You can also share discs from the optical drive of another mac, or from a windows computer. With your new mac devices, you are not able to run cds or dvds. I dont use it very often, but its quite handy to have around. They naturally grab one assuming itll work because theyll be using it with a mac. Macbook unibody model a42 optical drive replacement. When you see a disc type thats labeled as bluray, youll know that the drive can support a doublelayer dvd, since it supports a bluray disc. The drive is formatted both for mac and windows, so you dont have to worry about. Workarounds for the macbook airs lack of optical drive. Workarounds for the macbook airs lack of optical drive dummies. Use this clever way to clean a macs superdrive engadget. Apr 12, 2017 the remote disc feature of your mac lets you use files stored on a cd or dvd hosted from another computer. If your mac doesnt have a builtin optical drive and you need to use a cd or dvd, you can connect an external drive like the apple usb superdrive. At the time, the lack of an optical drive was a unique feature for the companys new ultralight notebook, and the macbook and macbook pro units of its day still unquestionably arrived with.
If you want to make use of your macs thunderbolt port, then this is the best external hard drive for macs. If youve recently upgraded to a new imac or macbook pro, youre probably going to need an optical. Optical disc drive specifications contain a variety of symbols, letters and numbers. A lot of times a persons builtin optical drive fails, and they see the new external at the apple store. If the target computer is on the network, in order to access the drive, you first have to make sure that sharing is enabled for that drive. The pretty factor is a lame excuse for people who actually use their imac. Apr 01, 2020 dell dw316 external optical drive is powered by your ultrabooks or notebooks usb port. For instance, theres plenty of room for adding internal hard drives, but adding a second optical drive to a bw g3 or a. Apple first removed the optical drive in the 2008 macbook air, and by the end of 20, all optical drives were gone from the mac lineup, at least as builtin options. Apple provides official support for individuals installing optical drives in the mac pro, as well. The last apple mac to ship with an optical cd or dvd drive was a in macbook pro, originally released in june 2012, but on sale until october 2016, when apple discontinued that model, more.
Slotloading dvd supermulti drive with doublelayer support. If an optical drive is able to read a cd, dvd or blu ray, it does not mean its able to burn one. How to play dvds and cds on a mac that doesnt have a. Apr 06, 2009 this may be a completely anal question but i have a 2008 macbook pro and am wondering does this laptop come with a built in optical drive. For instance, theres plenty of room for adding internal hard drives, but. Do note that this applies to all other macs as well.
Thats why external optical drives have been a popular peripheral for many mac. Does anyone know if there is an emergency release mechanism anywhere. The tricks here are similar to how youd access an optical drive on a windows ultrabook or. The last apple mac to ship with an optical cd or dvd drive was a in macbook. To do this, youll need to buy an external disc reader that plugs into your mac. Apple provides official support for individuals installing optical drive s in the mac pro, as well. Apples been phasing out optical drives in its macs since it introduced the macbook air in 2008. Oct 26, 20 apples old mac pro, with two optical drives. Mar 23, 2016 do note that this applies to all other macs as well.
That doesnt mean there isnt a demand for optical drives or the cds or dvds that are used in them. Handy for using on the road with a macbook air or retina macbook pro. Ive got this model mac mini and the optical drive has a disc stuck in it. It means that you wont need any batteries or power cords. It was compatible with our mac the drive is a great choice for those looking for a external cddvd player writer, it works on both mac pc platforms, its a great alternative for the super drive which cost more. The last model to include one was the 2012 inch macbook pro apple sold until october 2016. Apples macbook air, along with many other macs, no longer includes an optical drive. Builtin optical drives and the apple usb superdrive accept only standard 120mm about 4. I happen to have an external cddvd burner, which can also read bluray discs. Mac mini model a47 optical drive replacement ifixit. Some popular optical disc drive makers include lg, memorex, and nec. It is compatible with windows and mac operating systems. My old imac had a built in optical drive and it works great, to this day.
Just because your mac doesnt have a builtin superdrive doesnt mean you cant add one both the apple usb superdrive and macbook air superdrive are compatible with all macs made after 2008, but theres also a wide range of nonapple cd and dvd drives out there that are typically much cheaper, and will work with most macbooks just make sure you check. And as far as recovery media is concerned, if you configure your pc to boot from a usb, it can typically boot from a usb optical drive. An external optical drive will allow you to access discs on your mac. To use your superdrive, connect it to a usba port on your mac, then insert a disc. I searched in the usual obvious places but was unable to find it. Apple killed the disc drive, but its for your own good. Replacing the primary optical drive or installing a second optical drive in the mac pro models is a simple procedure, but installation instructions still are useful nevertheless. To enable sharing, open system preferences on the macintosh with the optical drive, click the sharing icon and then select the dvd or cd sharing check box. But frankly, it doesnt much matter apples officially done with the optical drive, and theres no evidence more strikingly clear than the mid 2011 refresh of its. Du kannst auch datentrager vom optischen laufwerk eines anderen mac. Macbook, macbook air, and macbook pro models with usbc ports require a usbc to usb adapter sold separately to use apple usb superdrive.
