Mini Mac and small CDs

[Rapscallion]

A colleague asked me for some help. She has a Mini Mac (if I remember correctly), and she bought an MP4 player recently. The software etc to update it came on a small CD - one of those rarely-seen CD singles, I reckon.

Her CD drive isn't a tray, but rather one of those fellows where you just insert it and it gets pulled in. Can that small CD be used in such a drive?

Rapscallion

[sms001]

Her CD drive isn't a tray, but rather one of those fellows where you just insert it and it gets pulled in. Can that small CD be used in such a drive?

Rapscallion

Let's find out!

....................

okee. This is on a VERTICAL slot loader (a G5 iMac). CD is one of the lil' un's - about 8 cm diameter. Even holding on to the very very very edge, it didn't go in far enough to activate the sucker inner mechanism. Sorry for the extremely arcane technical jargon there I tried sliding down the center and both the top and bottom edge. Probably time to find a friend with a tray loading burner - or she might try just d/ling from the manufacturers website.

Also:

http://news.worldofapple.com/archive...load-problems/

(Guess I coulda goggled before throwing little cds into my wife's machine?)

[digilight]

A mini disc, Business card CD, or any other shaped disc will not work in a slot loading machine. You have to have a normal drive with a tray that has the inner tray that the mini (80/81 mm) discs will fit into.

These can be copied onto a regular sized cdrom and will work find like sms said.

FYI this disc will hold at most 180mb and most likely less so there is also a chance that the software on the disc is much smaller then the max amount and she may even be able to email it to herself, or to upload it to a temp website if she can't make a copy of it.

[Pedersen]

A mini disc, Business card CD, or any other shaped disc will not work in a slot loading machine. You have to have a normal drive with a tray that has the inner tray that the mini (80/81 mm) discs will fit into.

I used to think so too. This is common knowledge amongst the computer tech crowd. But, as with everything, there are exceptions.

Specifically, the Wii. Slot loading drive. Plays gamecube discs, which are the mini disc variety. And yes, it does work. I've done it.

Not all drives will do it, though, so the question is (at least) a reasonable one.

[Gurndigarn]

Before she tries the disk... has she just tried plugging the MP-4 player into the Mac with whatever connector it came with and see if the computer recognizes it as-is? Apple is pretty good with stuff like that: I've never had to upload divers for any cameras I've ever used. (The only audio player I've had is Apple-made, so I would naturally expect it to automatically be found.)

[cactus]

Wow, all this long answers for such a simple question
Short answer: Nope. And believe us when we say that! I've had people ask me about this, then choosing not to believe me (I guess it wasn't a convenient answer), and THEN whining about the stuck cd to me afterwards

(And the name is Mac Mini )

[Broomjockey]

A mini disc, Business card CD, or any other shaped disc will not work in a slot loading machine.

Even holding on to the very very very edge, it didn't go in far enough to activate the sucker inner mechanism.

Wow, all this long answers for such a simple question
Short answer: Nope.

Lesse, those don't look very long...
Are you sure your a techie? Short answers in a tech forum usually don't go hand in hand

[technical.angel]

it didn't go in far enough to activate the sucker inner mechanism.

I'm sooooo stealing that phrase!

Now, to figure out how to use it in conversation!

[Broomjockey]

Now, to figure out how to use it in conversation!

I'm thinking about it, but it's coming up all dirty. It's going to take a less gutter-bound mind than mine to do it

[technical.angel]

Then I'm screwed.

[sms001]

Specifically, the Wii. Slot loading drive. Plays gamecube discs, which are the mini disc variety. And yes, it does work. I've done it.

One of my hits yesterday mentioned that the older (G3) slot drives would take 'em too - but mine is waaaayyyy down in the basement, so no experiments today. I assume they had to change the inner mechanism when they started mounting them vertically, but it is odd that they would go to so much trouble (ie., my previous linky) to fix something they once had a solution to. That donut (oops, I mean doughnut) hack seems a little contrived. Reminds me of the occasional early CD-Rom players that required a caddy for every disc.

Before she tries the disk... has she just tried plugging the MP-4 player into the Mac with whatever connector it came with and see if the computer recognizes it as-is?

Ding ding ding! We have a winner. (Probably.) Occam's razor should never be far from any tech's thoughts.

Wow, all this long answers for such a simple question
Short answer: Nope.

But there's no fun in "Nope."

Plus, look at all that the verbose, long winded, unnecessary answer has done for the species:

"Think there's any good food out on the savanna?"

"Nope. Eat your leaf."

vs.

"Well, the hyenas and buzzards may be done with that antelope. It may be awkward carrying lunch back to the tree, but maybe if we used the front paws and walked with........."

Are you sure you're a techie?

Gots to be - Tries hard to answer with a simple "No" but then HAS TO tack on another three sentences. And answer side questions for bonus points. And rib Id 10 ts. And roll the eyes.

it didn't go in far enough to activate the sucker inner mechanism.

I'm thinking about it, but it's coming up all dirty. It's going to take a less gutter-bound mind than mine to do it

jeez Mr. Jockey, I know cabin fever is rough up there, but:

"I tried to vacuum up that dust bunny under the couch, but..."

"The blue ring octopus lurked amidst the coral watching its prey swim closer and closer but..."

"Masters and Johnson watched the test subject carefully, but close observation revealed that...."


WAIT! Now you've got me doing it.

All right Raps. Here's your thread back. Hope the new player is up and running.

[Rapscallion]

I actually have it in my hands right now. Thanks for the responses, folks - I offered to bring it back to my place and run through the manual for her. Yes, I can plug it into my PC and copy files. The disk is just for firmware updates - some software for connecting via the 'net to do that. Easy enough to ignore for now, and I'm going to check to see if it's downloadable.

Rapscallion

[Rapscallion]

Question!

Does any Mac user have a simple guide for this poor non-user to learn quickly how to manage files in this way? How does one locate an extra drive on a Mac once it's plugged in?

Rapscallion

[Broomjockey]

In my (admittedly limited) experience, when you plug in things like USB drives, they automatically pop up on the desktop. Then again, that's on the old OS. And I can't remember how to get to the drives other ways. Something about a Finder window. Macs are weird!

[technical.angel]

Dang it, Raps, the best person to answer this question is spending the weeks on the slopes!