# CD drive won't open...HELP! **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 21, 2003, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cd-drive-wont-open-help/149999 "2003-01-21T16:48:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rknot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7c8e57/32.png) [@Rknot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rknot)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2003, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cd-drive-wont-open-help/149999/1 "2003-01-21T16:48:14Z")
So, I fire up the old computer and attempt to pop a disc out of the cd drive this morning. Nothing. I’m pressing the little button, holding the little button, again - nothing. Looked for a little paper-clip sized hole like the 3.5 floppy’s have to eject stuck discs - no dice. The computer is a Dell manufactured in 2001, I’m not sure of the model. It’s running Windows 2000 Professional. One thing I think may have been the culprit is that I ran Spybot (tm?) recently and I don’t know if that may have deleted something out of my registry. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. ---
**Author:** ![Berkut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a88e57/32.png) [@Berkut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Berkut)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2003, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cd-drive-wont-open-help/149999/2 "2003-01-21T17:03:54Z")
Can you do it by going to My Computer, right-clicking on the drive, and choosing eject? How about if you turn the computer on and try to open it before Windows gets a chance to load? ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2003, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cd-drive-wont-open-help/149999/3 "2003-01-21T17:07:25Z")
If it doesn’t open when you press the button on the player, chances are that it’s not getting power. I’d double-check that before doing anything else. Watch for the light to blink during startup. If it does, then it is getting power. If it doesn’t, it almost certainly isn’t. If it’s not the power, try reloading the drivers. ---
**Author:** ![Urban\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Urban\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urban_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2003, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cd-drive-wont-open-help/149999/4 "2003-01-21T17:16:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Joey G \* > How about if you turn the computer on and try to open it before Windows gets a chance to load? That should do it. If not, boot into command prompt and try. ---
**Author:** ![Servo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/49beb7/32.png) [@Servo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Servo)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2003, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cd-drive-wont-open-help/149999/5 "2003-01-21T17:24:05Z")
Pressing the button on the front of a CD drive should open it regardless of software. I don’t believe there’s anyway for anything software related to lock a CD drive. What is the mechanism like? Is the tray one piece that just slides in and out, or is there a door that’s hinged and gets pushed out the way when the tray comes out? I’ve had many problems with the door on the latter type getting dirty and sticking. The things are so cheap today that it’s probably best just to replace it. If you need to get the CD out you can usually just force the tray open by prying it with your fingers or a flat screwdriver. [It’ll be stiff, but should open.] ---
**Author:** ![Rknot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7c8e57/32.png) [@Rknot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rknot)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2003, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cd-drive-wont-open-help/149999/6 "2003-01-21T17:34:18Z")
Okay, right-clicking on the drive in My Computer didn’t work. I looked for a light on my cd drive but there only appears to be a light for the HD and the floppy. Pressing the button during startup (b/f Windows loaded) had no effect. I will try booting to the command prompt next. The drive type is the sliding tray kind. I don’t have the drivers with me - anywhere you can suggest to find them online, maybe [dell.com](http://dell.com)? I’m not quite desperate enough to pry it open - that’ll be later this afternoon. Thanks for all the suggestions so far!! ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2003, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cd-drive-wont-open-help/149999/7 "2003-01-21T17:41:22Z")
Older CD-ROM drives did indeed come with software that allowed one to lock the drive tray, normally by typing LOCK at the C:> prompt. There was also an UNLOCK command. ---
**Author:** ![bcullman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bcullman/32/8207_2.png) [@bcullman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bcullman)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2003, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cd-drive-wont-open-help/149999/8 "2003-01-21T17:45:32Z")
i _think_ all CD/DVD players have the little hold for you can use a paperclip with to open the player…But on some players, this hold is obscurred by plastic molding to make your computer look _cool_. That might be your situation. Perhaps some mild computer case disassemply is in order. ---
**Author:** ![SC\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@SC\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SC_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2003, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cd-drive-wont-open-help/149999/9 "2003-01-21T17:47:52Z")
Before you go prying things appart with screwdrivers and hunting down a replacement drive, examine the front of the drive, to see if you can find a small (less than 1mm) hole somewhere on the front. If your drive has such a hole, get yourself a paper clip, bend it straight, and insert into the hole. This should manually eject the tray. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2003, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cd-drive-wont-open-help/149999/10 "2003-01-21T17:48:19Z")
