Has any of the MacMini users in this forum experienced this problem of the unit not loading CDs?

My computer today is not loading the CD (trying to update to 3.7). It feels like there was a CD inside, but there is none.

Is there any way to trouble shoot this without having to send the unit for repair?

Yes, I thought it was my drive until I saw your post.
Somtimes it will show the disc, though I've had no luck tonight.

Cheers

I had the same problem with my Mini when I had one. For that one, I just inserted an external USB DVD/CD reader and it loaded from that instead. It worked really well for me.

Apple CD drives are of poor quality. Get a replacement part (can be quite expensive for guenine parts...) or use an external CD drive instead.

@Yasu - Thank you for the suggestion. In my case I think I will just have it replaced, if it is a faulty DVD/CD unit, since I have an extra MacMini that I saved for spare parts.

Unless of course the cost of repair is too high in which case I'd use your suggestion.

This is part of the gamble we take by using obsolete hardware. I wish there was soon a MorphOS version that could run in new hardware.

[ Edited by WeiXing3D 05.08.2014 - 13:38 ]

Machine didn't want to boot using my external USB cd/DVD writer

Internal drive no longer works with cd or DVD rewritable discs
Nor cd - r
Does work with DVD + R though

I had an issue with my Mac Mini internal DVD-R, so I recently changed it for a Pioneer DVR-K06 - which is a Dual Layer DVD-RW/CD-RW, and it works OK so far. I got two off ebay for £15 each (including shipping) which I think is a fair price, and the seller guarantees the units he sells so that is always a bonus.

I checked the heads on my old DVD-R (Superdrive) and the lens was badly scratched - you really have to have a high magnification loupe (jewellers lens) to be able to see if the lens is damaged, but swapping the drive out is quite an easy operation.

Sometimes it is just dust/debris on the lens, but as I mentioned you have to have a good lens to be able to see this sort of detail, but you can just swab the lens area with isopropyl alcohol and a cotton bud - very gently, and then blow the fluid off the lens, and allow it to dry, as some of the fluid will usually dribble underneath the laser housing, and onto the underside of the lens into the laser lens interior housing itself, so that usually needs about 10 to 20 minutes to air dry in a warm room, longer if it is colder, of course, but that may fix the problem, without buying a replacement drive.

If you need instructions then just ask, and hope this helps.

@NewSense

I'd used a lense cleaner but it didn't help.
I'll try the drive you are using.

Cheers

DVD/Lens cleaners aren't much good, at least that is what I have found, even though they are supposed to be capable of cleaning the lens.

I connected a USB DVD/CD writer that I use with my other PC's and Macs, but MOS can't detect blank media. It only detects DVDs or CDs with content already.

I had the same issue with the internal DVD unit of the MacMini, so I resorted to download and burn the DVD with MOS in another PC. But know I have reason to believe that it was not a hw issue....any suggestions?

> MOS can't detect blank media. [...] I had the same issue with the internal DVD unit of the
> MacMini [...]. [...] I have reason to believe that it was not a hw issue....any suggestions?

Did you try to burn with Jalapeno? If yes, what was the error message?

Quote:

MorphOS can't show you a emty cd, because it needs the TOC (table of contents) of the cd
to create the root dir in ambient.

You can only see a emty cd in Jalapeno.

I have a similar problem: I can't burn a CD-RW on my G5 in Jalapeno. It looks like it burns and all, and it reports it as working but when I try to use the CD afterwards it's blank. I have reported this and I do hope the developers will fix the problem

Since I just ordered two MacMini's with 1,5GHz at Ebay I just can confirm that those CD drives are not the best quality. While the first CD was reading all disks fast and without problems the 2nd CD drive is very slow makes a lot of noises and read only a few CD's after a long time of waiting and with many CD's it was not possible to read anything. Both CD's are exact the same model.

I also attached over USB an external Blu-Ray drive (Samsung SE-506BB/TSBD) to my MM and could for example install MOS without any problem. This is maybe a way you can go too.

Quote:

And how can I burn with Jalapeno if MOS can't detect the blank DVD/CD in the first place?

Since I started using MO some 2 1/2 years ago, I've been using another PC to download updates, burn and install them in my Mac Mini. I guess, I will continue doing the same, but it's disappointing that MOS can't detect the blank media.

> how can I burn with Jalapeno if MOS can't detect the blank DVD/CD in the first place?

Simply by doing it. Burning with Jalapeno doesn't require Ambient to detect the blank medium. This is assuming your optical drive is workable hardware-wise.

> it's disappointing that MOS can't detect the blank media.

What would be the use of Ambient showing blank media?

Quote:

Take a look first: http://world-of-amiga.eu/download/1.jpg

1. If your cd/dvd device exists in this list, than you can burn a cd/dvd.
2. If no device in this list, your drive is faulty.
3. Jalapeno get all device info. The device sends info about the cd/dvd,too.
4. If no Info in "Read"/"Burn" fields, the device cant dedect the cd/dvd correctly.

Quote:
@pegasos-sigi2 Thank you for your help, but my system still can't detect the blank media, even when using an external USB DVD/CD W. I use this same external USB DVD/CD W, with my other laptops (PC & Mac) and in all cases the other OS detect both the external drive and the blank media.

I know I have a faulty internal DVD/CD unit in my Mac Mini, and this is why I opened this thread. My issue is that MOS can't detect when a blank CD or DVD is inserted in an external USB DVD/CD W unit, or when my internal DVD/CD unit was still working.

My external USB DVD/CD unit (when connected to my MOS system) does detect, load and play a DVD or CD with media on it.

Opening a Mac Mini is easy - you just need a thin bladed, preferably round ended knife, like an old sandwich knife/spatula, as the plastic 'fingers' inside the aluminium housing just need freeing to allow you access inside it, and then it's just a few screws to open to get the old drive out, and fit a new one.

I'm in the UK or I'd do it all for you, if you don't feel confident to do it yourself. If you want to ship it to me then I'd do it for you, but you'd have to pay for the shipping in both directions.

There are loads of YouTube articles on the Mac Mini so I feel sure you could manage it yourself, but if you want me to do it then I would.

iFixit for sure holds detailed instructions: https://www.ifixit.com/Device/Mac_mini_(PowerPC)

> My issue is that MOS can't detect when a blank CD or DVD is inserted in an external
> USB DVD/CD W unit, or when my internal DVD/CD unit was still working.

I still don't get why this should be an issue. As said, it's Jalapeno that needs to detect the blank medium, not Ambient. I ask again: Does Jalapeno detect the blank medium in your external CD drive?

Quote:

Andreas, the answer is not; Jalapeño can't see the blank CD/DVD.

On a related issue, how can install MOS 3.7 from an external DVD/CD unit?

I tried holding down the Option key during booting but that didn't work. Then I tried holding down the D key (method used with older Macs) and that didn't work either.

Can I create am ISO image on a USB pen drive and install from there?

[ Edited by WeiXing3D 07.08.2014 - 17:19 ]

>> Does Jalapeno detect the blank medium in your external CD drive?

> Jalapeño can't see the blank CD/DVD.

Thanks for eventually stating this. As you say that MorphOS can see the content of a non-empty medium in that same drive, could you have a look if the drive is listed in the Jalapeno settings (refer to posting #17 for an example screenshot)?

> Can I create am ISO image on a USB pen drive and install from there?

https://morph.zone/modules/news/article_storyid_2128.html