Apple SuperDrive Compatible with PC: A Step-by-Step Guide

The Apple SuperDrive is a popular external DVD/CD drive designed for use with Mac computers. While it's primarily intended for use with Apple devices, there are ways to make it compatible with Windows PCs as well. In this article, we'll explore the steps you can take to get your Apple SuperDrive working on your PC.

The Problem

If you've tried using an Apple SuperDrive with a non-Apple device in the past, you may have encountered issues with the drive being recognized. This is because the drive's firmware is designed specifically for use with Macs and doesn't support Windows PCs out of the box.

Solving the Issue

To get your Apple SuperDrive working on your PC, you'll need to take a few steps. First, you'll need to install a Linux-based operating system on your PC. This will allow you to run the udev device manager, which is necessary for communicating with the drive.

Once you have Linux installed, you can use a custom udev rule to automate the process of waking up the drive and initializing it. To do this, you'll need to add a rule definition to your /etc/udev/rules.d directory. This will trigger the 'superdriveEnabler' app each time the SuperDrive device is connected.

Using the Udev Device Manager

The udev device manager is a powerful tool that allows you to automate tasks related to device initialization and removal. You can use it to send magic byte sequences to the drive, which are necessary for waking it up and initializing it.

To use the udev device manager, you'll need to install the Linux SCSI Generic (sg) driver packages. This will allow you to communicate with the drive using the SCSI protocol.

Unlocking the Drive

Once you have the sg driver installed, you can unlock the drive by sending a magic byte sequence to it. This sequence is required to wake up the drive and initialize it.

To send the magic byte sequence, you'll need to use the 'sg' command-line tool. This tool allows you to communicate with the drive using the SCSI protocol.

In conclusion, getting your Apple SuperDrive working on a Windows PC requires some technical expertise and the right tools. By following the steps outlined in this article, you should be able to get your drive recognized and initialized on your PC.

Remember to install Linux on your PC, add a custom udev rule definition, use the udev device manager to automate tasks, and unlock the drive using the SCSI Generic (sg) driver packages. With these steps completed, you should be able to enjoy the benefits of having an Apple SuperDrive on your Windows PC.

Apple superdrive compatible with pc