Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Hi there,
There is an issue with role permissions that is being worked on at the moment.
If you are having trouble with access or permissions on regional forums please post here to get access: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058365403/you-do-not-have-permission-for-that#latest

Laptop DVD-ROM/CD-RW repair or replace

  • 28-06-2004 10:47am
    #1
    fatherdougalmag
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,391 ✭✭✭


    Hi,
    Although I've built some PCs and know my way around the insides of one, I'm not so fresh with laptops.

    Problem is that it endured some smoke damage and now it's quite selective about what discs it will read. It reads data/audio CD-ROMS, some DVDs and no CD-R/CD-RW media. I've tried a lens cleaner but that doesn't appear to help. I fear that the mechanism is somewhat sticky.

    I've mailed a couple of laptop repair places to see what they have to say but I'm wondering if anyone here can tell me if it's a matter of just finding and fitting a replacement or would I need to go and find a Toshiba-specific drive? It sits at the side of the machine so there's no curves or anything. Just a regular-looking laptop CD drive. Or should I just leave it with the professionals?


Comments

  • #2
    Capt'n Midnight
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 93,591 Mod ✭✭✭✭Capt'n Midnight


    Option a / check also www.bms.ie - for price on repair
    Option b / price an external USB CD

    Some Laptops are very fiddly to disassemble / reassemble - lots of insta-break plastic tags.

    IIFC many of the newer Tosh's have the drive held in by one screw on the bottom - so you might just be able to swap it out. If so you'll find that it is a fairly standard slim cd with a propitery adaptor

    What model is it in case someone has the same type ?

    re mechanism being sticky - try an audio cd and test if it can reach all tracks. - smoke damage - HEAT ?? - might just need lubrication - no I don't know how to lubricate the inside of a CD drive without getting the lens coated


  • #3
    fatherdougalmag
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,391 ✭✭✭fatherdougalmag


    Thanks Capt'n.

    BMS repaired the machine last year when the mobo died so I've dealt with them. I'll need to ring them as they never appear to read emails (but they've no problem sending me monthly newletters). I've been in touch with a couple of other places (Traxx IT & Computers Unlimited) and I've already received responses. Traxx IT quote €135 + P&P (ex VAT I assume) but they need the model number of the drive to provide a full quote including labour. Computers Unlimited also need the model #. So I'll probably have a better idea tomorrow when I have that information for them.

    I had considered an external DVD/CD-RW solution but I'd probably need a power supply as well and that's not much good in a mobile environment. Nevertheless, it might still be an option if all else fails.

    Regarding the sticky theory, I didn't try a full audio CD. Just plopped it in and played the first track. I'll give it a go when I get home. The unit wasn't subject to any heat. I just overdid the ham the weekend before last :) It wasn't a fire - just smoke/steam. I do notice that the CD eject action isn't as slick as it was. It's behaves more like a well used ATM's card slot where it just sort of ejects in slow motion. OK. So this might be the eject tray but it might have happened to the lens arm as well.

    It's a Toshiba Satellite 2410-504 if anyone's got any spare parts knocking around.

    Thanks again Capt'n.


Advertisement