[X4U] Re: CDROM not recognized?

[Rad Craig]

On Dec 24, 2004, at 12:20 PM, Kris Tilford wrote:

> not posted:
>
> You've installed all the firmware updates? I believe there is v. 4.1.8 
> system firmware update.
>
> There 'might' also be a special update for the CDROM unit only? See:
> http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=24714
>
> Also, I have a friend with a Pismo that was attempting to install 
> PPC/Linux and was having CD recognition errors. He replaced the unit 
> and it was fine, so perhaps these units are bad sometimes?
>
> Another somewhat bothersome thing that might possibly be the issue. On 
> the BeigeG3 desktop series in OS X you can't boot from any device set 
> as slave. Perhaps this also applies to the Pismo, although I can't see 
> exactly how that applies to this situation where you're getting no 
> recognition at all. You can go to Terminal and type: kextstat<Return> 
> and get a full list of all the loaded extensions. If the extension 
> com.apple.iokit.IOCDStorageFamily (1.3.1) isn't listed then the system 
> isn't recognizing or loading the extension for the CDROM unit. If the 
> extension IOCDStorageFamily.kext is listed in the 
> System>Library>Extensions folder, and the permissions are good, then 
> you can drag to the trash from the System>Library folder the two files 
> Extensions.kextcache & Extensions.mkext and reboot (you'll need admin 
> password to trash these files). This will force the system to 
> reinitialize from a fresh read and hopefully load the CDROM extension. 
> If the extension was loaded correctly to begin with and the unit still 
> doesn't function, I think there's an issue with either the cables or 
> the unit is broken. You could try resetting the NVRAM using the 
> Cmd-Opt-O-F startup keys and then typing: set-defaults<Return> which 
> should reply "OK" followed by reset-all<Return> which should Restart. 
> Perhaps then it is recognized?
>
>

Thanks for everyone's help on this.  This CDROM worked fine before the 
x.3.7 update.  The only CD it would recognize/mount was the x.3 install 
CD.  I have a Pismo myself, that I got at the same time (upgrade from a 
Wallstreet), so I was setting them both up.  Turns out, it hosed them 
both, not just hers.

I tried every fix and suggestion mentioned here, on other lists and 
macfixit.com.  None of them worked unfortunately.  So I blew hers 
away...even though I thought I would never get it to boot off a CD, an 
OS 9.x recovery CD finally did the trick.  Installed 9.2, then 10.3, 
then I downloaded the 10.3.6 combination update from Apples site, and 
then all of the other updates except the one for 10.3.7.  Everything is 
purring right along...although I worked on it until 3:15am this morning 
so it would be ready for her first thing Christmas morning.

On mine, I booted off a 10.3 install CD and did an 'archive and 
install', which yielded the same result, but saved me some 
configuration time.  Same thing, used the 10.3.6 update, along with all 
other recommended 'software updates' except the 10.3.7.  It is also 
purring happily at this moment as I write this email.

Anyway, just in case this helps anyone else.


Rad...