Yes! Problem solved! It turned out to be simply a dirty lens. I borrowed a lens cleaning CD (those ones with the really tiny brush on them) from a friend, and it worked like a charm. I'm now able to read music and game CDs just fine, and I can burn photos CDs with no problem. Everything seems to work.
I was sure that it was a software problem from the beginning. I don't understand why the Superdrive continued to read the Apple system disks, including the hardware diagnostic disk, without problem - but was sporadic in reading anything else. Or why I could burn a photo CD but not read one. Weird. There must be something about the Apple system disks that makes them easier to read somehow.
Thanks for all of the suggestions.
p.s. I use a stepdown transformer because my iSub and my scanner are 110 only. I realize, however, that the iMac and most peripherals are dual-voltage.
p.p.s. My friend also noted that a can of air was not the best option since the CD with a brush was much more to the point.
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I was sure that it was a software problem from the beginning. I don't understand why the Superdrive continued to read the Apple system disks, including the hardware diagnostic disk, without problem - but was sporadic in reading anything else. Or why I could burn a photo CD but not read one. Weird. There must be something about the Apple system disks that makes them easier to read somehow.
Thanks for all of the suggestions.
p.s. I use a stepdown transformer because my iSub and my scanner are 110 only. I realize, however, that the iMac and most peripherals are dual-voltage.
p.p.s. My friend also noted that a can of air was not the best option since the CD with a brush was much more to the point.
That's great! So it ended up to be something this simple!
Congratulations, and sorry if I wasn't of much help.
Steve.