CD ROM drive door will not open even though light flashes..

[mdague]

I’m on 2nd computer this week, another brother’s.. again. (I so hate owing them money, LOL)

Older computer: 350Mz, 256 RAM, 7.5 hard drive. Had 95 upgraded to 98. Fdisk with a 98 startup (yes it ask for CD support and I say yes and it recognizes it.) then formatted. Problem when I push the wondrous button for the door to open to put the 98 CD in, the pretty little green light flashed and that’s it… doesn’t open! aaaaaaa Using a paper click in the emergency opening in the front does nothing…. isn’t that what it’s for?

The thing worked last week. (I did remove it to put another one in but had to put it back. I checked the jumpers and it is correct.) What’s up, it’s like it thinks about it but then just doesn’t? :knock:

 

[akaivan]

Have you damage the front? It may have gotten jammed. My nephew hit mine with a spoon and it was stuck, so i lightly pried it open. If the cd drive is nothing specail you should try it.

 

[Frank Smith]

Once in a while if the door is opened a disk removed and the door (pushed back) button not used. the memory gets skewed.... what I do is using the paper clip to release the stop, gently pry the front open....it could be jammed.., with the door open - use botton to close.... if NO.. then reboot and it should CLOSE automatic with the reboot... if NO.. then you more than likely have a BAD CD drive motor. replace the CD and see if the New CD works..

 

[mdague]

Using a paper click in the emergency opening in the front does nothing….

Prying gently …. it can not be done gently, it’s like something is locked holding it in, if I would be in more “gentle” the plastic to door will brake. lol

(I’ve put it down one slot in the computer thinking the slot on top is tighter, therefore pushing in on drive causing it not to work. Then I’ve even tried putting it on secondary slave part of ribbon. Nothing is working.)

When I push the button I can hear the mechanisms … movement inside of something pushing as it were but nothing. (not a clank but an indication of something then touching something to move it.) Sooo I did the dreaded and peaked inside the thing… you know the little plastic gears… when moved they move very easily and the little ribbon cable does so also but nothing.

How can something have so much movement and just stop working? rrrrrrrr :blackeye:

 

[Frank Smith]

Then remove the unit from the computer... remove the front benzil. its easy,
then plug back in (not in the computer) hand held style. start and see if it will operate.... NO. remove all the screws from the top tin cover... sounds like someone put something in the player that did not belong... being careful you can remove all the covers... clean the unwanted junk. replace the covers, and retest again.... if it works replace in the computer....you have only 9.95 to waste if you can not fix by cleaning... CD players are $10.00 for good ones... last computer show I went too, found 4 in the trash.... took home cleaned as above and all 4 were working...

 

[Bucky]

CD Fix

The info I have read here to correct your problem is sound! But even if you do get it "fixed", what's to say it will not foul up again? If it were my system, I would spend about 15 minutes trying to fix it and as the one poster suggested, I would trash it and opt for a new one. You can get CD-Roms for a song now-a-days.

 

[Magiksoft]

Something wicked this way comes....

I see a lot of computers in a lot of different places everyday and this problem just started to be an issue. When you close your drive there is a center piece that is pushed up to come into contact with a permanent magnet located on the inside of the top of the case. This is the part that 'latches' the CD media into the correct place and keeps it snug so there won't be any wobble during spin up and down. If you do not use you drive very much then this 'pushed up' piece stays in close proximity to the PM for a long time. I think that manufacturers have downgraded this material and/or put in extra strength PM for some reason which causes the 'pushed up' piece to become an opposite polarized magnet. This would explain why putting in a filler disk at all times makes everything work and the 'clunk' sound you hear when the drive doesn't open. The electrical signal sent to open the draw is not strong enough to overcome the combined magnetic force of the now two magnets. Now to the tricky part, how to de-mag the part so that it will take less energy to open the draw? I am all ears...