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Strange CD drive problems

DouglasDangerDouglasDanger PennsylvaniaRegistered User regular
edited April 2007 in Help / Advice Forum
My CD/DVD drive has been acting funny lately. It is a Samsung CD-RW/DVD SM-332B, about five or six years old. (came with my Dell Dimension 4500S) It won't always open when I push the button, and makes wierd noises from time to time. Right now, I have a burned CD in it, and it will not eject it. I have tried right-clicking on the CD drive in My Computer and selecting "eject" as well as pushing the button.

Is the drive going bad? Is there any way to fix it? I really can't afford a new CD drive at this point.:|

DouglasDanger on

Posts

  • XaquinXaquin Right behind you!Registered User regular
    edited April 2007
    there is usualy a little tiny hole on the front of the Drive you can put a bent paper clip in to manualy open the drive. Also, new drives are only maybe 30 dollars (I know they can be higher and all, but if you need a quick fix then there are cheap alternatives).

    Xaquin on
    Fixer Restorations -/- Satan's Wish List!!!!
  • DouglasDangerDouglasDanger PennsylvaniaRegistered User regular
    edited April 2007
    How far should I have to put the paper clip in? I have put maybe an inch of it in. Should I keep going? I don't want to break anything.

    Boy, that was oddly sexual.

    I got the paperclip in, and the drive kind of released, then I had to hook the clip around the drive door thing and pull it open. I don't think it is working at all now.

    DouglasDanger on
  • XaquinXaquin Right behind you!Registered User regular
    edited April 2007
    usually (well for any drive I've ever had to do that to) (2) it was about a half inch or so and the thing kind of popped open maybe 1/8"

    Xaquin on
    Fixer Restorations -/- Satan's Wish List!!!!
  • embrikembrik Registered User regular
    edited April 2007
    Typically, you take the straightened paperclip and push it in hard to force the tray out. The farther you push, the more the tray comes out. It's usually better to do it with the computer off, especially if the drive is spinning the disc.

    embrik on
    "Damn you and your Daily Doubles, you brigand!"

    I don't believe it - I'm on my THIRD PS3, and my FIRST XBOX360. What the heck?
  • EverywhereasignEverywhereasign Registered User regular
    edited April 2007
    I just stuck a paper clip in my old Samsung drive that's been kicking around. From my "feeling around" you can't hit anything but the release so don't worry about damage, straighten the clip out (it goes pretty far in) and keep pushing gently, the drive should slide out.

    Everywhereasign on
    "What are you dense? Are you retarded or something? Who the hell do you think I am? I'm the goddamn Batman!"
  • tech_huntertech_hunter More SeattleRegistered User regular
    edited April 2007
    Buy a new drive the mechanisim for ejecting the tray could be gunked up or gone out or the belt and or gears connecting to the tray and button could be broken or too worn, just all depends on how your drive was designed. Right now I can go to Fry's electronics and get a lightscribe dual layer DVD burner for 39.00 If you look online for just your basic cd or dvd writter depending on what you want im sure you will find cheaper.

    tech_hunter on
    Sig to mucho Grande!
  • DouglasDangerDouglasDanger PennsylvaniaRegistered User regular
    edited April 2007
    I'll probably just nurse it along until sometime in the summer. I really don't use it that much. Thanks for the help, guys.

    DouglasDanger on
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