Non-functioning DVD burner problem

Question

Level 1

8 points

Non-functioning DVD burner problem

I recently noticed the tray on my LG MoDisc won't extend when I push the eject button. It has been been probably a couple of years since I used it and then infrequently. I still have some photos on CDs and home movies on DVDs. Last year Helena took a copier, a microwave (voltage surges)and some pieces of my roof. I figured "another casualty". Since I have a spare in another small LG DVD burner meant for a laptop I figured it wasn't a problem. Old one goes into the trash. I have since plugged in the replacement and it don't work either. Rescued the old one back from the trash. Is anyone else having this problem? Has Apple totally given up on supporting DVD burner and I missed the memo? 24 inch Mac M1 Sequoia 15.6

iMac 24″, macOS 15.6

Posted on Aug 12, 2025 5:42 PM

Reply

Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

lurch956 Author

Level 1

8 points

Aug 13, 2025 5:28 AM in response to Servant of Cats

My Mac and various drives were on a surge suppressor along with my TV and various other electronics. I did not think of protecting the printer. It is now. Closing the barn door, right.

After reading your reply (thanks for that, BTW) I realized you might be right about not having the spare reader plugged into enough power. So I retrieved the spare and insured it was plugged into a power point. And it worked! I thought "Well, when the man's right, the man's right". Then, on a whim, I hit the eject on button my old burner. And it works! It's on the same USB plug it's always been. It's Christmas miracle in August I guess. Thanks again for the assist.

Reply

Answer 2

Aug 12, 2025 6:19 PM in response to lurch956

As far as I know, Apple has not pulled the plug on support for CD/DVD burners.

You said that Helena fried some of your other equipment – a copier and a microwave – and you think it may have fried your LG desktop burner as well. So chalk that one up to dead hardware.

Portable burners can be finicky about power. The Apple USB SuperDrive has a reputation for not working unless you plug it directly into a Mac, or into an Apple USB-C to USB adapter plugged directly into a Mac. That one may possibly be trying to draw more power than it could get from the USB ports on most docks and hubs. Some other portable burners come with "Y" cables so that you can plug them into two USB ports at the same time. The idea there is that the burner may draw more power than a single USB host port is required to supply, so the extra USB connection gives it a chance to exceed that limit.

So I'm thinking there's something about the portable drive that's off. E.g.,

The Mac doesn't like its particular drive mechanism,
It wants to suck power from two USB ports and you have only connected it to one, or
It is dead, like the first drive

Reply