How could you put two identical slots next to each other. I haven’t used SD cards much so didn’t think about it, but it is a common problem and plenty of rube goldberg solutions. I like the vacuum cleaner idea! And it seems like it is so common the Apple store has a dental instrument to extract it.
OMG, this worked! Just cut an L into a piece of cardboard and then put the iMac flat (turned off) so the bottom was lower than the top. Start at the top of the slot and slide gently down and the pull out at bottom. It pops out!
SD card in the cd slot: Apple Support Communities
You’re not the only one – a friend of mine did the same.
We removed the card by using a large unfolded paperclip, bent into an ‘L’ shape (so as to create a hook)
Gently insert the paperclip into the middle of the slot, as far as you can, then move the paperclip down until you feel the end of the hook hit the side/bottom of the optical drive.
Then pull the paperclip out slowly, and it will bring the SD card with it.
You may have to try a few times to snag the card, what with it being so thin.
Might have been better if Apple had put the card slot on the other side!
SD card in the cd slot: Apple Support Communities
My husband fished out the card for me. Here is what he did:
I took a sheet of cereal-box cardboard (about .4 mm thick and folded it in half vertically and then horizontally to get a quadruple thickness. From this I cut an “L” shape 13cm tall, 6.5 cm across the base, and about 1.7 cm wide, with the second fold along the tall back of the L and the first fold along the base. This way, the base tends to spread out somewhat. (Previous sweeps with single thicknesses of cardboard had failed to catch the SD card.) Compressing tip
of the base with my fingers, I inserted it high into the CD slot (unit unplugged, by the way), hooked it downward until it felt as if it hit the bottom of the slot, and dragged it outward. It pushed the SD card out. At no point was any noteworthy amount of force required.
SD card in the cd slot: Apple Support Communities
I turned my iMac on its side and inserted the end of the paper clip in the CD slot and on my first try, the SD card came out. This tip works, try it first before trying everything else, including taking your iMac to the Apple store. You have nothing to lose.
SD card in the cd slot: Apple Support Communities
I managed to get mine Out with the paper clip thing.
Almost cacked my pants
Perseverance and be carefulness is the key.
Insert Paper clip above where you think the card went.
Move clip down slowly, it should hit something solid, slowly pull out paper clip whilst applying pressure to card.
SD card in the cd slot: Apple Support Communities
well, daughter did the same mistake. We solved it by heating up a nylon cable tie and bending it flat to an L-shape. Entered the slot approx in the middle of it and after 4 or 5 attempts felt a resistance in the lower part of the optical drive, and there it came; the SD-Card came out.
Previous attemt to eject it with terminal command “drutil eject” didnt work.
(What´s strange is that the optical drive was able to accept and eject CDs with the SD-card stuck in there. It also clicked and whirred normally when hitting eject command. The drive could´nt read CDs though
We prefered plastic that using a steel clip so to avoid damage to the drive.
Optical drive works surprisingly perfectly well after the fishing operation.
SD card in the cd slot: Apple Support Communities
I got my vacuum cleaner and some duct tape. I put the end of the vacuum hose to the CD/DVD Slot and used duct tape to hold it in place while forming a seal around the CD/DVD slot. Turned that puppy on on and “bam” that SD card was sucked out.
SD card in the cd slot: Apple Support Communities
Thanks for your comments. I actually got it out by using a bevelled shaped plastic ruler. Inserted it at an angle, slid it gently to the right, and voila! out came the card. The ruler was a suggestion somewhere in the comments and suggestions on this topic.
SD card in the cd slot: Apple Support Communities
did it in 30 seconds by folding a business card in 2 and cutting an L-shape to make a hook, inserting at the top of the DVD drive, moving it down to the bottom and then slowly dragging out.
SD card in the cd slot: Apple Support Communities
Make an appointment with your local Genius Bar. They have a dental instrument in the back that allows them to remove the SD card from the optical drive. I took my iMac in yesterday and was out of the store and on my way home in minutes. They don’t remove the back of your machine, so even if your machine is out of warranty/no AppleCare you won’t be charged.
SD card in the cd slot: Apple Support Communities
I took 2 3×5 index cards and folded them in half (so 4 index cards thick) and taped one side shut. Then i inserted the taped side first into the CD drive from the top down. Took me a couple swipes, but I snagged the card in the pocket created by the taped side of the card and pulled right out. Since the internal part of the CD drive ends at the same point as the outside opening, the index card had to snag it.
