Problem w/old iMac DV - Stuck CD

Factual Questions
1

I just inherited an orange iMac DV from 1999. I know, I know the veritable dark ages, but it was free, and a darn site more up-to-date than my 7300. The problem is it won’t boot up. It gets stuck with a folder with a question mark. I tried booting from the system disc from the 7300, but no go. The problem is now that I’ve aquired the correct systems discs for the machine, but I can’t get the older 7300 system disc out of the iMac. It’s a slot-loader, not a tray, and there’s no little hole to poke a paperclip in! How the heck am I supposed to get it out. It’s my understanding that holding down the mouse button while rebooting should eject the disc, but no go. Oh, yeah, it doesn’t have the original mouse, it’s a four button Kensington.

Any ideas, fellow dopers? I’ve perused the Apple site, but found nothing.

2

Is there no manual eject hole in the front?

If so, you can use an unbent paper clip to force the tray open.

3

:smack:

Read, Blue Sky, READ!

4

To make up for my foolishness, see this forum entry

5

Going into the firmware totally worked. I now have a free iMac that works! Hoorah! :cool:

6

Just for the record, the slot-loading CD drives do have an “eject hole” on the right side of the slot. Just poke the area with a paper clip and you’ll nudge the switch.

I usually prefer the “hold down the mouse button on bootup” method myself.