Topic: DVD won't play or eject from MacBook

[william777]

My MacBook was working OK until I was asked to update the Superdrive   Firmware Update 3.0 which I did. But after that the drive does not work -   cannot play DVD and cannot eject. When I go into Applications and chose   DVD Player, I got this error message "There was an intialization error.   A valid DVD drive could not be found. -70012".
 
  I goggled and there were many suggestions which I tried. Some are:
  (1) Press the eject button (at top right hand corner of keyboard)
  (2) Rebooted and pressed eject button
  (3) Rebooted and pressed TrackPad
  (4) Connect a mouse and rebooted and pressed the left mouse key
(5) Opened Applications -> Utilities -> Terminal and type   "drutil eject -drive internal eject", it responded   saying there was no drive.
 
The DVD is still inside the MacBook. Can anyone please help? Thanks.

[bigguy]

Can you tell me if there is a very small pin hole on the front of the dvd drive. There should be. If there is take a safety pin and bend it straight. Stick it in the hole til you hit something. Push a bit harder and the drive should pop open.

[butchas]

I wonder if it has a loose connection?  Can you remove it and reset the connections?
 

[bigguy]

It's possible. Jumpers should also be checked on the back of the drive.

[william777]

Can you tell me if there is a very small pin hole on the front of the dvd drive. There should be. If there is take a safety pin and bend it straight. Stick it in the hole til you hit something. Push a bit harder and the drive should pop open.

No, unfortunately there is no pin hole. It is just a slot for the dvd, unlike the common ones which has a tray.

The last resort would be to open the laptop and check the connections.

[bigguy]

Is this what you were trying to apply:

http://support.apple.com/kb/ht3744

[william777]

Is this what you were trying to apply:

http://support.apple.com/kb/ht3744

Yes, that's the firmware update which I applied. After that, the dvd drive cannot play or eject.

[bigguy]

And all the previous updates where done before this one was applied.

[william777]

And all the previous updates where done before this one was applied.

Yes, that's correct bigguy.

[bigguy]

I assume you have tried to re-apply the update.

[william777]

No, I couldn't because when I clicked "Software Update", it says my laptop is up to date.

[bigguy]

Hmm, ok. There has to be a way to re-apply it some how. I am thinking that possible you got a corrupted update and that is what the problem is, or what it is sounding like to me. I'll check that website out when I get home later and see if there is anything about it.

[william777]

Thanks bigguy for your help.

[bigguy]

Help is never a problem, that's what we are here for. We'll get'r solved.

[Shamus]

From what i read there is alot of people having various different issues with that firmnware update. If you go to about this mac and then system profiler does it show the dvd drive listed in there?