Mac OS 10.3.9 Can't read DVDs

Richard

Hi Folks,

Hopefully someone can help me. I have a 12" Powerbook G4 and recently, any time I insert DVD I get a message stating "You have inserted a disk containing no volumes that Mac OS X can read. To continue with the disk inserted, click Ignore."

Any thoughts as to what might cause this? I have a Combi drive and CDs can be read without a problem. I'm running 10.3.9. though I have a DVD Installer disk for 10.2 that came with the Mac and that launches into the installer without a problem.

I've tried creating a new user account (as recommended elsewhere) but the problem still occurs.

Thanks.

Huggles

Isnt it only superdrives that read dvds?

ZENER

No it's only a Superdrive that can WRITE DVDs.

OP: What kind of DVDs are you inserting ? Are they movies or data ?

ZEN

Richard

ZENER wrote:

OP: What kind of DVDs are you inserting ? Are they movies or data ?

ZEN

It can't read DVD Videos or data discs, EXCEPT the 10.2 Installer DVD. I initally presumed that this could only be read if it was booted from, but I've just tried it from within 10.3 and it can be read normally. It is Mac OS Extended format. I suspect that the MacWorld DVD that I can't read from is in a different format.

whiterebel

If it was me, first thing I would do is reset the Pram, then reset the open firmware. Restart then and see if it reads the disk.

ZENER

I may be wrong here but I have both the Leopard and Panther install disks and neither comes on DVD. Panther comes as a 2 CD install set. From this I deduce your drive cannot read DVDs.

Have you tried cleaning the lens ? As it's a G4 I'm guessing it's a slot loader so actually seeing the lens would be a problem but maybe a cleaner cd might help ? With a dvd disk inserted in the drive check what Disk Utility has to say about it. Also what settings have you set in Preferences/Hardware/CD's & DVD's for when a DVD is inserted.

Otherwise you may need a replacement I'm afraid.

ZEN

Richard

whiterebel wrote:

If it was me, first thing I would do is reset the Pram, then reset the open firmware. Restart then and see if it reads the disk.

Thanks for the reply. I should have mentioned that I'd already tried that!

ZENER wrote:

I may be wrong here but I have both the Leopard and Panther install disks and neither comes on DVD. Panther comes as a 2 CD install set. From this I deduce your drive cannot read DVDs.

It is the System DVD which came with it. It says on the disc:

Powerbook G4
12 inch
Software Install
and Restore

Mac OS version 10.2.3
DVD version 1.1
Z691-4287-A

Maybe because it came with the Mac and wasn't a normal Install set then it was released on DVD rather than CD. My 10.3 installation is on CDs.

Have you tried cleaning the lens ? As it's a G4 I'm guessing it's a slot loader so actually seeing the lens would be a problem but maybe a cleaner cd might help ?

I'll try that!

With a dvd disk inserted in the drive check what Disk Utility has to say about it.

For a DVD Video:

Name : disk2s1
Type : Volume

Disk Identifier : disk2s1
Mount Point : Not mounted
Connection Bus : ATAPI
IO Content : DOS_FAT_16
Writable : No
Capacity : 7.7 GB (8,217,081,856 Bytes)
Permissions Enabled : No
Can Turn Permissions Off : No
Can Be Formatted : No
Bootable : No
Supports Journaling : No
Journaled : No
Disk Number : 2
Partition Number : 1

Also what settings have you set in Preferences/Hardware/CD's & DVD's for when a DVD is inserted.

"Open DVD Player"
Thanks for the help!

ZENER

That's different then, it is reading the discs but not finding an application to open it with. Does Disk Utility read the Macworld DVD you mentioned ?
What if you start the DVD Player app after you insert a video DVD, have you tried this ? What happens if you attempt to mount the disk within disk utility ?
Have you installed any new apps recently ? Anything connected with drive scanning or caching ?

You're not the only one with this problem by the way.

ZEN