Mac. It's been fun but also challenging to find a solution. SO, please, I'm hoping someone, anyone, can help me out because I have been trying to read up on anything to help with my computer problem!

I have an iMac, version 10.5.8. My problem is with the optical disk drive.

When I try to insert a disk into the slot, the disk just ends up sitting in the slot. The disk won't go in, and when I try to push it in it just continues sitting in the slot. I've assumed a disk is stuck already but I have tried the tips I've found online for ejecting a disk but nothing has worked. I've fiddled with paper clips, credit cards but while it may seem like there is a CD stuck, I am pretty sure there is not one in there. In addition, there is no noise or other sign that comes on from a disk loading at all.

Whenever I try to open DVD player it comes up with an error: "A valid DVD drive could not be found. [-70012]"

Another advice I tried to follow was to re-start my computer and press: Command+O key+F key (to type in certain commands), however when I do this it just goes straight to the login screen. Plus, my computer takes a long time to load too and I'm not too sure why as I have hardly used this computer for the 1 1/2 years I've had it.

Now I'm not sure if my optical drive is affecting the speed on my computer. And vice versa, or because I bought it refurbished it was bad luck to begin with? (I don't know) Anyways now I'm getting negative, but I would be much appreciative if anyone can give me suggestions on what else I can do.

No Applecare, and I'm a student so money is tight. THANKS IN ADVANCE

Welcome to Mac-Forums

Is the DVD drive listed in System Profiler? ( Apple Menu > About This Mac > More Info... )

- Simon

Thanks so much Simon!

So I checked and the only thing I found close to what you asked was, "Disc Burning" under Hardware, which states that there is no burning device found. And "DVD Player" listed under Applications-Software.

Other than that nothing else.

If the optical drive is not listed in the System Profiler application, it's likely that it failed and needs to be replaced. And that is not an easy task with an iMac. If you feel you would like to do it yourself, go to iFixit: The free repair manual and look up their step by step replacement instructions. You would of course have to buy a replacement optical drive.

It may be easier to just buy an inexpensive external USB or FW optical drive and use it instead.

Well, darn! I guess my optical drive didn't have much life in it. Thank you, I suppose my only option now is to get an external drive. I saw that website too and I was tempted but I don't know, it does look a bit hard.

Thanks again