DVD Trays Won't Open

[OrbitzXT]

I'm having a bit of a bizarre issue...I opened up a computer to install some new RAM purchased and a new hard drive. When I set it up to go install XP again, the first of the 2 DVD Trays would not open. I'd push the button, and it sounds like it tried to open but it wouldn't, then it attempted to read whatever is inside.

So I tried the DVD drive under it, and the exact same issue. This isn't my computer I was working on so I'm not even sure if this was an issue or not to begin with, the person whose it is won't be here until monday.

I stuck a paper clip in to get them to eject and made sure nothing was inside. Also, they're both reading discs fine as I have the XP setup going at the moment. Any idea what I might have done while I had the computer open before?

 

[Sasqui]

Are both discs SATA?

If they're IDE, you could have a master/slave issue.

Try unplugging the data cables, turn the PC on and see if the eject buttons work.

 

[newtekie1]

I see this all the time on older machines, especially Dells for some reason.

If the drives sit unused for a long time they don't like to open anymore, I think the little belt or whatever goes bad. The trick I usually use it to just leave a blank CD in the drive, for whatever reason the drive seems more likely to open as long as there is a disc in the drive.

 

[OrbitzXT]

I believe they're SATA, though I'll have another peek when Windows is done installing. I didn't think there should be any issue though because before I did anything there was 1 SATA hard drive and the 2 Optical Drives in the computer. All I did was take out the old hard drive and use the same SATA cable and power to plug into the new hard drive. So nothing else even got moved around.

 

[OrbitzXT]

The trick I usually use it to just leave a blank CD in the drive, for whatever reason the drive seems to open as long as there is a disc in the drive.

Both drives will not open regardless if there is a disk in the drive or not. It also seems weird this would happen to 2 drives at the same time.

 

[newtekie1]

Both drives will not open regardless if there is a disk in the drive or not. It also seems weird this would happen to 2 drives at the same time.

That is usually how it is. They are both likely the same age(probably both are from when the computer was built), so the little rubber belts just get stiff from sitting for so long and no longer work.

Usually once I get it open, I can hit the eject button a few times openning and closing the drive and it kind of re-softens the belt, and the drive works for a while, but really the only option is to replace the drive to make a permanant solution.

 

[KingPing]

That is usually how it is. They are both likely the same age(probably both are from when the computer was built), so the little rubber belts just get stiff from sitting for so long and no longer work.

Usually once I get it open, I can hit the eject button a few times openning and closing the drive and it kind of re-softens the belt, and the drive works for a while, but really the only option is to replace the drive to make a permanant solution.

I have had the same problem with my last DVD drive and i just replace it, too lazy to replace the belt. I used to repair PS2, Xbox 1, etc, and a lot of Xbox 1 had this issue witch was fixed by replacing the rubber belt.