Reference number: CH000214

CD-ROM Tray not opening.

Issue:

CD-ROM Tray not opening.

Causes:

Locking device / software installed.
No power to computer or CD-ROM drive.
Bad eject button.
CD stuck within drive.
Incompatibility with IDE / ATAPI interface.

Solution:

Locking device / software installed

First, verify no locking software is being loaded, which would allow the CD-ROM tray not to open. If you are unable to determine this, reboot the computer and as it is booting up, attempt to eject the tray.

No power to computer or CD-ROM drive

If you have recently installed a new CD-ROM drive or you have moved the computer, it is possible that the power to the CD-ROM may have become loose or disconnected. 

Check the cable connections.

Bad eject button

If you are running Microsoft Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000, Windows ME, or Windows XP, open My computer, right-click on the CD-ROM drive and choose the option to eject.

If this ejects your CD-ROM drive tray, it is likely that the button on the CD-ROM drive has become defective and it is recommended that the drive be replaced.

CD stuck within drive

It is possible that a CD may have become stuck within the CD-ROM drive. If the CD-ROM drive has a small hole (that is not the head phone jack), using a paper clip, place the paper clip within the hole and attempt to manually eject the CD-ROM tray.

If the CD-ROM drive is only partially able to be opened, attempt to pull the tray gently to see if it can be manually ejected. If it cannot be opened any further, it is likely that the gears within the CD-ROM drive have become bad, dislodged, or that a CD is positioned in the drive, which does not allow it to open.

Incompatibility with IDE / ATAPI interface

If you have an IBM compatible computer and recently installed the CD-ROM drive and are unable to open the drive, attempt to temporarily disconnect the IDE cable to verify that you not experiencing an issue with an incompatibility between the CD-ROM and motherboard. Once the IDE cable has been disconnected, power on the computer and see if the CD-ROM drive tray is now able to be opened.

If the drive is able to be opened with the IDE / ATAPI cable disconnected, it is recommended you use the interface card supplied with the CD-ROM drive or the ATAPI interface on the sound card / motherboard.

Bad drive

Unfortunately, if after following the above recommendations you are still unable to properly open the CD-ROM drive using the button on the front of the CD-ROM drive, it is likely defective and should be replaced.

Caution: If you are able to open the CD-ROM drive using a paper clip. We do not recommend that you continue using the CD-ROM drive by manually ejecting the CD-ROM using a paper clip. The drive should be replaced and this is not meant to be used as a temporary solution.

Additional information and tips for buying a new CD-ROM drive can be found on our CD-ROM buying tips section.

Additional information:

• See document CH000885 for additional information about why the CD-ROM or other disc tray ejects by itself or does not close.