Need Help With Disc Loading Slot

Hi,

New user here, I have been given a PowerMac G5, its the 1.6Ghz model I believe and is running OS X 10.5.something, and to be honest I am really happy with the speed its going for everyday tasks.

However their is one problem with it, there is a silver metal cover that slides up or down when the dvd drive opens or closes but it seems to be stuck down, if I can prise it with a screwdriver and then it shoots up and the springs seem ok but with it in is closed/shut position and then I try and open the drive, the drive just hits the front cover, the cover doesn't slide down, and like I said, the cover wont slide up when the drive is closed.

Any advice or ideas as to how to fix this?

Thanks
Jon

It sounds to me like something:

- is bent (the door that goes up & down)
- the optical drive may have been installed improperly by a previous user
- the optical drive may have been jarred loose out of place somehow

I've never had a problem with the optical drive door that you mentioned with the Powermac G5's I've owned (three). If everything is in proper working order…everything works fine.

- Nick

Hi,

Thanks for the reply, the door looks straight as far as I can tell. The drive is definitely locked in place, and as for the install of the drive, I can't tell to be honest, I mean when the slot is down it opens/closes/works just fine.

But I can't tell how or even if its possible to access the slot by itself as those machines seem to be stronger than a tank.

With the slot up, and you open the drive, the door moves down like a millimeter, but I haven't been able to find any pictures of the front of the drive with the slot down to see if there is maybe supposed to be something on the front of the drive that makes contact with the slot.

Jonj1611 said:

Hi,

Thanks for the reply, the door looks straight as far as I can tell. The drive is definitely locked in place, and as for the install of the drive, I can't tell to be honest, I mean when the slot is down it opens/closes/works just fine.

But I can't tell how or even if its possible to access the slot by itself as those machines seem to be stronger than a tank.

With the slot up, and you open the drive, the door moves down like a millimeter, but I haven't been able to find any pictures of the front of the drive with the slot down to see if there is maybe supposed to be something on the front of the drive that makes contact with the slot.

Click to expand...

Obviously something is "jamming" up the mechanism of the aluminum door…otherwise it would work fine. Either the:

- door is bent in some way
- the optical drive is installed too far forward (too close to the door).
- or maybe the drive was replaced at some point…and something about the design of the replacement drive is hindering things.

To get better access to the door…you need to remove the optical drive.

- Nick

Hi,

I will try and take another look at the door, I removed the drive and its the standard pioneer 106d which I believe is the factory fit model. It has rubber grommets on the bottom and fits the slot fine, I just didn't know if this was like a common issue but seems I maybe on my own here lol

Jonj1611 said:

Hi,

I will try and take another look at the door, I removed the drive and its the standard pioneer 106d which I believe is the factory fit model. It has rubber grommets on the bottom and fits the slot fine, I just didn't know if this was like a common issue but seems I maybe on my own here lol

Click to expand...

I have not heard of many problems with the optical drive door on Powermac G5's…or Mac Pro's (the model that superseded the Powermac G5's)…which use the exact same door mechanisms.

I have seen Powermac G5's & Mac Pro's that have been very roughly handled (dented, dinged, and all bent up)…which is why it is always possible that the computer could have received some minor or major "bumps" when owned by previous users…possibly knocking things out of alignment.

- Nick

Thanks for all your replies, I will get the drive out later and take another look. If Mac's are one thing, they are super easy to come apart!

Jonj1611 said:

If Mac's are one thing, they are super easy to come apart!

Click to expand...

It wasn't always this way!!!…but with the Powermac G5's…you're right…they are pretty easy to disassemble (for the most part)! Mac Pro's are even better!

- Nick

Lol, I haven't had many macs to be honest, had a G3 years ago but didn't take that one apart, and other than used a few for work in the past mainly, but gotta say this G5 just falls apart, well not literally but its easy to work on, apart from what I believe is the power supply, looks like its welded into the base lol.

Jonj1611 said:

Lol, I haven't had many macs to be honest, had a G3 years ago but didn't take that one apart...

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If you're talking an iMac G3 (the multi-colored, CRT display based All-In-One computer)…these are actually one of the more involved desktop computers to disassemble (depending what you needed to get at).

- Nick

No, it was like a really naff coloured mini tower, was quite wide as well I remember, didn't go much on the colour though :/

Regarding the G5, most optical drives, including Pioneer and LG, have a front lip on the drive which can cause precisely the problem you are encountering. The solution is to remove the drive, which is pretty simple, and with thumb and fingers slide the door plate, which included DVD icon, up and off. Re-install and all should be good. It is actually a tray loader and this explains it:-


http://forums.dealmac.com/read.php?1,2083721

Ah, thats a helpful post thank you, will give that a try in a minute, before I break the door completely!

Just to update, I found the problem.

Someone had dropped a 1 penny in the front!! so the door was hitting the penny before it was even getting a chance to open. Removed penny, now door works and I am 1 penny up lol

Jonj1611 said:

Just to update, I found the problem.

Someone had dropped a 1 penny in the front!! so the door was hitting the penny before it was even getting a chance to open. Removed penny, now door works and I am 1 penny up lol

Click to expand...

Be sure not to spend it all in one place..you want to make it last..

Well back in the day I would have been able to get 2 mojo's!

Jonj1611 said:

Just to update, I found the problem.

Someone had dropped a 1 penny in the front!! so the door was hitting the penny before it was even getting a chance to open. Removed penny, now door works and I am 1 penny up lol

Click to expand...

Wow…very interesting! I knew something could be jamming things up…but I never expected it to be a coin!

Congrats,

- Nick