And since it can support a doublelayer disc, it can also support a dvd, which means it can support a cd. How to access optical drives on other pcs on your mac. The asus 12x bluray drive has a 16x burning speed, which is among the fastest of the optical drives out there. Apple the disc drive is dead or its at least issuing a triumphant death rattle. How to use cds, dvds, and blurays on a mac without an optical. If your mac has a builtin optical drive, or if you connect an external optical drive for example, an apple usb superdrive, you can use cds and dvds to play music, watch movies, or access files that were backed up on a disc. Say some thing happen and you cannot boot into os or the os get corrupted. The tricks here are similar to how youd access an optical drive on a windows ultrabook or similar pc that doesnt include an optical drive of its own. There are several ways to open the optical drive trays on power mac g5 or mac pro. Apple started abandoning rotating medias with a 2009 revision to the mac mini server, which came without an optical drive, but contained a second hard drive in its place. Use the cd or dvd drive from another computer with your. First of all, great references for performing many upgrades to macs of all varieties can be found at. Apple has begun to stop installing cddvd drives since the introduction of macbook air in january 2008.
Jan 25, 2020 the asus 12x bluray drive has a 16x burning speed, which is among the fastest of the optical drives out there. The apple usb superdrive is compatible with mac models from 2008 and later that dont have a builtin optical drive. Why isnt there a cd drive in my new apple community. Why is it apple computers today have no optical drive. Apples plan to wipe out disc drives is nearly complete cnet. How to connect the apple usb superdrive apple support. To open the optical drive press the eject key on the apple pro keyboard.
Oct 28, 2012 apple started abandoning rotating medias with a 2009 revision to the mac mini server, which came without an optical drive, but contained a second hard drive in its place. Apr 15, 2020 if you want to make use of your macs thunderbolt port, then this is the best external hard drive for macs. Im disappointed in the design team, in a sense, that they felt this was a worthy sacrifice. Or that say you just want do a fresh install of os after three years of use. Apple and the incredible vanishing cd drive macworld. With no optical drive today on apple computers how are you to reinstall the os like on you macbook pro or macbook air so on. Later apple discontinued manufacturing macbook and imac with optical drives in 2016 and mid2011 respectively. I replaced the optical drive in my macbook pro with a ssd and put the optical drive in a portable usb enclosure from other world computing. While apple has been phasing out cddvd drives since the introduction. As a mobile dj, i wore out the optical drive in my macbook from ripping thousands of cds.
Recent macs have no physical drive for you to play cds or dvds. The optical drive normally goes by other names like a disc drive, odd abbreviation, cd drive, dvd drive, or bd drive. If you think youll need an external drive mostly for bluray discs, most of them will also play dvds and cds but are not readablewritable. Dell dw316 external optical drive is powered by your ultrabooks or notebooks usb port. Sharing cds and dvds between macs macmost now 591 duration. Find low everyday prices and buy online for delivery or instore pickup.
I am looking at partitioning 10gb to run windows for a design program i have that is not mac compatible and it says i need a built in optical drivei would appreciate any answers as to where i can look, ectmuchos gracias. In fact, one of these companies probably manufactured your computer or other devices optical drive even though you never see their name anywhere on the. This drive works just like any other optical drive but keep in mind. Pc to mac dvdcd optical drive sharing aerial andre.
Depending on your drives features, burn one of each supported medium. The remote disc feature of your mac lets you use files stored on a cd or dvd hosted from another computer. But you can still use cds, dvds, blurays, and other optical discs on your mac. In the finder, choose customize toolbar from the view menu. Hopefully theres a genius selling it to them whos going to ask which mac they plan on using it with. Im trying to determine whether i will need to remove the entire optical drive or not. Bluray up to 16x, dvd up to 24x, dvddl up to 16x, cdrw up to 48x readwrite burn speeds. How to play dvds and cds on a mac that doesnt have a built. Then, on june 15, 2010, apple dropped a builtin optical drive from all versions of the mac mini to introduce other perks in place of it, like a thunderbolt port. Apples external superdrive can work on older model macs.
I was happy to find this superdrive with the new usbc cord to fit my new macbook pro plus an adapter for my older computer. If youve recently upgraded to a new imac or macbook pro, youre probably going to need an optical drive if you want to continue importing your movies and music to itunes, or just access the content on your discs. Dec 15, 2014 apples macbook air, along with many other macs, no longer includes an optical drive. Use the cd or dvd drive from another computer with your mac. This may be a completely anal question but i have a 2008 macbook pro and am wondering does this laptop come with a built in optical drive. Find out which macs can use the apple usb superdrive and how to connect it. Make sure that the aluminum enclosure of the superdrive is facing up.
The only drawback is that this optical drive doesnt play bluray. How to verify your macs hardware is working properly the. Dec 08, 2006 there are several ways to open the optical drive trays on power mac g5 or mac pro. Note that you can set whether the mac will request your permission when another computer attempts to share the drive. Place any internal bluray, dvd or cd drive into an owc external enclosure to. This drive works just like any other optical drive but keep in mind this external usb dvd burner uses 2. Nov 19, 2019 the optical drive normally goes by other names like a disc drive, odd abbreviation, cd drive, dvd drive, or bd drive. Apr 05, 20 pc to mac dvdcd optical drive sharing aerial andre.
Need an optical drive for your mac or windows system so you can read audio cds, watch dvd movies or just read and write data disks. So i just assumed my new imac would have the same design. To open the second optical drive on a mac pro, press optioneject on the apple pro keyboard. Best external hard drives for macs in 2020 techradar. How to use cds, dvds, and blurays on a mac without an. If your optical drive can burn a dvd, its a safe assumption it can handle duallayer and rw as well, so simply test with a cd, a dvd and a blu ray and you should be all set.
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