AeroWesty From United States of America, joined Oct 2004, 18813 posts, RR: 64 Posted (6 years 3 months 3 weeks 5 days 4 hours ago) and read 773 times:
I am sure the answer to this will be "Jafa did it", but I'll ask anyway.
I've been humming right along with a Pioneer combo CD/DVD burner in my Mac G4 tower, but tonight, for some reason, it has decided it no longer wants to read or burn DVD discs. It handles CDs just fine, but it won't recognize a blank DVD popped into the tray, a commercial DVD, nor a previously burned data DVD.
The only thing I've installed since it last worked right was the latest Security Update for 10.4, but I don't see how that could be the problem, but who knows. Anyone have any cool ideas other than "drop kick it to see if that helps"?
Cheers.
(If I don't answer any questions right away, I could either be afk watching tennis or asleep.)
Klaus From Germany, joined Jul 2001, 20845 posts, RR: 55 Reply 1, posted (6 years 3 months 3 weeks 5 days ago) and read 764 times:
At its age it's probably the layer of dust and grime on the readout lens which accumulates over time. If you're smoking it will add a layer of tar and other deposits on top of that.
If ist's just dust, it may be possible to clean the lens and regain at least part of the capabilities; If it's cigarette deposits you may be out of luck.
CDs with their larger pattern structures are somewhat less critical, so they will be the last to go.
Klaus From Germany, joined Jul 2001, 20845 posts, RR: 55 Reply 2, posted (6 years 3 months 3 weeks 5 days ago) and read 758 times:
The laser itself will also deteriorate with use, and the mechanical parts will wear down eventually, but I've had a dusty lens as well and regained much of the original functionality after disassembling and cleaning the drive...
(Never operate the drive with its protective cover removed!)
AeroWesty From United States of America, joined Oct 2004, 18813 posts, RR: 64 Reply 3, posted (6 years 3 months 3 weeks 4 days 18 hours ago) and read 742 times:
Klaus, thanks for your input. I'll run my laser cleaning disk a few more times to see if that'll do it, otherwise I'll ship it off to Jafa so he can use it to install Firefox with.
Sponsor Message: 
From United States of America, joined Oct 2004, 18813 posts, 
From Germany, joined Jul 2001, 20845 posts, 
I'll run my laser cleaning disk a few more times to see if that'll do it, otherwise I'll ship it off to Jafa so he can use it to install Firefox with. 
Printer friendly format 
