Macbook early 2009 won't boot from SL dvd from external optical drive.

[roozor]

There seems to be something inside my macbooks superdrive preventing me from putting a dvd in. Tried all the normal tactics to get it out. I believe there isn't a cd stuck. Just a broken mechanism? I can't even get the cd in a mm though..

Anyway tried to boot from a grey official snowleopard dvd that came with my mac mini. It's not having any of it. Won't boot. Stuck on a white screen

 

[Doug]

Anyway tried to boot from a grey official snowleopard dvd that came with my mac mini. It's not having any of it. Won't boot. Stuck on a white screen

There is your problem. Restore DVDs are linked to the specific model they came with, i.e. the DVD from a Mini can't boot a MacBook and vice versa.
You need a retail SL DVD, or the original disk for that MacBook.

As for the built in drive, some troubleshooting steps here.

 

[roozor]

Ah excellent, thanks for the reply Doug.

I actually managed to get a dvd in the drive but pushing a bit harder than i thought i should. It reads the dvd fine, but now won't eject. I can hear the superdrive mechanism working but it doesn't pop out!

 

[Doug]

Try holding down the eject key while powering on.

It could just be stiff and need a good few actuations, in that case find a disk you don't mind getting minced and put it in and out a few times.