From the Duh department: **Never stick an old CD with a sticker label into your iMac.** Gah!

[myrna minx]

CDs with sticker labels will get stuck in an iMac.

For those in a desperate google search:

****To dislodge a sticker labeled CD from your iMac slot, use a credit or debit card to pincer out your stupid sticker labeled CD and don't do it again!*********

Oh my gawd. It was like watching yourself slamming the door while locking your keys in your car; knowing it was stupid and wrong, yet it happened in slow motion, and then reality set in. Tonight I was going through old cds, and found one that a friend made for me in the late 1990's and tossed it in, OBVIOUSLY not thinking, and then GAH! that Freddie Mercury graphic label that was soo cool in 1998 became a shocking liability. I heard the grinding, whirring of my 1 year old aluminum iMac desperately trying to eject, and I was panicking as I could hear my drive burning out with each automatic try of purging the foreign object from my beautiful machine.

As I raced to google for ANY help, trying everything from restarting, holding the mouse down, even using gravity to my advantage by holding my screen parallel to my desk and shaking (yes, I was desperate), I actually found useful advice from someone who was as big of a bonehead as I was who said, "NEVER insert a CD with a sticker on it, but if you DO, use a credit card to try to dislodge said CD from your slot. It may take a few times, if memory serves." OK. It does take more than a few times, but yes you can dislodge a stupid sticker covered CD from your iMac with a credit card. Lord knows if a royally screwed up my drive, but I did get it out.

Stupid cautionary tales of stupid people doing stupid things. Those Highlander tracks ought best be purchased, methinks. Lesson learned.

On Edit: I'm sorry. I just intruded into this great forum, that I recently discovered. I'm sorry that I didn't introduce myself. I'm a new, but now absolute convert to Mac. Thanks for allowing me to post here.

[Adelante]

1. Welcome, myrna minx

:hi:

[MagickMuffin]

2. I have used pre-made labels, however, I burnish them down really really well

So, far I haven't ever had a problem.

I'm glad you were able to get it out.