Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

8

Time Required

                          15 - 30 minutes

Sections

1

  • Optical Drive
  • 8 steps

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Introduction

Note: Here’s a method to hack the OS X configuration file for the SuperDrive to be used on the older iMac, MacBook, or MacBook Pro systems that the drive normally won’t work with. Use with caution!

Open the com.apple.Boot.plist file in a text editor or in terminal use nano you will see a key Kernel Flags

Under it add the following line:

mbasd=1

Reboot your Mac.

You will unfortunately need to replace the internal drive from another identical Apple external SuperDrive, as the contacts on the PCB are soldered to the USB cable directly. The model produced prior to 2012 is a standard PATA slimline drive, but any SuperDrive purchased from Apple in 2012 or later will need a soldering iron to repair.

What you need

Step 1

              Optical Drive
  • To open the SuperDrive we must remove the lower case.
  • The lower case is attached by 8 clips.
  • 6 along the sides
  • 2 on the back

To open the SuperDrive we must remove the lower case.

The lower case is attached by 8 clips.

6 along the sides

2 on the back

1024

Step 2

  • Insert a metal spudger down between the black lower case and the aluminum upper case.
  • Lightly pry back to gently lift the clip out of place, just far enough to disengage.
  • Don’t lift to far, or the clip on opposite side of drive will be wedged in place.

Insert a metal spudger down between the black lower case and the aluminum upper case.

Lightly pry back to gently lift the clip out of place, just far enough to disengage.

Don’t lift to far, or the clip on opposite side of drive will be wedged in place.

Step 3

  • Repeat Step 2 for each of the 8 clips.
  • Continue until all of the clips have been disengaged and the lower case is free.

Repeat Step 2 for each of the 8 clips.

Continue until all of the clips have been disengaged and the lower case is free.

Step 4

  • Lift off and set aside the lower case.

Lift off and set aside the lower case.

Step 5

  • Remove the screws holding optical drive in the upper case
  • (A1270) three 3.8 mm with 1 mm deep head #00 Phillips head screws.
  • (A1379) 2 #00 Phillips head screws (I did not measure their length, sorry)
  • (A1379) 1 T9 torx screw

Remove the screws holding optical drive in the upper case

(A1270) three 3.8 mm with 1 mm deep head #00 Phillips head screws.

(A1379) 2 #00 Phillips head screws (I did not measure their length, sorry)

(A1379) 1 T9 torx screw

Step 6

  • (A1270) Lift the optical drive from the thick side, then pull out.
  • (A1379) You will need to be even more careful with this model, as there is less wiggle room. Peel back the insulation tape to see the connector.
  • Be careful of the wires still running from the drive to case.
  • When re-installing the optical drive insert tongue in groove side first, as pictured.

(A1270) Lift the optical drive from the thick side, then pull out.

(A1379) You will need to be even more careful with this model, as there is less wiggle room. Peel back the insulation tape to see the connector.

Be careful of the wires still running from the drive to case.

When re-installing the optical drive insert tongue in groove side first, as pictured.

Step 7

  • (A1270) Remove screws holding the board to optical drive.
  • two 3.8 mm #00 Phillips head screws.
  • (A1379) There are similar screws present here, but they only remove the metal shielding plate which gives further access to the USB wires
  • Unfortuantely, you cannot disconnect the drive any further without breaking out a soldering iron.

(A1270) Remove screws holding the board to optical drive.

two 3.8 mm #00 Phillips head screws.

(A1379) There are similar screws present here, but they only remove the metal shielding plate which gives further access to the USB wires

Unfortuantely, you cannot disconnect the drive any further without breaking out a soldering iron.

Step 8

  • Use a plastic opening tool to remove the board from the optical drive.
  • The optical drive is now free from the case.

Use a plastic opening tool to remove the board from the optical drive.

The optical drive is now free from the case.

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.

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                    Alex Jansen

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gwen kent - Nov 13, 2016

Reply

After you pry open, inside there is an internal Super Drive.

Please tell me what’s the markings/printed words model, name, brand, part number, etc….

Thank you.

cubanpete - Nov 17, 2016

My drive has nothing on that orange part in the middle of the drive (like you can see in the pictures here) except for two QR codes; it has absolutely no markings/printed words model, name, brand, part number, etc. on the inside, except the manufacturing date 2012 stamped inside the black aluminum bottom case cover.

Hope this helps.

cubanpete - Nov 17, 2016

Reply

Thank you. My drive from 2012 ist fastened with a six-sided star-shaped Torx screw on the right side. The ones on the left side are black Philips screws and they are so tiny that they are hard to see in normal light. All I want to do is clean the drive from dust since it won’t read DVDs anymore, while it has no problems with CDs at all. So now this Torx screw is another obstacle. I will have to waste more time & money buying an extra tool, thanks to Apple.

thomasli - Jan 31, 2017

Reply

Is it possible to replace the internal DVD drive by a Bluray? Does macOS Sierra work with external Bluray drives?

Thanks for helping.

Sincerely

matthewknice - Jul 19, 2020

Yes, but the only drive that is known to be an ATAPI (EIDE) connecting drive that supports Blu-ray is the Panasonic UJ-215-B. They were astronomically priced new in 2007-2008 when they were released. Good luck finding one today, and if you do it will still be very expensive and almost never a new one. But it seems to be a direct drop in replacement. I myself have already begun this project, and have one on the way right now. Bought it for $250 so it was pricey but considering it was new I got very lucky.