CD refuses to eject!

tilttilt
Posted:
in Genius Bar edited January 2014
Hi all



I put in a CD-R to restore some files onto my Mini. The CD-R was written pn a PC.



Once I finished copying, I found that I could not eject the CD at all! The Eject button on the keyboard did not work. There was no error message or anything, it just did not work, that's all.



However, when I either drag the CD to the trash; or when I open Finder and click on the Eject icon next to the CD icon, I get an error window that says essesntially that the CD is in use and cannot be ejected and to try and quit applications and then to eject the CD.



Anyway, that did not work either.



The only way it worked was - I logged off and logged in again and hit the Eject key on the keyboard, the CD slid out.



Any idea why this happened?



Cheers

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 16
    agnuke1707agnuke1707 Posts: 487member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by tilt

    Hi all



    I put in a CD-R to restore some files onto my Mini. The CD-R was written pn a PC.



    Once I finished copying, I found that I could not eject the CD at all! The Eject button on the keyboard did not work. There was no error message or anything, it just did not work, that's all.



    However, when I either drag the CD to the trash; or when I open Finder and click on the Eject icon next to the CD icon, I get an error window that says essesntially that the CD is in use and cannot be ejected and to try and quit applications and then to eject the CD.



    Anyway, that did not work either.



    The only way it worked was - I logged off and logged in again and hit the Eject key on the keyboard, the CD slid out.



    Any idea why this happened?



    Cheers



    I'm assuming that you were dragging from the CD to the hard drive to copy files over as I normally do.



    Your CD key isn't broken or anything, it's not ejecting because it "knows" something on the CD itself is being used by the system for whatever reason. I experience this problem myself every now and then. Sorry I can't really a give you a better explanation as to how to fix it. I just do what you do ... log out and log back in, but usually I don't have that problem with CD's, just mounted drive images.
  • Reply 2 of 16
    tilttilt Posts: 396member
    Yes I was. Logging in and out to eject a cd is not really helpful, but at least it worked. There could be times when I cannot afford to log out and log in due to some work I am doing that cannot be interrupted but I still would need to swap CDs!



    Hopefully someone would have an answer



    Thanks and cheers
  • Reply 3 of 16
    agnuke1707agnuke1707 Posts: 487member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by tilt

    Yes I was. Logging in and out to eject a cd is not really helpful, but at least it worked. There could be times when I cannot afford to log out and log in due to some work I am doing that cannot be interrupted but I still would need to swap CDs!



    Hopefully someone would have an answer



    Thanks and cheers



    I don't have my Mac right now so I can't troubleshoot on my own for you ... I'm going by memory! Tell me something, though ... does this happen EVERY TIME you insert a CD? Also, what kind of CD's are they ... burned data CD's, retail CD's ... what? Lemme know and hopefully I'll be able to have a better answer for you!
  • Reply 4 of 16
    tilttilt Posts: 396member
    SOrry, I thought I mentioned it in my first post. This is a CD-R burnt on a PC. And no, this is the first time it happened. I have used burnt DVD-Rs and they worked fine.



    Cheers
  • Reply 5 of 16
    agnuke1707agnuke1707 Posts: 487member
    Okay, this could be media related. If you have a different brand CD-R other than the one you've been using, burn to that and try again. If it works, then it's something with your disk, or the BRAND of disk. I know my brother's Rev. D iMac G3 wouldn't read certain Memorex CD's and wouldn't copy files off of certain Sony disks, so it might be the disks you are using, get another type from somewhere else, burn and try it again to see if the problem persists. If it does, repair your disk permissions (Applications/Utilities/Disk Utility ~Repair Permissions) restart and try using your Keyboard eject then. Also, make sure that you're updated to the latest Panther OS (10.3.8 at the time of this post).



    Hope that helps ... let me know what happens!
  • Reply 6 of 16
    tilttilt Posts: 396member
    Thanks Agnuke. I am already on 10.3.8. You maybe right, it could be a media problem because that is the only time I this happen.



    I shall keep it under observation



    Cheers
  • Reply 7 of 16
    maccrazymaccrazy Posts: 2,658member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by tilt

    Thanks Agnuke. I am already on 10.3.8. You maybe right, it could be a media problem because that is the only time I this happen.



    I shall keep it under observation



    Cheers



    If fast user switching is on you could go to the login window and press eject and then log back in - thereby not losing your work.
  • Reply 8 of 16
    ichiban_jayichiban_jay Posts: 660member
    if it does get stuck again and the eject key won't work even after rebooting you can do a forced eject by:



    restarting comp

    after the chime, hold down your mouse's button

    cd pops out
  • Reply 9 of 16
    maccrazymaccrazy Posts: 2,658member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Ichiban_jay

    if it does get stuck again and the eject key won't work even after rebooting you can do a forced eject by:



    restarting comp

    after the chime, hold down your mouse's button

    cd pops out



    or use a paper clip
  • Reply 10 of 16
    tilttilt Posts: 396member
    Thanks Ichiban and MacCrazy. BTW MacCrazy, how do I use the paper clip? The front of the Mini is absolutely smooth with no holes other than the drive itself!



    Cheers
  • Reply 11 of 16
    tilttilt Posts: 396member
    Plus, yes I do have Fast user switching on, but I just went to the login window now and could not see an option to eject the cd. Am I missing something?



    Cheers
  • Reply 12 of 16
    lundylundy Posts: 4,466member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by tilt

    Plus, yes I do have Fast user switching on, but I just went to the login window now and could not see an option to eject the cd. Am I missing something?



    Cheers



    Launch iTunes - it has a CD eject button on the lower right.
  • Reply 13 of 16
    maccrazymaccrazy Posts: 2,658member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by tilt

    Plus, yes I do have Fast user switching on, but I just went to the login window now and could not see an option to eject the cd. Am I missing something?



    Cheers



    then press the eject button on the keyboard
  • Reply 14 of 16
    tilttilt Posts: 396member
    Ah, OK!
  • Reply 15 of 16
    fotnsfotns Posts: 301member
    Boot into open firmware and type: eject cd
  • Reply 16 of 16
    maccrazymaccrazy Posts: 2,658member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by FotNS

    Boot into open firmware and type: eject cd



    no he wants to find a solution that doesn't involve him logging out. Logging out worked but sometimes his work can't be interrupted.
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