A MacNN reader notes a problem with new flat-panel iMacs: "I discovered a bug in my new 700 MHz CD-RW iMac today. When I boot into OS 9, the media eject button doesn't work (it works perfectly when I boot into OS X). At first, I thought I'd installed a conflicting extension, but when I checked on Apple's web site, other users had already reported the problem."
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I got this email from a reader
It works fine for us, on our iMac 700 with cdrw. Remember that in OS9 you have to go into the control panels, and make sure that the function keys either are or aren't enabled, I forget which. I think if they are enabled, the f12 key won't work as an eject key. But it may be the other way around. We thought our iBook had this same problem. Kind of an annoying quirk in OS 9.
If a person has a stuck CD-ROM at startup and their iMac or new G4, or iBook won't boot completely, you can restart into Open Firmware by first holding down the power button until the machine shuts down, and then hold down command-option-O-F until a blank screen comes up with nothing but text. At that screen type: eject CD or eject disk. After which point you follow the directions to restart.
You hold down those keys upon the next restart.
Apple includes a special extension on the iMac Mac OS 9 CD-ROM for ejecting the CD. Loading that extension will let you eject the CD under Mac OS 9.
Most of the time, however, open firmware is unneccesary. Just turn the computer off completely and start up while holding the mouse button down. Then you're cooking with gas.
holding down the mouse button will do that. But I've heard of instances where that failed as well. First is to check the mouse method, then is to do the open-firmware method.
The issue isn't about trying to remove a stuck CD -- it's trying to get the media drive open when it's empty. And rather than reboot the computer, I discovered this workaround: load iTunes and click on the Eject button. Works like a charm until Apple fixes the problem.
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