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How to Troubleshoot an Unresponsive iMac G4 DVD Apple's iMac G4 was a marvel in both design and function. Introduced in 2002, the iMac G4 featured a movable flat panel display on a chrome-colored arm, which was mounted to a white half-sphere base. According to Apple, the "i" in iMac stood for "Internet," as one of the features Apple sought to promote was an out-of-the-box, Internet-ready computer. The one shortcoming of the G4 iMac was the inability for the average user to upgrade or replace broken parts, namely the internal drives. Available in a wide array of screen sizes and processor speeds, the iMac's CD/DVD drive was either a Combo Drive (CD-RW/DVD-R) or a Super Drive (CD/DVD-RW), depending on the model. Instructions 1 All your open applications by are indicated by a lighted triangle under the application icon in the dock. Quit all open applications by selecting "Quit" under the application menu, or by selecting "Command-Q" on the keyboard, and repeat the process for all open applications. DVDs that have files that are being accessed by an open application won't be responsive to standard eject methods. 2 The eject key on an Apple aluminum keyboard. Press the "Eject" key on your keyboard to open the DVD drive. This button is located either in upper right corner of the keyboard (above the number pad portion) on older keyboards, or to the right of the F12 key (directly above the "delete" key on newer models). Third-party keyboards don't include this functionality. 3 The eject icon appears on the desktop when you press the Eject key. Reboot the iMac with the Mouse key held down until the DVD drawer opens or the boot-up process is complete. All Macs were designed with this feature, which automatically ejects any CDs or DVDs upon booting. 4 Select "Disc Burning" under "Hardware" to confirm that the drive is recognized. Insert a different DVD or CD into the drive to see if it is the media or the drive itself that is a problem. If the drive isn't working, the Apple Hardware Test CD won't be much help, but you can still access it by inserting it into another computer on the network, enable file sharing on that Mac ("System Preferences">"Sharing") and mounting the CD on the desktop of the iMac and running the program on the mounted CD. 5 Look for a broken disc that is stuck inside the drive. Look inside the open drawer to see if there is a broken CD or DVD stuck inside, or anything else that is preventing the tray from opening (or closing) when using any of the methods listed above. If there is anything in there, unplug all the cables on the iMac; making sure that tray is open when the power cord is disconnected. Don't shut down the iMac using the "Shut Down" command, as this will close the tray before the unit power off. A pair of long tweezers can remove any obstructions, and also use a long cotton swab moistened with alcohol to clean the glass "eye" of the drive while you're in there. 6 Sometimes a paperclip is the only item that can help open an unresponsive DVD drive. Straighten out a large paper clip to open the tray if none of the other methods work. The eject hole is in the lower right corner of the drive; it's impossible to get the clip in there when the tray is closed, so you have to pull the "lip" of the tray down when you access the eject hole. This is not an easy process, and should be tried only as a last resort. Again, only attempt this when the computer is unplugged from the wall. dreambox dm8000 Tips & Warnings Select "About This Mac" under the apple in the upper left of the screen, and then select "More Info..." to see if the iMac recognizes the DVD drive. If the computer gets extremely hot, allow it to fully cool off before attempting any of these fixes. The iMac G4 is extremely outdated; so in most cases don't bother spending the money on replacing or repairing the DVD drive if that's the only option. Poking around the inside of the DVD drive bay without being careful can damage other internal components
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