iMac slot loading problems. GAH!

[MikeMTL]

This isn't a problem that inhibits my use of my iMac but it seems that most of the time when I'm ejecting the CD, the drive spits out only some of the CD and continues to make that eject noise for a few more seconds and then sucks it back in. Sometimes it gives me enough to grab onto and pull the CD out the rest of the way. Other times I barely get anything so I try it agian and it works about the third or fourth time. But just a few minutes ago, I was ejecting a CD and it barely pierced through the white fabric, not enough for me to grab onto and pull out so it sucked it back in. Again I hit the eject key and it did the same thing but it did not attempt to pull the CD back into the drive and continued to make that noise for a couple minutes. The CD isn't damaged or anything, it seems to do this to alot of CDs. I eventually got it out but I had to use tweasers. Can anyone help me?

And another question. I have the iMac DV+ 450MHz Slot Loading with an ATI Rage 128 Pro graphics card. Now it seems that it likes to draw little pixels all over my graphics (like movies and games. SEE included picture.) I've had this problem ever since I bought the machine and I've always wondered how to fix it. I guess downloading a new driver for it would work but I remember checking out their website one time and found it very unhelpful (naturally.) So please if anyone can help let me know.



And why do I smell fire?

[MikeMTL]

Oh yeah and when I bought my iMac it was using System 9.0.4. And yet the problem still persists in 10.2.6.

[Cheryl]

When you updated to X did you get the firmware needed?

The CD drive sounds like it needs replacing. Has it behaved like this all the time, or just recently?

[Arden]

Did you buy your iMac new or used?

[MikeMTL]

Cheryl: I don't believe so. As a matter of fact, I don't even know what firmware is. It has been like this since I got it but it seems to have been progressively getting worse.

arden: I bought it new.

[themacguy]

The firmware suggestion is good; critical, in fact, or you run the risk of disabling your iMac badly enough to make it a -major- pain in the ass to fix.

Secondly: Double-check the brushy slot for any foreign mat'l. If it's pretty gunky, consider opening the iMac and popping off that slot cover. It may also be a mis-alignment between the slot cover and the drive itself.

Finally, do NOT ever use a CD with a sticky label on it. The slot-loading drives heat up much more than the drawer-loaders and, with enough heat and time, the label's glue will soften enough for the ejection process to push off the label. If it gets caught in the drive, it's toast. I speak from experience; I've seen anough iMacs with permanently damaged drives from CDs with sticky labels that I've warned all of my customers to NOT permit such discs to be used in their slot-loaders (and that includes all slot-loading Macs). I do tech support for a living and used to work for Apple in the K12 arena. Yes, I've seen this problem in a number of iMacs in schools, as well.

PS - The ejection mechanism itself can get gunked up from dust and dirt which will make it less effective at pushing out the CD (expecially thicker CDs with labels - even if the labels aren't coming loose).

Good luck.

[MikeMTL]

Wow. Thanks man. Very helpful. I have yet to put in a CD with a sticky label but I will remember your advice. Still though, I don't know what firmware is.

[Arden]

Firmware is the set of low-level instructions that allows your computer to identify itself and communicate with the OS. Certain settings are directly affected by your firmware. For example, a laptop's firmware will tell the OS that the computer is a laptop and requires extra power maintenance features, like using battery or adapter power, while a desktop's firmware will tell the OS that the computer is a desktop, therefore always plugged in, therefore it doesn't have a power adapter or a battery.

Firmware updates help sort out bugs in your firmware that can cause confusion between your OS, your computer, and its devices.