My MacBook (first series) started to suck recently. It’s getting two years old this week. Maybe the internal death-clock has started to tick…

When switching windows under OS X, more precisely when I bring another window in front, the previously hidden areas of the window are sometimes filled with random pixel garbage. This happens infrequently (say once or twice a day) and the areas are rendered correctly after a fraction of a second. Nonetheless it looks trashy and has never happened before. Maybe it’s caused by 10.5.2…

What’s really weird is that transparent floating windows no longer work in some applications. In QuickTime Player, for example, the fullscreen controls are no longer semi-transparent, but filled with a static frame from earlier in the movie.

The problem disappears after a reboot. But I have a Mac. I don’t reboot.

Any ideas what I can do about it?

While creating my mom's new website a video DVD with a self-printed paper cover got stuck in my MacBooks internal drive.

When pressing the eject button the disc is moved a tiny bit and pulled back inside immediately afterwards. You can probably see only a very tiny bit if it, but that part can't be caught by regular tweezers or other tools available in a typical household.
I also unsuccessfully tried some tips for removing a stuck DVD floating around the web.

The solution is quite simple: Try to use the shutter of an old 3,5" floppy disc and bend both ends of the shutter slightly outwards, so that the disc can easily slip between.

Now you have a tool that is thin enough to go a bit deeper into you Mac's slot-in drive. Press the eject button and try to catch a tiny part of the disc with your newly build tool. You should have a fairly good grip on the disc and you can start to pull it out – slowly!

It worked and my MacBook's drive hasn't taken any damage.

Warning:
This can easily ruin your disc or drive. When in doubt contact your local Apple service provider!

Did it work?
Consider donating a hot cup of coffee if this tip saved you from opening your Laptop or even bringing it to your Apple Service provider.
Thanks!