Replaced superdrive will not grab discs Need Apple firmware?

mistertomlinson · **Joined:** Thu Nov 04, 2010 9:14 am **Posts:** 2

I bought a new Matshita UJ-875S for my iMac and assumed it would work flawlessly because I've seen the model used in Macs before (maybe they weren't UJ-875S). After installing, the drive wont "grab" discs. Instead, I have to push the disc all the way in, then use another disc to push it in further when it will finally grab. Considering the drive is new, I'm assuming this is an issue with the firmware. System Profiler shows it's using a generic firmware and not the Apple firmware which I'm guessing would solve the issue. It does everything else correctly, including ejecting but will not grab discs. I came here looking for the Apple firmware for a UJ-875, but the only firmware that I can flash this drive with is the firmware I have now. I thought I might be able to flash my drive with a firmware for a UJ-875 (DB09) for example. Can anyone help me?

Code:

MATSHITA DVD-RAM UJ-875S:

  Firmware Revision:   1.00
  Interconnect:   ATAPI
  Burn Support:   Yes (Generic Drive Support)
  Profile Path:   None
  Cache:   2048 KB
  Reads DVD:   Yes
  CD-Write:   -R, -RW
  DVD-Write:   -R, -R DL, -RAM, -RW, +R, +R DL, +RW
  Write Strategies:   CD-TAO, CD-SAO, DVD-DAO
  Media:   To show the available burn speeds, insert a disc and choose View > Refresh

Puma · **Posted:** Thu Nov 04, 2010 12:22 pm

how do you know the drive is simply not faulty? You need to be very careful flashing these drives with firmware that you think may solve an issue. As failure will brick your drive. We do have the firmware you require. But from other users. the firmware revision you have seems correct. I wouldn't advise you flash it with what you intend too, but if its a new drive, get it replaced.

the firmware is at http://files.rpc1.org/index.php?act=view&id=5743

mistertomlinson · **Joined:** Thu Nov 04, 2010 9:14 am **Posts:** 2

First off, thanks for the reply. I was worried no one would help.

I tried flashing the drive with the firmware you linked me to before creating this thread and MatshitaFlasher wouldn't let me stating the firmware didn't match my drive. My drive is specifically a UJ-875S and firmware revision DB09 is apparently for UJ-875 (no "S"). I'm not sure if there's a workaround or if it'd be recommended I find one. I'm not so sure the drive's defective because I've found a couple other threads online of people having the same problem after replacing their superdrives. I've just assumed it was firmware related.

The problem with contacting the seller is that he's in China and (reasonably priced) shipping takes 2 weeks. I was hoping I could just flash the drive with Apple firmware and all would be well.

chef · **Posted:** Fri Nov 05, 2010 8:34 am

Maybe the drive is not properly recognized, means, connecting it to a "real PC" by using a slimtype adaptor maybe would reveal if its properly working or defective.....

Lanzillotta · **Joined:** Tue Dec 28, 2010 11:08 pm **Posts:** 3

I'm also having problems with a DVD-RAM UJ-875S replacement drive. This one will read DVDs and write CDRs. But it won't read CDs (audio or data) or accept a blank DVD-R in the drive. I've been looking around on forums and it seems a lot of people have had trouble with these. I really wonder if there are a large number of them that are physically defective? I kind of doubt it, especially as I read on one forum on the Apple site that some people could get this drive to work under Windows in BootCamp.

Mine comes up saying it has Firmware Revision 1.01, which is higher than the firmware posted on this site. Flashing with the firmware here didn't seem to do anything (ie the firmware was the same before and after). I did use PatchBurn and the System Profiler does now say burning is supported, but it still does take a DVD-R without just grinding for a while and spitting it out.

Here is the more detailed information I got out of the PatchBurn log:

Code:

vendor: MATSHITA
model: DVD-RAM UJ-875S
  Level of support:               DRDeviceSupportLevelVendorSupported
  I/O Registry Entry Path:        IOService:/MacRISC2PE/pci@f2000000/AppleMacRiscPCI/mac-io@17/AppleKeyLargo/ata-3@20000/KeyLargoATA/ATADeviceNub@1/IOATAPIProtocolTransport/IOSCSIPeripheralDeviceNub/IOSCSIPeripheralDeviceType05/IODVDServices
  Firmware Revision:              1.01
  Physical Interconnect:          ATAPI
  Physical Interconnect Location: DRDevicePhysicalInterconnectLocationInternal
  Device Write Capabilities:
    Can Write:                true
    Can Write CD:             true
    Can Write CD-R:           true
    Can Write CD-RW:          true
    Can Write DVD:            true
    Can Write DVD-R:          true
    Can Write DVD-RW:         true
    Can Write DVD+R:         true
    Can Write DVD+RW:         true
    Can Write DVD-RAM:        true
    Can Write CD Text:        false
    Can Test Write CD:        true
    Can Test Write DVD:       true
    Can Underrun Protect CD:  true
    Can Underrun Protect DVD: true
  Status:            5: DRDeviceMaximumWriteSpeedKey -> 0, DRDeviceMediaStateKey -> DRDeviceMediaStateNone, DRDeviceCurrentWriteSpeedKey -> 0, DRDeviceIsBusyKey -> false, DRDeviceIsTrayOpenKey -> true

chef · **Posted:** Wed Dec 29, 2010 11:11 am

A drive able to write to a CD must be able to read a CD....
Maybe there is something in the system prefs which you need to delete and restart to make the drive fully work?!

Lanzillotta · **Joined:** Tue Dec 28, 2010 11:08 pm **Posts:** 3

I've tried deleting various preference files and restarting multiple times. I think it was a good excuse to clean up my system, but it didn't help the situation at all.

chef · **Posted:** Thu Dec 30, 2010 9:52 am

Did you delete system profiler prefs?

Lanzillotta · **Joined:** Tue Dec 28, 2010 11:08 pm **Posts:** 3

I actually went ahead and re-installed the OS, just to cover everything. So all the preferences were regenerated with the new drive installed. No difference.

LepCanianop · **Posted:** Fri May 06, 2011 7:08 pm

Im thinking of getting a desktop from them. Perhaps a year from now. I noticed theyre quite expensive.

Also, Am I able to use a normal PC monitors, external hard drive, and flash drives with Apple computers? Is there anything I must know?

Ive used them in the past and I noticed most of the programs I use support Macs.

chef · **Posted:** Sun May 15, 2011 2:27 pm

"Apple Computers" do use standard PC components since a bunch of years now, the last step to a full "assimilation" was the CPU change from 68k/PPC to intelx86 years ago.
Usually you can use kinda all of the standard components which doesnt require very special device drivers these days. Actual Apple computers can deal with SATA, USB1/2/3, FireWire, DisplayPort, and even state-of-the-art tech like Thunderbolt..............

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Replaced superdrive will not grab discs Need Apple firmware?

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