DVD drive won't open

Discussion in 'Storage' started by Livvy, Jul 22, 2014.

  1. Livvy

    Livvy

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    This forum has just reminded me that this is a problem with my desktop-sorry that it's not quite laptop related-and that is that the DVD drive won't open for some reason. No idea why to be honest. It doesn't make any noise, or light up like it is meant to, so is it an internal issue, or one related to the software do you think?
     
    Livvy, Jul 22, 2014
    #1
  2. Livvy

    Ian Administrator

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    If it doesn't light up or open, I'd guess it's a physical problem. May be worth popping the side of your case off and make sure it's getting power :).
     
    Ian, Jul 24, 2014
    #2
  3. Livvy

    Brian8gbSSDLinux

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    Most DVD/CD Drives have a pin hole near to open/close button - using a very thin drill-bit or a needle... pushing it into the hole you should feel some resistance, then the Disk door should pop - partway open, enough to open it fully (and remove any DVD/CD left in there)...

    Taking the LEFT side (looking AT the DVD/CD Drive) off your computer...
    1. check it has Qty. 2 leads connected and firmly pushed into the back of the actual DVD/CD drive - one is the Power cable, the other one is the data cable...
    Older DVD/Cd's have Molex connectors for the power... very hard to pull apart, they have 4 obvious wires... the data cable may be 30 or so flat wires - or may be a round cable (the flat cable rolled into a narrow tube)...
    follow those cables back down and make sure they are firmly connected to the motherboard (mobo) at the other end.

    If your computer is 'fairly recent' - the Drive may be a SATA unit - still with Two connectors one (the data cable) is wider than the other (not a lot !)... but they sit side by side... again, make sure that the connectors are firmly in place at both ends.

    If everything appears to be O.K. then the chances are... the drive electronics have died (or old age/vibration & etc.,)

    Assuming it is a SATA Unit... they are quite cheap... typically this one from eBuyer (NOT Ebay) a Samsung SH-118BB 18x Internal DVD Reader with SATA - OEM is (only) £12.29 inclusive of VAT - but add postage... (£3 - £4)

    Unfortunately, older PATA type drives are few and far between and therefor... EXPENSIVE...

    Hope this was useful....
     
    Brian8gbSSDLinux, Jul 25, 2014
    #3
    appdata likes this.
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