Apple Posts Slot-Loading Drive Update

K-dog writes "Apple has posted a firmware update for the slot loading combo drives in Xserves and PowerBooks. 'This update installs new firmware on PowerBook and Xserve Combo drives. The update prevents Combo drives from intermittently failing to eject discs. It's recommended that you install this update to ensure that your Combo drive avoids this problem.' It's kind of ironic that I spent an hour on the phone with Apple trying to get one of our new 12" PB to eject!" I have a new-ish PowerBook G4/867, with a Combo drive, and it reports, "This hardware does not require this update." I wish Apple would be more specific about what systems this is actually for. Or maybe what the problem is.

Comments

The problem is not just on slot loading drives

[McAddress]

Very often I am not able to eject CD's from the combo drive on my 12 inch iBook using the button on the keyboard. Sometimes the CD does not even show up in the finder (Often when using a msdos or linux disk).

The best way I have found to deal with it is to go into the Terminal and manually view the files from there, and use umount to unmount the disk, and then eject the CD by using the eject button in the now-crippled iTunes.And I still get a message saying that I have not ejected the disk prooperly.
A really big pain to use a CD.

But I still prefer my Mac over ANY OS from the borg.

Re:The problem is not just on slot loading drives

[Anonymous Coward]

I have also had problems ejecting a disk that the Mac can't read well. Usually 'diskutil eject /dev/disk1' (or whatever your CD device is) will work. If not, you can try logging out and back in and then ejecting the disk. The last chance is to hold down the mouse button while rebooting.

The other thing to remember about ibooks and pbooks is that you have to hold the eject button down for close to a second for it to work. I think this was a conscious design to make it less likely that you'll hit the eject button by accident on the small laptop keyboards.

Not quite ironic, is it?

[Enrico Pulatzo]

I mean, if Apple announced that a study found that there was absolutely nothing wrong with slot-loading drives, and did so while you were on the phone with an Apple tech, that'd be ironic. You sir (or madam, I really didn't bother to find out) experienced a coincidence. For more info, check out Dictionary.com's definition of ironic, specifically the "Usage Note".

Re:Huh?

[pudge]

"This update is for Xserve servers and PowerBook computers with an internal slot-loading Combo drive."

I have a PowerBook with an internal slot-loading Combo drive. Therefore, it should be for my computer. It is, apparently, not. How are you confused as to why I am confused?

As to what the problem is, I mean specifically, what the problem is, and what they did to address it. "A firmware issue" is not very specific. Is it because the latch won't open, a problem I had? Or is it because of a communications problem with the PowerBook? I want specifics. Apple rarely provides them.

Specific drive

[Shishio]

I wish Apple would be more specific about what systems this is actually for.

The firmware update is for newer Powerbooks and Xserves that use the Matshita CW-8122 combo drive. It updates the firmware to version BA21. Previously used combo drives are not affected by the update.

Check out xlr8yourmac for further info and reports about the firmware update.