Getting CDs out � using tweezers is not the best approach because of the potential for damaging them. It would be better to poke a straightened paper clip (or such-like) into the emergency CD eject hole, which is located at the right hand end of the CD slot.
Problems with CD/CDRW drive � do you know what mechanism is inside the Formac enclosure? I don�t have a pat answer for a problem of this type, except that I doubt it�s to do with the Firewire port as such. A few suggestions: 1. There have been some problems with the firmware on the bridge boards inside Firewire drives with 10.3. These problems have been addressed to some degree by a combination of the later sub-versions of 10.3 (make sure that your friend�s system is up to 10.3.3) and updated firmware. The boards are flash-updatable and different vendors have been better than others about supplying flash updaters to an updated version of the firmware. LaCie, for example, do have an updater which seems to work fine. I don�t know whether that also applies to Formac, I�m afraid. 2. Sometimes problems like this can be traced to damaged CDs which need a lot of retrys to get the data off them cleanly. 3. Similarly, a CD drive that is getting a bit old and tired may show this symptom as the laser�s output declines, or the lens gets dirty. My bet would be the firmware. I have to also add that I don�t think that Apple have fully resolved the problems with firewire drives even in 10.3.3. An example of this is that the otherwise excellent Carbon Copy Cloner does seem to cause problems with Firewire drives, often halting halfway through the clone process, whereas it works fine between internal hard drives. Nick > My friend's CD eject has been deteriorating for some time and finally came > to a point where the Cd had to be pulled out with tweezers. She daren't put > another one in. This is a slot loading iMac 400. Running X10.3. > > One Q I have is: Is there likely to be anything simple that could be done to > this drive that would restore its functioning - such as lubrication? > > The workaround is to use her Formac firewire CDR/RW as a CD reader, but > though the CDs inserted will mount, the whole Mac either freezes up or gets > caught in endless activity that takes all the processor power, when trying > to copy files onto the HD. we have tried plugging into each of the firewire > ports. There are no problems using the Formac to burn. > > So if anyone has any ideas as to possible solutions to this I would be > grateful. > > regards > Brian > -- Nick Collingridge Zapp Support � IT Consultancy -- Mac UK is sponsored by <http://lowendmac.com/> and... 123Inkjets.com <http://lowendmac.com/ad/123inkjets.html> Support Low End Mac <http://lowendmac.com/lists/support.html> Mac UK list info: <http://lowendmac.com/lists/mac-uk.shtml> --> AOL users, remove "mailto:"; Send list messages to: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To unsubscribe, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> For digest mode, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subscription questions: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Archive: <http://www.mail-archive.com/mac-uk%40mail.maclaunch.com/> Using a Mac? Free email & more at Applelinks! http://www.applelinks.com
