CD-drive problem

[ncSkeet]

Simply put, it will no longer open. No matter how I try to open it -
pushing the open button, clicking on "eject" in Explorer, etc - it won't
open. It sounds like it's trying to, so I checked for physical
obstructions to the drive door but found nothing amiss there. I
suspected some type of software may be stopping it, but I've checked all
of my third-party stuff - players, burning software and so on - in
addition to WMP, but still no go. Any suggestions would be greatly
appreciated. I use XP Home SP2 on a 2 year old Compaq Presario, with
"CyberDrv CW088D CD-R/RW" hardware. I have plenty of RAM (512 MB) with a
2.4 GHz Intel CPU.

 

[HeeroYuy]

Simply put, it will no longer open. No matter how I try to open it -
pushing the open button, clicking on "eject" in Explorer, etc - it won't
open. It sounds like it's trying to, so I checked for physical
obstructions to the drive door but found nothing amiss there. I suspected
some type of software may be stopping it, but I've checked all of my
third-party stuff - players, burning software and so on - in addition to
WMP, but still no go. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I use
XP Home SP2 on a 2 year old Compaq Presario, with "CyberDrv CW088D
CD-R/RW" hardware. I have plenty of RAM (512 MB) with a 2.4 GHz Intel CPU.

Go get another drive and try to see if that opens. If it opens, the eject
mechanism is broken.

 

[Nepatsfan]

Simply put, it will no longer open. No matter how I try to
open it - pushing the open button, clicking on "eject" in
Explorer, etc - it won't open. It sounds like it's trying
to, so I checked for physical obstructions to the drive door
but found nothing amiss there. I suspected some type of
software may be stopping it, but I've checked all of my
third-party stuff - players, burning software and so on - in
addition to WMP, but still no go. Any suggestions would be
greatly appreciated. I use XP Home SP2 on a 2 year old
Compaq Presario, with "CyberDrv CW088D CD-R/RW" hardware. I
have plenty of RAM (512 MB) with a 2.4 GHz Intel CPU.

I've found on a couple of occasions that the following
procedure has restored the functionality of the drives eject
button.

First, turn off the computer.
Look on the front of the CD drive for a pinhole. It's usually
located beneath the drive's access door.
Insert a straightened paper clip into this hole and try to make
contact with the manual eject mechanism.
Push on the mechanism so that the access door opens and the
tray is partially deployed.
Gently pull the tray all the way out.
Start the computer.
Once it has finished booting, see if the CD drive works
properly.

Here's an article that you may find helpful:

HP and Compaq Desktop PCs - Opening a Stuck CD or DVD Drive
Tray
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/genericDocument?cc=us&docname=bph07168&lc=en

If this doesn't help, it may be time to replace the drive.

Good luck

Nepatsfan

 

[Guest]

This is a rather late reply, posted as much for anyone searching on the
problem as for the thread starter.

I've noticed a jammed CD tray to be a common problem, especially with LG
drives, and especially where I work in dusty Western Australia.

Out of frustration I recently took one apart. In the final cm of cd close
and the first cm of CD open the little electric motor is not only pushing the
CD tray in or out, it is also tightening or releasing the strong clamp which
folds the CD in place while it is spinning and being read. The motion of the
clamp is perpendicular to that of the tray. The mechanism to convert
horizontal to vertical motion is a plastic (probably Teflon) pin moving
through a 45% slot in another piece of Teflon. My guess is that after too
much wear or dust, the friction becomes too much for the little motor.

When I connected my partially dismantled CD back to a power source, if I
helped it for the first cm, the tray moved under its own steam the rest of
the way. Similarly it would nearly close under it’s own steam, but just
needed help to tighten the clamp.

Conclusion, buy a new one, avoid LG, and keep it as dust free as possible.