Tech: No Cd burner or software found in Mac

Subject: Tech: No Cd burner or software found in Mac
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 23 Apr 10 - 04:16 PM

Having a nice new Macbook, I decided today to try and burn my first CD from Itunes (stuff I'd recorded myself, and copied from Garageband into Itunes, where it plays fine). Created my playlist, but then when I went to "Burn disk" got the message that no CD burner or software was found. Having looked at the Apple Support forums, it seems that this is not at all uncommon (and a recurring problem over quite a few years!) but no obvious solution offered from Apple support or the forums.

It doesn't seem to be either a hardware problem as can still burn CDs and DVDs from other programs, nor a faulty disk as the same disk burned all right from Garageband.

Hoping someone out there an tell me what to do: I've got the latest OS and all the updates installed.

Subject: RE: Tech: No Cd burner or software found in Mac
From: Jack Campin
Date: 23 Apr 10 - 04:36 PM

Have you imported the tracks into your library?

If the files aren't there, iTunes can't burn them.

Subject: RE: Tech: No Cd burner or software found in Mac
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 23 Apr 10 - 04:44 PM

Yes, they are in library as well as playlist: I created the playlist after importing them.
And I can import tunes to the library from external CDs through the drive that isn't supposed to be there!

Subject: RE: Tech: No Cd burner or software found in Mac
From: Jack Campin
Date: 23 Apr 10 - 07:39 PM

Open the Library folder in your Home folder.

Open the Preferences folder in that.

You should find a file called com.apple.iTunes.plist.

Move it somewhere else or rename it.

Start iTunes and see if the problem's still there. (If that is the problem, due to file corruption, iTunes will just make a new one when it starts).

If that didn't help, put the file back the way it was and ask somebody who knows more than I do.

Subject: RE: Tech: No Cd burner or software found in Mac
From: s&r
Date: 24 Apr 10 - 03:36 AM

I had some problems with this. The fixes didn't work. Titanium Toast was the answer - great program

Stu

Subject: RE: Tech: No Cd burner or software found in Mac
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 24 Apr 10 - 12:31 PM

Thanks for the advice, both of you: however, I do find it incredible that Apple can sell a computer with a combined CD/DVD drive that won't burn CDs from one of their own programs, i.e.Itunes, and that I might have to buy additional software, when I've only just bought the machine that was supposed to do everything! (And looking at the Apple forums, it does seem to have been a frequent and ongoing problem for Mac users).
I'm going to see if the "Genius Bar" can fix it tomorrow, as it's still under warranty.

Subject: RE: Tech: No Cd burner or software found in Mac
From: Amos
Date: 24 Apr 10 - 12:41 PM

I find Toast to be a much better burning environment than iTunes. Highly recommended.

However, you are right that this is a silly situation. Let us know what the Genius Bar says.


A

Subject: RE: Tech: No Cd burner or software found in Mac
From: GUEST,Ray
Date: 25 Apr 10 - 10:05 AM

Still under warranty (or you have apple-care) phone them up tell them its broken and they'll talk you through it to see if it can be easily fixed. If its really broken they'll give you a reference number so you can take it to someone who can. If you insist that you can't they'll send you a box and courier it there and back for you. It is a Mac!!

Subject: RE: Tech: No Cd burner or software found in Mac
From: Cath
Date: 25 Apr 10 - 06:10 PM

I know it's no comfort but I have a macbook pro and have had absolutely no problems with this.

Subject: RE: Tech: No Cd burner or software found in Mac
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 26 Apr 10 - 08:08 PM

Thanks everyone.
Curiouser and curiouser, as Alice said: time to eat humble pie (maybe!)
Had another read of the Apple forums where someone suggested you could try burning at only x2 speed, and it might work: it did! So then I tried reverting to maximum speed, and it worked again, several times over, burned 6 more copies of the same playlist.
So maybe it was just a temporary glitch, and resolved after re-booting the computer. I cancelled the appointment with the Genii, and I'll see now what happens next time I try!

Subject: RE: Tech: No Cd burner or software found in Mac
From: Will Fly
Date: 27 Apr 10 - 03:47 AM

Tattie Bogle - glad to hear your mac problem appears to have cured itself. I've a 6-month old Mac Book Pro and it's given no problems whatsoever (so far...).

If you intend to make copies of self-produced CDs or DVDs on a regular basis, as I do, it might be worth investing in a small separate disc copier - say a 1:3 (master:copies) model. My experience with Macs over the years leads me to believe that a lot of use of the burner in a Mac can lead to burn-out and a need to replace the unit. I prefer to burn as little as possible and do all copying on an external copier.

Just a thought... :-)

Subject: RE: Tech: No Cd burner or software found in Mac
From: mattkeen
Date: 27 Apr 10 - 05:55 AM

You should have no problem copying a few CDs a week

I have been doing this for several years - including Red Box masters

The only thing I have ever done to keep my Macs happy is to go to Utilities - Disk Utilities
once a month and repair permissions

Subject: RE: Tech: No Cd burner or software found in Mac
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 06 May 10 - 12:12 PM

Thanks for all the advice: I'll take note of it. Sorry for delay in acknowledging it.

Subject: RE: Tech: No Cd burner or software found in Mac
From: Andrez
Date: 27 Jun 11 - 07:56 AM

And how exactly is this post re sunglasses relevant to the actual thread?

Cheers,

Andrez