CD Drive not opening

snickerpuss

Hello,
Have checked charter and hope this is okay to ask.... (Search is disabled so i checked the last 10 pages and couldn't see anything similiar)

My disk drive does not open. Not at all. For about a month now. I read about an emergency eject button (little hole under disk drive) but this also did nothing.

Its driving me mad! Any ideas? My dad wants to send it off somewhere to be fixed but is this really necessary? Can it be fixed by me or is it time to give up and get new disk drive?

I've a dell dimension 5000 if that helps at all.

Thanks in advance!

TerrorFirmer

snickerpuss wrote:

My disk drive does not open. Not at all. For about a month now. I read about an emergency eject button (little hole under disk drive) but this also did nothing.

That does work - it just takes awhile to get it right, keep trying with a paper clip or something. I have to use it all the time on one of my drives, been like that for the best part of a year

Karoma

Is there an LED on the drive? And does it flash when starting the computer?
If it's not ejecting in the BIOS, or when you use the emergency eject (Assuming you've done it right)- it would suggest a cable or mechanism issue. i.e. Needs opening up, and possibly replacing a part.

snickerpuss

No LED flashing at all.
I tried using lots of different things to stick in there but none worked (don't think about that sentence too much)
Looks like its off to the shop so.

Karoma

snickerpuss wrote:

I tried using lots of different things to stick in there but none worked (don't think about that snetence too much)
Looks like its off to the shop so.

How about thinking about both for longer?:D

Is it enabled in the BIOS? (shouldn't...meh. worth checking.)

snickerpuss

I've no idea how i would check that? Sorry! (silly girls + computers = bad)

Karoma

I'm not 100% re: Dell's,but...
As soon as you power on the machine, keep tapping the DEL key.
(note the BIOS ver. in case you have an issue)
Look for Secondary IDE (Possibly under Advanced?)?
Anyone care to jump in..?

Cuddlesworth

Id say the power cable has come loose.

Karoma

If you feel comfortable opening it up:
http://support.euro.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/dim5000/en/sm/parts0.htm#wp1056445

(Read safety instructions and apply common sense before proceeding)

Ruu_Old

Is there still a disc in there? (just wondering). Check for it in the BIOS, my inspiron laptop uses the DEL key at a startup. Look in the Boot menu and it'll tell you whats set to boot first, second, third. If you feel confident enough, take off the case (properly ground yourself first) and have a look to make sure one of the power cables havent come loose. I fear the worst though

Off topic but a CDROM drive I have on another computer had the opposite problem, it wouldnt stay shut! Opening and closing all the time! I took it apart, smashed the circuit board and buried it in the bin If its still under warranty, send it back to Dell. Otherwise cd roms can be replaced easily these days and very cheap.

Karoma

If you're around D15, I'll have a look.