# How to remove a CD from a dead computer? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 24, 2004, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-a-cd-from-a-dead-computer/230788 "2004-02-24T00:26:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![drillrod](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@drillrod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drillrod)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2004, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-a-cd-from-a-dead-computer/230788/1 "2004-02-24T00:26:49Z")
Here’s the situation: our computer has died on us. For a few days it would just shut itself off every once in a while and then the other day, it went down for good. If we plug it in, and hit the switch, sometimes the light will flash and sometimes not, but it hasn’t stayed on when we try for at least two or three days now. I’m guessing it’s the power supply, but I’m not really up on this sort of thing. Now, it was an old computer and frankly it just provided us with an excuse to buy a new one. Unfortunately we had just bought, and were in the process of installing, a new games CD. Here’s the real question: how do I get the disk out of the stupid drive when I have no power to the computer. We’ve searched and tried opening the cabinet ourselves, we even managed to pop the drive out of the cabinet. But we can’t figure a way to manually open the drive. The wife is wigging out. She really, really wanted to play the game that is now firmly entombed within the dead computer. We plan to take the computer to a repair place soon, but until then, is there anything we can do? ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2004, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-a-cd-from-a-dead-computer/230788/2 "2004-02-24T00:30:56Z")
Usually there is a small hole in the front that you can stick a straightened paper clip into that will open the door… ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2004, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-a-cd-from-a-dead-computer/230788/3 "2004-02-24T00:32:35Z")
Assuming you’ve a spare 5 1/4 bay, you could put the old drive (inc. CD) into the new machine, and have it spit the CD out on cue. If you need full descriptions of how to do this, just ask 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2004, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-a-cd-from-a-dead-computer/230788/4 "2004-02-24T00:38:27Z")
What dolphinboy said. Every PC CDROM drive (not sure about Macs) has a paperclip hole for just this purpose… ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2004, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-a-cd-from-a-dead-computer/230788/5 "2004-02-24T00:48:04Z")
If there’s no manual eject hole, you may have to disassemble the drive, but only do this if you really need the CD and don’t ever hope to use the drive again - in order to get to the point where you can actually release the CD from the mechanism, you have to remove quite a lot of intricate parts, some of which seem to prefer breaking apart to being removed whole. re: what **GorillaMan** said; you only need connect the drive power cable to make it possible to eject a CD - no need to fuss around with installing the drive in a drive bay - just open up the side of the computer (switched off), locate spare power connector, connect it, power up, eject CD, power down, unplug drive, replace cover. ---
**Author:** ![drillrod](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@drillrod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drillrod)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2004, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-a-cd-from-a-dead-computer/230788/6 "2004-02-24T00:49:33Z")
Wow, quick service and now I feel like a knucklehead! 🙂 Thanks to all of you. The wife says thanks! ---
**Author:** ![drillrod](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@drillrod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drillrod)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2004, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-a-cd-from-a-dead-computer/230788/7 "2004-02-24T00:50:50Z")
BTW, it did have the little paper clip hole and the disk has been safely recovered! Thanks again to all. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2004, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-a-cd-from-a-dead-computer/230788/8 "2004-02-24T01:05:18Z")
> [@Hail Ants](#): > > What dolphinboy said. Every PC CDROM drive (not sure about Macs) has a paperclip hole for just this purpose… Macs _invented_ the “stick a straightened paper clip to get the disk out” trick, back with the 3.5" disk drives back in 1984. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2004, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-a-cd-from-a-dead-computer/230788/9 "2004-02-24T01:18:45Z")
> [@rjung](#): > > Macs _invented_ the “stick a straightened paper clip to get the disk out” trick, back with the 3.5" disk drives back in 1984. 😉 Would that be around the time they decided that all ejects would come from software? ---
**Author:** ![emarkp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3be4f8/32.png) [@emarkp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emarkp)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2004, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-a-cd-from-a-dead-computer/230788/10 "2004-02-24T01:32:09Z")
> [@rjung](#): > > Macs _invented_ the “stick a straightened paper clip to get the disk out” trick, back with the 3.5" disk drives back in 1984. 😉 Macintosh[sup]TM[/sup]–pioneering the use of paper clips since 1984. Not exactly a ringing endorsement. ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2004, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-a-cd-from-a-dead-computer/230788/11 "2004-02-24T01:55:53Z")
> [@](#): > > Would that be around the time they decided that all ejects would come from software? You beat me to it! Real men press eject buttons. We do not drag the disk drive icon into the trash can right next to the dancing clown… :mad: ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2004, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-a-cd-from-a-dead-computer/230788/12 "2004-02-24T02:00:50Z")
> [@GorillaMan](#): > > Would that be around the time they decided that all ejects would come from software? We like our computers to actually _know_ when they have a disk in them, thankyouverymuch. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Ms2001](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ms2001/32/18463_2.png) [@Ms2001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms2001)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2004, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-a-cd-from-a-dead-computer/230788/13 "2004-02-24T04:08:56Z")
You got lucky. When I had a CD stuck inside my dead car stereo, there was no hole… I had to break the CD player apart to get the disc out. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2004, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-a-cd-from-a-dead-computer/230788/14 "2004-02-24T20:01:47Z")
> [@](#): > > You beat me to it! Real men press eject buttons. We do not drag the disk drive icon into the trash can right next to the dancing clown… Quite right. And that eject button is conveniently located on the corner of the keyboard.