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

Use the force

[jlgolson]

Apple Tech:
*Waves hand*
"There is no problem with your computer"

You:
"There is no problem with my computer"

Apple Tech:
"This isn't the update you're looking for"

You:
"This isn't the update I'm looking for"

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:Not quite ironic, is it?

[Dominic_Mazzoni]

For more info, check out Dictionary.com's definition of ironic, specifically the "Usage Note".

It's not his fault. He probably learned what "ironic" means from
Alanis Morissette.

Re:Why is this newsworthy?

[ip_vjl]

I would guess that it has to do with the fact that Apple is the sole supplier of Apple hardware. So a problem with Powerbook drives is more likely to affect a larger percentage of the total users than would an incompatibility between Windows and a particular brand of 3rd party UPS (as per your example).

Huh?

[ZxCv]

Quoteth the post:
... in Xserves and PowerBooks. The update prevents Combo drives from intermittently failing to eject discs.
.....
I wish Apple would be more specific about what systems this is actually for. Or maybe what the problem is.

Where's the confusion about what the problem is, or what systems are affected? Sounds like a number of slot-loading combo drives used in Xserves and PowerBooks have a problem with intermittently failing to eject discs. After reading the 3 sentence bit about this issue, I would have asked myself:

1) Do I have an Xserve or PowerBook?
2) Does the slot-loading combo drive of said Xserve or PowerBook have a problem with intermittently failing to eject discs?

It seems to me that answering these two questions would tell me whether or not I need to run this firmware update. Or maybe I'm missing something? :-)

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.

Re:Huh?

[pudge]

What good would it do you to have those specifics?

First, in this case, the answer may very well be instructive as to why it does not run on my computer, despite Apple saying it is for my computer.

Second, if I know more of the symptoms, I can diagnose problems better. If someone comes up to me and says their CD won't eject, and gives me several symptoms, I cannot say if this would fix it, or if it should have fixed it, since the symptoms beyond "won't eject" are a mystery.

Third, I want to be able to better evaluate how well Apple has a hold on this situation, for my own personal buying choices.

There are plenty of good reasons.

They're really only of use to Apple HW engineers

That is false.

Re:Huh?

[Graymalkin]

Quoth Apple's KB document:

If your system does not require this update or if the update is unsuccessful, the update application displays one of the following alert messages:

"Your computer doesn't need this update."

Your computer has a different optical drive model and doesn't need this update. The application quits without changing anything on your system.

"Your drive firmware is up-to-date."

The firmware in your Combo drive doesn't need updating. The application quits without changing anything on your system.

If that does not answer your questions I don't think providing detailed hardware specifications are going to answer them. If you download the update and it gives you a message like..."Your computer doesn't need this update." that should say to you that your computer doesn't need the update.

As for specifics, how long have you been using Macs? I'm having a hard time remember any time Apple gave a detailed answer to a hardware problem. As far as I remember they've always gone with the "firmware update" problem instead of specifically detailing the bug. You'd think you could logically parse through the available information for troubleshooting.

Do you have a Powerbook?

No) Go away.

Yes) Go to next question.

Does your Powerbook have a combo drive?

No) Go away.

Yes) Download the firmware update.

Did the firmware update fix your problem?

No) Contact Apple.

Yes) Go away.

I didn't have a problem) What the hell are you complaining about?

Re:Huh?

[pudge]

"If your system does not require this update or if the update is unsuccessful, the update application displays one of the following alert messages"

Right. Why is it so hard to tell us which systems it applies to before downloading it? Maybe a link to an "advanced" document if they don't want to confuse people who wouldn't understand it.

As for specifics, how long have you been using Macs?

I dunno, over 15 years.

I'm having a hard time remember any time Apple gave a detailed answer to a hardware problem.

Yes, exactly. And it is annoying.

Re:Huh?

[commodoresloat]

Part of the problem is that Apple isn't very specific about its different models. The question of which powerbooks are affected would be easier to answer if every different powerbook model had a unique model number that was easy to find. I know it's out of tune with Apple's marketing strategy to advertise different models of computer with obscure number/letter schemes, but having to identify your computer as something like "PowerBook G3 Series (Bronze Keyboard)" or "PowerMac G4 (Mirrored Drive Doors)" is just confusing as hell for most users.

Simple

[jdhaig]

Think Different [Apple.com]

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.

Re:Enough!

[Helmut Kool]

Front page? I didn't see this on the front page. Maybe you have configured /. to show Apple stuff there.

Ahh.... makes me yearn...

[nettdata]

This makes me yearn for the days of the "ejectrode".

For those of you who don't remember/know, an ejectrode was a device (usually a stretched out paper-clip) that was used to manually extricate floppies out of their drive when they refused to pop out themselves. This was done by pushing the ejectrode into the small hole beside the floppy entrance, as there was no manual ejection button like on most modern floppy drives.

It was pretty funny, because you would see a few of those around any mac office (at least around our office in the mid 90's), and you knew EXACTLY what they were for.

It's too bad that the Combo drives have no such feature.