CD, DVD gone from my System Preferences

[calmeforet]

CD, DVD disappeared from my System Preferences after an abortive attempt to change the settings. Now CDs are no longer recognized. Would be grateful for advice on how to recover the System Preferences > CD, DVD.

 

[ferrarr]

Can you look in System Information (in Utilities folder) and see if your devices is listed under Disc Burning?

 

[Slydude]

Which settings were you trying to change and how exactly were you trying to change them? Also which Mac is this and which version of IS X? What happens when you insert a disc?

 

[calmeforet]

clueless

Which settings were you trying to change and how exactly were you trying to change them? Also which Mac is this and which version of IS X? What happens when you insert a disc?

Thanks for responding.

I was actually only changing the setting under CD,DVD preferences (the iMac was set to do nothing when a DVD is inserted), but I must have inadvertently pressed on the wrong key or clicked when I shouldn't have, because the next thing I knew the window was gone. I tried rebooting a couple of times but to no avail.

I have a late 2015 iMac with OS 10.11.5

Now, nothing happens when I insert a disc. CDs and DVDs used to appear in the finder window, and CDs used to appear also in iTunes. Now there is no reaction whatever.

I don't know what file corresponds to "CD,DVD preferences" and therefore cannot even attempt to replace the damaged(?) file with one from my backup. Nor do I know how to reinstall or partially resintall the system so get it back to what it was before the 'accident'.

 

[ferrarr]

Is your external optical drive actually plugged in to your iMacs' USB port?

You may have to do an SMC reset.

 

[Slydude]

Good catch ferrarr. I never thought of that.

Before trying an SMC reset. try logging out of the user account and logging back in. That seems to work for me when I tested it.

 

[chscag]

I have a late 2015 iMac with OS 10.11.5

First... this machine does not have a built in optical drive so you must be referring to an external optical drive. Are you by chance using the Apple external USB Superdrive? That is the only drive which will show up in system preferences as other third party drives do not. That's because of the built in firmware for the Apple Superdrive. If you do have an Apple external USB Superdrive, disconnect it and then do a NVRAM reset and an SMC reset. Re-attach the drive and check system preferences again.

 

[Slydude]

I don't think that's quite right Charlie. I have an external third-party drive on my 2015 iMac. If I disconnect that drive the CD/DVD preference pane disappears. If I reconnect that drive the preference pane re-appears.

 

[calmeforet]

Before the "accident", I had been successfully importing CDs into iTunes: in the midst of this came the "accident", i.e., System Preferences quit while I had the CD,DVD preferences window open. Ever since, CDs no longer mount, whereas DVDs mount each time I reboot, but then when I try inserting a CD, neither CDs nor DVDs mount, and the CD,DVD icon disappears from System Preferences. I have been using a USB Memorex external disc reader/burner (much faster than Apple superdrive) for several years (with older iMacs as well as with the present one, without ever having had difficulties).

 

[chscag]

I don't think that's quite right Charlie. I have an external third-party drive on my 2015 iMac. If I disconnect that drive the CD/DVD preference pane disappears. If I reconnect that drive the preference pane re-appears.

I just tried it with my Samsung drive and you're right. It didn't do that before El Capitan unless I've been missing it all along. ?

 

[chscag]

Before the "accident", I had been successfully importing CDs into iTunes: in the midst of this came the "accident", i.e., System Preferences quit while I had the CD,DVD preferences window open. Ever since, CDs no longer mount, whereas DVDs mount each time I reboot, but then when I try inserting a CD, neither CDs nor DVDs mount, and the CD,DVD icon disappears from System Preferences. I have been using a USB Memorex external disc reader/burner (much faster than Apple superdrive) for several years (with older iMacs as well as with the present one, without ever having had difficulties).

Did you try the NVRAM and SMC reset?

 

[Slydude]

If I can get the MacBook Pro checked out soon I'll try it with some of the earlier versions. I've still got SL and Yosemite around.

 

[ferrarr]

Before the "accident", I had been successfully importing CDs into iTunes: in the midst of this came the "accident", i.e., System Preferences quit while I had the CD,DVD preferences window open. Ever since, CDs no longer mount, whereas DVDs mount each time I reboot, but then when I try inserting a CD, neither CDs nor DVDs mount, and the CD,DVD icon disappears from System Preferences. I have been using a USB Memorex external disc reader/burner (much faster than Apple superdrive) for several years (with older iMacs as well as with the present one, without ever having had difficulties).

When you insert a DVD, do you get the CD/DVD option in System Preferences? Try looking in there for your CD options, what does it say? Also, let us know if you have done as suggested, re: SMC and NVRAM reset. Have you disconnected the drive, rebooted, open iTunes, then reconnected the drive? Have you tried a different USB port? Can you try the optical drive on a different computer?

I forgot to add when you do the SMC reset, do you disconnect everything, or just shut down and unplug?

 

[Don K]

CD, DVD disappeared from my System Preferences after an abortive attempt to change the settings. Now CDs are no longer recognized. Would be grateful for advice on how to recover the System Preferences > CD, DVD.

View attachment 24637

 

[Don K]

Solution to missing CDs & DVDs icon:
I realize that this is an old question. But some of us have older Macs. In my case a 2013 - 27 inch iMac which I'm not about to trade up for, because this baby works great! This model computer DOES NOT have a side disc slot. So when I open System Preferences, there is no "CDs & DVDs" icon. But when I connect my external Apple brand super drive, the "CDs & DVDs" icon DOES APPEAR. I believe this only works with an Apple brand super drive, not other 3rd party drives. Hope this solution helps some folks out.