Hello,
Does anyone know how to fix the problem of the DVD burner not ejecting when you push the eject button? When I push the eject, you can hear it moving inside and then it stops but doesn't open. So I push it again and same thing. I can do this at least 10-20 times before it finally opens. When it does finally open, it's slow and sluggish. After you finally get it open, it's OK for a while to open and close but the next day or several hours later, it's back to sticking and you have to push the eject button many times again before it finally opens. Is there something I can oil to get it unstuck? Anything else I can do? Buying a new one isn't in the budget at this time and it works, it just takes forever to open.
Thank you!

I can envision several possibilities based on your description:

• If the tray mechanism is of the belt driven type, the belt may be slipping.
• If the tray mechanism is of the gear driven type, a tooth may be chipped or broken resulting in a dead spot unless the mechanism movement is "just so" to engage.
• Tray motor is shot.
• Tray dragging on foreign object in drive.
• Electronics problem.

If you can scavenge parts from the same model drive, it may be possible to repair it. However, from a service standpoint, I think most computer repair places would consider optical drives disposable given their cost and not worth the time and effort to repair, so finding new parts could be a challenge. The tray rack and pinion can be lubricated with a light coating of silicon or lithium soap based grease designed for plastics, such as Molykote. Do not use a petroleum based grease. With the computer and drive powered off, the tray can be manually exercised to see if it is binding by using a straightened paper clip to eject it using the emergency eject hole on the front of the drive.

Thank you for the response. May I ask... why does it open after I push the eject button about 20 times? But if I accidentally close it again, it will take a bunch more times to open it. BUT, if the disk is in, it will always open on the first try. What's up with that?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by gigglepot

What's up with that?

---

Electronics? Boot the computer up into the BIOS or to a Windows boot menu and see if the drive's behavior persists. If it does, it is likely an issue with the drive itself.

If you know leaving a disc in it will allow the drive to function as you wish... always leave a disc in it.

How do I do that? Is that the same as Safe Mode?

Great idea about leaving a disk in there at all times. But will that cause problems when starting up my computer each morning?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by gigglepot

How do I do that? Is that the same as Safe Mode?

---

Not exactly.

The first opportunity to avoid booting into Windows is by entering the BIOS setup utility where the basic configuration of the computer is adjusted. It is normally entered by pressing a key immediately at boot. There may be a message onscreen when the computer first boots indicating which key is used. Common ones are F1, F10, or Delete.

The second opportunity is by entering the Windows boot menu which is displayed by pressing F8 once BIOS POST finishes but before the Windows splash screen is displayed. The option to start in safe mode is listed here, but safe mode does not have to be entered nor should it be. The computer can just sit there with the boot menu onscreen while the CD drive is fiddled with.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by gigglepot

But will that cause problems when starting up my computer each morning?

---

Depends on how the computer's boot order is configured. If the CD drive is configured in the BIOS setup to be in the boot order and also prior to the hard drive, the computer will attempt to boot from the CD drive before the hard drive. If the disc that is left in the drive is a bootable disc, such as the Windows CD, the computer will boot from the disc, otherwise the boot attempt will fail and the next device in the boot order is tried. BIOS setup can be entered and the CD drive deselected from the boot order to avoid any boot attempts from the CD drive.