CD Stuck in iMac
First off, I would like to say that I hate macintrash. They make their computers completely unaccessable, because of course "they never have hardware problems".
So, at school, in one of the Mac labs that the Yearbook and Newspaper staff uses, an important CD got stuck in the tray. The teacher tried dragging the CD to the trash can and then the computer crashed. Upon restarting, it won't boot because it's looking for the OS image on the CD (which isnt there). We can't get it to eject either.
The paperclip method does nothing since iMacs dont have a manual override, just a software override. It won't spit out the CD.
My next idea was to open the case/monitor and remove the drive assembly to get out the CD (the CD is more important than the iMac). But those things are built like tanks! There are no access points (except the small area to add new ram) and there are only 2 screws that do absolutely nothing and are impossible to remove (we could only get 1 out after working at it for about 10 minutes). We were able to remove the front piece of plastic, but there was just another piece behind it, so it didn't help us at all.
The only thing I was able to do is open up the RAM slot and reach my hand around to the IDE cable connected to the CD-ROM drive. I was able to unplug the IDE cable and now the computer boots fine.
But we still have the big issue, we need that CD. Any suggestions?
So, at school, in one of the Mac labs that the Yearbook and Newspaper staff uses, an important CD got stuck in the tray. The teacher tried dragging the CD to the trash can and then the computer crashed. Upon restarting, it won't boot because it's looking for the OS image on the CD (which isnt there). We can't get it to eject either.
The paperclip method does nothing since iMacs dont have a manual override, just a software override. It won't spit out the CD.
My next idea was to open the case/monitor and remove the drive assembly to get out the CD (the CD is more important than the iMac). But those things are built like tanks! There are no access points (except the small area to add new ram) and there are only 2 screws that do absolutely nothing and are impossible to remove (we could only get 1 out after working at it for about 10 minutes). We were able to remove the front piece of plastic, but there was just another piece behind it, so it didn't help us at all.
The only thing I was able to do is open up the RAM slot and reach my hand around to the IDE cable connected to the CD-ROM drive. I was able to unplug the IDE cable and now the computer boots fine.
But we still have the big issue, we need that CD. Any suggestions?
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Comments
When you are booting, hold down the option key
You will get a graphical boot menu allowing you to choose which drive you want to boot off of.
Select the HD
try ejecting the CD again
OR - if you have a keyboard that has an eject key, hold down the eject key while starting up.
Had a similar problem and rebooted while holding down F12 key, effectively the EJECT key. Took a minute or two, but it worked like a charm. Thanks!
but for anyone else that's having the same trouble with newer imacs, restart your imac, and hold on mouse button while booting, it will eject the disc.
QFT, I've had to do this a few times. It even works with a normal mouse, just hold down right-click.
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hi all, let us not assume that anyone with an Imac is using a MAC keyboard...thus no option key. and no eject key. and the Imac G3 i wish to eject a cd from has no operating system..a blank harddrive....it did work great..but the dinky harddrive with MAC OS 8.6 was pulled out.... going for Linux for ppc. but the disk wont come out....any help is appreciated... and you guys are right, no paperclip tricks work here either. wayfarer. :confused2
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yeppers, i did try the holding down the right mouse button on start up, nothing, left mouse button, nope...held down the F12 key on startup, nope...disk wont eject..i know it is connected ..cause when i run OS 8.6 it correctly detects the disk in the cd drive...
but thanks...yeah, i tried all that....i need the disk that is stuck in the drive....a Linux Install..for the PPC.
wayfarer........
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