if it takes many try to open your CD tray because the door is stuck leave a CD in there all the time. if you don't there's 2 magnets in there that gets too close without a CD in there. it opens every time on the first try now.
About a year ago I had the tray open/close button stop working on a DVD-RW drive. I used the freeware called Wizmo to open and close the drive tray. If I wanted the tray to open I would use the Windows Run command and run "wizmo open" and if I wanted the tray to close I would run "wizmo close". Eventally, I decided to replace the DVD-RW drive. http://www.grc.com/wizmo/wizmo.htm
I don't know if it's still the case with newer models, but years ago a tech-support rep agreed with me that problems with the tray were the most common early-warning symptom of an optical drive getting close to its last days.
If that's the case, then both of my optical drives have been close to their last days for the past six years. The 'leave a CD in the drive 24/7' idea I'm not very big on. I believe I'll just continue to finagle the tray opening as necessary.
TheKid7, Thanks for that. I've had problems for about 6 months with my CD tray intermittently not opening and Wizmo is a great help.
even doing that i had a hard time opening the door. everything's been fine since i been keeping a CD in there at all times. i'm telling you folks, there's a problem with the magnet 'holders' for older cd drives.
I agree. I have an old Plextor cd burner (brilliant digital audio extraction and burning quality), but tray never opens without a cd in it. The eject button works; you can hear the drive trying to open the tray - but it just can't do it. The same thing happens when software commands are used. I researched the problem a couple of years ago and found a description of the magnet issue and have kept a cd in the drive ever since. No more paper clips shoved in the eject hole for me
