Help!!!

D

DaFunky1

Registered
I am very upset and am ready to buy a different computer for my personal use than my iMac 20". I am running OS X 10.5.6 and it's a 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo with 2 GB 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM and the 320 GB HD. My DVD/CD won't accept/load the CD/DVD at all and the real kicker of it is is that the machine JUST went off warranty. I think the CD/DVD is the Mitsubishi one. Any help would be GREAT.

I have been getting the error message:

There was an initialization error.
A valid DVD drive could not be found [-70012].

I have tried to reset the parameters.
I have tried to restart the computer and then wait for a few moments.
I have tried to use the hold the mouse down and restart.
I downloaded the Tray Eject applescript and don't know how to run that.
I have NOT tried the shut off and unplug everything but will and see if that works.

Any help would be appreciated. :)
Thank you.
 
That's usually an error from DVD Player.
Do you get that error only when you try to view a DVD movie?

If so, try downloading and running VLC. IF you can view your movie with VLC, it may be a good work-around for you.

If you insert one of your grey installer DVDs, does that mount without ejecting?
 
Those iMacs are popular for failing optical drives, I work on them all the time. Is the drive completely dead or spitting the disk back out? Is it seen in system profile? It actually could be either the drive or the cable. I've had to replace plenty of cables for those. If thats the case, good news is the part is cheap. Bad news is you are going to have to pull the MLB to replace it.

Hate to say this but you should have bought applecare. The price you pay one time for applecare is made up with one repair like this. You can find third-party super-drives but they are hard to find for those iMacs and still fairly pricey.
 
Rhisiart said:
Unless there is a software problem here (which hopefully someone else may identify for you) you can replace the drive using these instructions.
Click to expand...

By the way he has a new intel aluminum iMac, These instructions are for a G5 iMac which were actually made to be user serviceable. You need special tools to access anything beyond RAM modules for the aluminum iMacs. I'm an Apple service tech and can't disclose exactly what it takes to do it, but the repair should be done by an authorized Apple shop
 
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djackmac said:
Those iMacs are popular for failing optical drives, I work on them all the time. Is the drive completely dead or spitting the disk back out? Is it seen in system profile? It actually could be either the drive or the cable. I've had to replace plenty of cables for those. If thats the case, good news is the part is cheap. Bad news is you are going to have to pull the MLB to replace it.

Hate to say this but you should have bought applecare. The price you pay one time for applecare is made up with one repair like this. You can find third-party super-drives but they are hard to find for those iMacs and still fairly pricey.
Click to expand...

The drive is completely dead. The only thing I have not tried is to reset the SMC/SMU. It will not take the disk in so it won't spit it out either. It is not seen in the System Profiler either. The MLB? I have the aluminum Intel iMac 20". Does anyone have the repair directions for that?
 
djackmac said:
By the way he has a new intel aluminum iMac, These instructions are for a G5 iMac which were actually made to be user serviceable. You need special tools to access anything beyond RAM modules for the aluminum iMacs. I'm an Apple service tech and can't disclose exactly what it takes to do it, but the repair should be done by an authorized Apple shop
Click to expand...

Just like I said in my previous post. Also I've seen in those cases it could be either the cable or the optical drive. If you have no experience repairing these machines or no parts to test with or the tools, I would recommend letting a professional do it. Otherwise you will wind up with it costing more than it would before you messed with it in the 1st place because you will likely damage something. If you reside in Michigan I would be happy to help, but it will cost you.
 
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Rhisiart said:
You're quoting yourself?
Click to expand...

Yeah, because here he is asking for instructions and I wanted him to see but didn't want retype what I had already made pretty clear about taking those things apart if he doesn't have the tools, experience, or parts. Otherwise he'll be worse off than he is now with what it will cost to fix it.
 
The recommendation is OK, but you don't have to beat it to death. There are other Apple-cert techs that hang around here. After a while, you find out that there are folks here that just fix their Macs without needing more than a minimum of help to start.
For example, that aluminum iMac is not too challenging once you find out how to pull out that glass plate with some kitchen-tools suction cups. A tech who has repaired laptops will not be too challenged just to feel their way through. Or, will find repair manuals on the 'net. They're out there if you look a little.
I've been an Apple-cert tech for more than 12 years, but I enjoy coming here to help others get answers, if I can. I can't always help where I am restricted by GSX policies, but I can answer questions. It's a strange hobby to work with the same answers for free, that I get paid to know in my full-time job.
All you can do is make recommendations based on the knowledge that you think you have. I've got thousands of posts, but I've never met (or had as a service/sales customer) any of these folks. You always discover folks that know more than you, so expect to get beat-upon occasionally.
Rhisiart is one of the many good folks (even if he's not from Michigan - :D )
 
Only 12 years? Fair enough. I'm just telling him to proceed with caution. I see broken laptops and desktops every day where someone got into something they couldn't handle and now have an expensive doorstop as opposed to a computer that needs a minor repair. These aren't only regular customers, but company IT people who have repaired computers for a living. Macs aren't your average machine that anyone can fumble there way through swapping an optical drive. Even if he doesn't destroy something, there is a good chance whoever does get a hold of the machine after him may see it has been tampered with and at least charge a diag fee if not charge more for the repair to cover their ass if something blows up soon after picking it up. I don't claim to know everything, I'm cool if someone proves me wrong.

Moreover, are you so sure its the drive and not the cable? If you've worked on enough of these you should know the cables are just as suspect as the drives to fail. Honestly with the symptoms it sounds more like a cable (completely dead). In that case, how easy is it to find a cable through a third party provider? Are you going to void your GSX agreement and send him one? Even if he does find a cable third party, that's going to require pulling the logic board to install it properly. Are you going to encourage him to go through with that repair on his living room floor without taking ESD precautions?

My recommendations, Get it properly diagnosed at an authorized Apple shop. Let them swap parts and know for sure what it is. If its the drive, go ahead and 'roll the dice' if you will, find the drive through a third party. If you feel confident enough, perform the repair yourself. If it turns out to be a cable, there are already 2 strikes against you: 1) getting the part 2) more complicated repair. In that scenario I recommend letting the pros handle it.
 
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