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Superdrive not working since Big Sur install

Why is my Superdrive not working since Big Sur install? It does work on another Catalina Mac

MacBook Pro 13″, macOS 11.0

Posted on Nov 14, 2020 5:52 AM

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Posted on Dec 17, 2020 5:44 AM

I have a 2017 MacBook Air with Big Sur. I did the 2 resets you mentioned without success. Then I read that someone had this problem with Catalina and here's what he said: Plug the Superdrive into the USB port. It won't show up on the desktop or in the Finder window UNTIL YOU PUT A DISC IN IT. So I did that with an old Turbotax CD and it worked, with the disc showing up on the desktop and the Superdrive in the Finder window, and the disc ejected properly. I'm not sure the resets were even necessary.

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Dec 17, 2020 5:44 AM in response to Paul Conaway

I have a 2017 MacBook Air with Big Sur. I did the 2 resets you mentioned without success. Then I read that someone had this problem with Catalina and here's what he said: Plug the Superdrive into the USB port. It won't show up on the desktop or in the Finder window UNTIL YOU PUT A DISC IN IT. So I did that with an old Turbotax CD and it worked, with the disc showing up on the desktop and the Superdrive in the Finder window, and the disc ejected properly. I'm not sure the resets were even necessary.

Jan 25, 2021 9:38 AM in response to Gregory T Fieldson

I have had the same problem. My old Apple Superdrive is staying with my 2011 Mac Mini, so I wanted a DVD drive to work connected USB-C to my new M1 Mac Mini. I know using a USB-C to USB-A often causes power issues on power hungry devices like a DVD-Writer, so I wanted a native USB-C connection one, as both of my USB-A ports are occupied. Apple have not updated their Superdrive from USB-A. I tried a Nolyth DVD USB-C drive but it did not work and would not read Video DVD's. The makers suggested jumping through all sorts of hoops every time I wanted to play a DVD but I declined and returned it to Amazon as faulty.


Has anyone found a native USB-C DVD drive (read and write) that works on Big Sur and with M1 Macs.

Superdrive not working since Big Sur install

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