Before you get desperate enough to pry the drawer open, open the case and take the drive out. There almost certainly is a pinhole for manual release, it’s probably just covered by the faceplate of the machine. I still think it’s not getting power. While you have the case open, try swapping the plug it’s using with another one. There are usually one spare of each size to make upgrades easier. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2003, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cd-drive-wont-open-help/149999/11 "2003-01-21T17:49:28Z")
Re-read the OP, **SC**. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Berkut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a88e57/32.png) [@Berkut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Berkut)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2003, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cd-drive-wont-open-help/149999/12 "2003-01-21T17:52:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by KneadToKnow \* > \*\*I still think it’s not getting power. \*\* Looking more and more like this. Can you even access the CD drive? Does it work except for the fact that you can’t get it open? ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2003, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cd-drive-wont-open-help/149999/13 "2003-01-21T18:35:28Z")
I _strongly_ advise against the “jam a screwdriver” approach in **Servo** ’s post. There is so much wrong with doing this I can’t begin to tell you… For a last ditch way of getting a CD out, power off & _unplug_ the computer, take the CD drive out, dissassemble it. There’s usually 4 screws holding the top on. It might be interlinked with the faceplate and you will need to “uncatch” the hooks in that. Get to the spindle clamp holder. A couple screws will take that off. Tada. If you don’t care about the drive (it is a loss to you), you don’t have to worry about putting it back together. Do **not** ever stick an object like screwdriver into an electronic device where it doesn’t belong. ---
**Author:** ![Rknot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7c8e57/32.png) [@Rknot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rknot)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2003, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cd-drive-wont-open-help/149999/14 "2003-01-21T18:37:58Z")
Hmm. I can’t pry apart the case right now. I am able to access the cd drive normally with explorer and manipulate its contents. However, it still won’t open. ---
**Author:** ![prisoner6655321](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5f8ce5/32.png) [@prisoner6655321](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/prisoner6655321)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2003, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cd-drive-wont-open-help/149999/15 "2003-01-21T18:38:02Z")
I’m suffering from a similar problem. But mine is a new DVD/CDRW drive on Windows XP. Sometimes it opens with the button, sometimes it doesn’t. And whenever it doesn’t open, using the eject entry in the context menu doesn’t work either. I know mine is getting power because when I restart the computer it starts working again. Then when I start swapping out CDs it shuts tight. I also know there is a hole for a paperclip but I want the thing fixed. Using the paper clip is a real pain. ---
**Author:** ![Berkut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a88e57/32.png) [@Berkut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Berkut)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2003, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cd-drive-wont-open-help/149999/16 "2003-01-21T18:57:36Z")
Is it a CDRW or CDR stuck in the drive? On some Dells, you have to leave DirectCD running in the taskbar for the drive to work properly. Did you recently disable DirectCD? ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2003, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cd-drive-wont-open-help/149999/17 "2003-01-21T19:07:02Z")
You can try [this.](http://downloads-zdnet.com.com/3000-2086-10164235.html?tag=list) Hope it helps. This software, among other things, says it can lock, unlock and eject the drive tray. Worth a shot, maybe. ---
**Author:** ![Servo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/49beb7/32.png) [@Servo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Servo)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2003, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cd-drive-wont-open-help/149999/18 "2003-01-21T19:07:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ftg \* > **I _strongly_ advise against the “jam a screwdriver” approach in Servo’s post. There is so much wrong with doing this I can’t begin to tell you…** I hardly said “jam a screwdriver.” I will admit to forgetting a warning about turning off the power, but this isn’t removing a plug from a 120V wall outlet. These drives run on 12VDC – there is nothing anywhere near the front opening of the drive that could hurt you. The _very worst_ that could happen would be further damage to the [already broken] CD drive. Using your finger nail or a screwdriver to pry open the tray on a CD drive will not cause any more damage [apart from scratching the plastic] than using the paper clip method if the drive has a hole for one. I’ve done it many times to retrieve a stuck CD, and would always recommend it before I would recomment disassembling the drive. ---
**Author:** ![prisoner6655321](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5f8ce5/32.png) [@prisoner6655321](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/prisoner6655321)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2003, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cd-drive-wont-open-help/149999/19 "2003-01-21T19:09:50Z")
Oh, no. Asamatteroffact it doesn’t work. Usually, I am trying to re-open the drive because XP didn’t recognize that there is a CD in the drive. I wonder if maybe the power cable IS loose. I’ll have to check it when I get home, but frankly I’ll be suprised if that is the cause. Hope so, maybe. Hopefully it’s a cable or at worst he drive and not the MOBO. The MOBO cost me $700. The drive cost me $50. ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2003, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cd-drive-wont-open-help/149999/20 "2003-01-21T19:11:19Z")
With my CD-ROM…if I’m burning and Nero errors, it won’t let me open my tray unless I reboot. So it may very well be some program not letting you open it. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cd-drive-wont-open-help/149999.md?page=2)