I recently started having problems with my CDRW. I open the CDRW drawer and then close it (with or without a CD in it) and then it causes my computer to stop responding and eventually freeze. There's a little light that goes on when the CDRW drive is thinking and now when I close the drawer that light never goes off.

I've had my computer for 3 years and I've used the CDRW many times and it's worked. Only recently this problem started happening. What is causing it and what can I do to fix it?

Any help is appreciated. Thanks!

That is probably the end-of-life symptom of the drive.
You insert a CD, the drive tries to read it, but it can't. You remove the CD, close the drawer, and the light goes on forever. You probably cannot open the drawer immediately then either - you may even have to power-cycle the PC to be able to open the drawer again.
You may try a cleaning CD. Success is not guaranteed.
Fix: replace the drive...

Likely there is a little lever that trips a switch when the drawer closes. Before I scrapped the drive, I would take a look. It might only take bending the lever a little or even replacing the switch.

Hi,
Sounds like your CD-RW drive is biting the dust... mine did after 3 yrs.
I replaced it for 40 dollars, US... faster drive than the other one!
That price was not a special price, but bought one at a local computer repair/sales store... needed it right away for backups.
It's a 52x24x52 drive, just to give you an idea of how much cheaper they are now than just a couple of years ago.
My suggestion is to buy a new one, if you can afford it. It will save you time in trying to fix the old one.
Merry Christmas,
fredg

New Burners are so cheap now, why not upgrade.

Try www.newegg.com the best retailer I have ever dealt with on the net.

Get a lite-on 52x24x52 speed CD Burner, most review sites, rank it no. 1. and I have had one for a year now, and it burns anything without problems.
;)