Internal Optical Drive iMac Intel

On Sat, 31 Oct 2009 22:03:58 -0500, sbt wrote
(in article <311020092003589070% id>):

> In article <>, Barry OGrady
> <> wrote:
>
>> On Sat, 31 Oct 2009 18:29:02 -0400, J.J. O'Shea
>> <> wrote:
>>
>>> On Sat, 31 Oct 2009 15:12:40 -0400, Király wrote
>>> (in article <I_%Gm.50025$Db2.48305@edtnps83>):
>>>
>>>> In comp.sys.mac.system J.J. O'Shea <> wrote:
>>>>> The optical drive on one of my iMacs has decided to go tits-up.
>>>>> Basically
>>>>> it
>>>>> does the following:
>>>>
>>>> <snip>
>>>>
>>>> Have you tried cleaning the lens? I'd try that before replacing the
>>>> whole unit. A lens cleaning has revived a failing optical drive for me
>>>> more than once.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>> I'll try that. Apple says that it would cost between $350-600 to replace
>>> the
>>> internal unit. External units start at about $50. If a lens-cleaner
>>> doesn't
>>> do the trick I'll be buying an external unit.
>>
>> Is there something special about the internal unit that you can't
>> replace it yourself with a standard unit?
>>
>
> Well, it needs to be a slot-loader rather than the far more common (and
> less expensive) tray-loading drives. Additionally, you need to
> ascertain that it is warranted to function properly in a vertical
> orientation.
>
>

That's one of the problems right there. A regulation tray-loading optical
drive costs on the order of $30 for a unit comparable to the Apple internal
unit or maybe $20 for a slower unit. Slot-loaders start at about $60 and head
upwards fairly fast.

The other problem, of course, is that Apple _really_ doesn't want John Public
to open the back of an Intel iMac as a look at the (unofficial) take-apart
guide <http://www.xlr8yourmac.com/systems/intel_imac_take-apart.html> shows
all too clearly. Note that Apple doesn't seem to have let loose the official
take-apart guide. The boys at xlr8yourmac aren't kidding about the 'almost
cryptically difficult' part. The only other Mac which gives this much trouble
to open up is an eMac, and that's largely due to the very large CRT with the
very large charge on it which can be dangerous if you don't discharge it
properly... and which can sometimes still retain a charge even if you do
discharge it. And at least for my eMacs I have Official Apple Take-Apart
guides.

--
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In article <jollyroger->,
Jolly Roger <> wrote:

> Why go through Apple when you can do it yourself much cheaper? OWC sells
> replacement SuperDrives for Mac minis for $88:
>
> <http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/mac-mini/superdrive/>

Can that be used in an iMac (which is what the OP has)? Keep in mind that
the iMac's drive is vertically oriented.

--
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In article <C712F223.37A09%>,
George Kerby <> wrote:

> Our iMac G5 throws the disk out so forcefully that I shout "PULL!" before it
> ejects.

That brought back a fond (?) memory. Remember Zip drives? I still have a
few around the house, one of which lives on an old Performa and gets
used maybe once a year. That particular drive ejects its disk completely
out of the drive and onto the table.

And so the topic drifts.

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Chris Schram wrote:
> That brought back a fond (?) memory. Remember Zip drives? I still have a
> few around the house, one of which lives on an old Performa and gets
> used maybe once a year. That particular drive ejects its disk completely
> out of the drive and onto the table.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_MfM4j09ME