Slot load DVD drive problem

Discussion in 'hardware' started by Raza0007, Jul 19, 2011.

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  1. Raza0007

    Raza0007 Registered Member

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    I have a Dell XPS M1530 laptop, which came with a slot-load dvd writer. For a while now the dvd writer does not accept any disks. If I put a disk in it and push it in to the point where the internal built in motor is supposed to pull the disk inside the drive, all I hear is a zing-zing sound of the motor trying to work, but is unable to pull the disk in.

    Since I do not have any experience with slot load dvd drives, so my question is that is it worth opening the drive to see where the problem lies or should I just give up on this drive and get a new one?

    Anybody has any experience in this regards or has encountered a similar problem and managed to fix the drive?
     
  2. axial

    axial Registered Member

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    The only thing I might suggest is blowing out the slot with a can of compressed air, using the long straw and starting at one side so that the air might dislodge dust bunnies and scoot them out the opposing edge from where the straw is inserted.
     
  3. Cudni

    Cudni Global Moderator

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    That is the best option
     
  4. Raza0007

    Raza0007 Registered Member

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    I did that but it did not help. I am thinking that if I open the drive and clean it from inside it might help as from the sound the drive makes it appears that something is jamming the mechanism that pulls the disk in. Dell unfortunately has made it rather difficult to remove the drive as the screws are underneath the keyboard and in order to get to them I will have to dismantle the top half of my laptop.

    Yeah, but the engineer in me wants to fix things that can be fixed. Also the drive is almost new as I do not use optical media regularly, so if I can fix this particular issue the drive will most likely last me another 3-4 years.
     
  5. Cudni

    Cudni Global Moderator

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    By all means try and fix. Alas, these days things are not made to be fixed but bought new.
     
  6. aladdin

    aladdin Registered Member

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    LOL!

    Reminds me of McDonalds. I made the same commet to one of my client about 25 years ago, many many moons ago.

    Best regards,

    KOR!
     
  7. Raza0007

    Raza0007 Registered Member

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    Well, I just wanted to mention here that I managed to fix the problem with my drive. However, not by any technical skills, but by using brute force.

    I opened my Laptop to get to the drive, but could not manage to do it, as Dell has designed the XPS m1530 in such a ludicrous fashion that in order to get to the DVD drive, you have to dismantle the entire computer, and I did not want to risk it.

    So I stopped half way through, and since I had already ordered a new external DVD drive from Amazon, so had nothing to lose. I took a DVD and bludgeoned it repeatably into the drive. The drive made all sort of zing-zing noises but would not accept the disk. I persisted and suddenly to my utmost surprise, the drive accepted the disk. Now it works fine. Accepts disks and ejects them as if nothing was ever wrong. I can only imagine that something was stuck and got unstuck by my brutal assault.

    Of course, I do not recommend this procedure, but if you have a slot load dvd drive and it suddenly stops accepting disks, then before giving up on it and buying a new one, try my procedure above. It might work for you too.

    Luckily the new drive from Amazon had not shipped yet so I canceled it and saved $39 dollars.
     
    Last edited: Jul 29, 2011
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