Dell Inspiron 2200 DVD RW drive only opens manually

A

amodoko

Member
Hey guys, got an old dell inspiron 2200 with (win xp home) that I have a problem with. I had it in storage for a while and just got it out the other day to use it and the dvd rw drive had an audio cd in it and I pressed the button on the side of the dvd tray to open it and it would seem like it was trying to do it, but it wouldn't open. When I pressed it, what would happen was that the audio cd icon in my computer would disappear... showing it was getting ready to eject, and then the cd wouldn't come out... so then it would re-read the cd and load it and start playing my music. Then I right-clicked the drive on my computer and hit eject, and same thing would happen. I can only remove it by using a paperclip on the side of the drive to push the lever manually, and so far it has worked every time. But how do I get it to open without manually opening it?

Thanks in advance for any advice, much appreciated:)
 
If you are handy, you could open the CD drive and check to see if the mechanism needs to be cleaned or lubricated. When you use a paper clip to eject, you are physically pushing the tray out, when the system ejects a CD it depends on the motor and its mechanism to push the tray out. If things are gummed up then the mechanism may not be able to overcome that.

If you're not handy, consider simply replacing the drive as they aren't that expensive.
 
Thanks bud, I appreciate the response, I think I'll go and try to take it apart since I have taken apart a laptop or two in my day so I can see what the problem is. I like tinkering with stuff anyways:)
 
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you don't need to take it apart. Just take the drive out and replace it. It should be only about $20 to replace. CD drives are not a FSU. Its not meant to be fixed.
 
Why replace the drive when a 1 cent squirt of lithium grease or a little elbow grease might make it work again? I know we're in a throw away society but the guy can at least try to fix it, can't he?

BTW, I'm not familiar with that acronym. What's an FSU?
 
field serviceable unit.

And if he can grease it easily that is a good option. However if he has to disassemble the laptop or the drive to do it, then replacing it is better.
 
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