My computer tower disc tray will not open. Any suggestions?

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Request for Question Clarification by clouseau-ga on 27 Dec 2005 11:43 PST

Hi instanswer,

Often this can be cured with a straightened paper clip.

If you look closely, you will see a small hole somewhere in the front
of your drive. Put a straightened paper clip in and push. Sometimes,
you need to push a few times to ratchet at the gears and fully open
the drive.

Do try this and let me know if it solved your problem and I will post
as the answer if so. If not, let us know the results so we can
continue to find a solution for you.

Rgeards,

-=clouseau=-

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Clarification of Question by instanswer-ga on 27 Dec 2005 13:13 PST

I was able to get the clip into the hole by about 3 inches or so and
made contact with something and pushed it several times as well as
rotating it.  I felt somehting a time or two, but I have not been able
to get the tray to open.  I notice that when I press the open button,
there is one quick flash of the green light and no more.  It seems to
me, this used to blink several times or maybe even stay lighted for a
while. I can't remeber exactly.  I appreciate your response. Bob.

Not such an uncommon problem.

If the over-ride release (paper clip in hole) method failed, you
should next try powering it off and on and then pressing the eject
button.  Assuming you were logical and already tried this, the next
attempt would be a software overide of the problem, sometimes this
actually works...

Open "My computer", right click the cd-drive in question and press
Eject.  If the tray opens, this indicates a problem with the power
button, or a peice of software locked the tray.

If this too fails, 
You can power off the machine, and take a flat device and slowly pry
it open, starting at the top center and pushing outward gently, next
grab the tray and pull it out slowly, press it shut when done.  The
tray will remain unharmed, sometimes this fails though due to locking
mechanisms.

If that too, fails.  You can take the case off your pc, and take out
the drive, on the top there are 4 screws, 1 in each corner (on most
drivers), remove these amd lift off the top cover, this gives you
access to the disc.  You can remove it without damaging it or the
drive, screw the cover back on and place it in your pc, and there you
have your disk.

=)

I tried your suggestions and in doing so discovered I have a problem
that is not fixable without installing a new drive.  My current disk
tray and drive is beyond repair as near as I can tell.  I appreciate
your suggestions and am willing to pay as I was not aware that my
problem was more than something being "stuck".

My last message was to zeppelinrock-ga

Restart your computer and before you see the windows logo eject disk
as usual. If this does not work restart once more and try using a
paper clip in the small hole on front of you computer before the
computer display the windows logo.

To snagbiz

I tried both suggestions to no avail.  Thanks, Bob.