[alexmat01]

Hello,
I have a Sony DVD writer thats on my desktop. Everything worked fine for a year until when after a long time (since I dont use the DVD drive much) I pressed the button to pop in a DVD, and the tray wouldnt open. I tried a multiple times and it simply wont.
The only way I can now open this is to go to Windows Explorer and right click on the DVD drive and click on Eject.
The drive functions well otherwise and it reads the discs and there is no other issue.But it simply wont respond to the manual switch.
What could be wrong ? If the drive train or the teeth of the mechanism was damaged it wouldnt have ejected when I tried the windows explorer method.
Any inputs will be greatly appreciate.
Thanks a ton.
Alex

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Take the front of the case off and check that the release button on the case isn't damaged or worn. You may be able to take the entire door off, then the sides off the case off and slide the drive forward.

[Neil Jones]

Take the front of the case off and check that the release button on the case isn't damaged or worn. You may be able to take the entire door off, then the sides off the case off and slide the drive forward.

[alexmat01]

Hello,
Thanks for the update.
I can always open and close the tray using the Eject from the Windows explorer. Its not that I am stuck with the drive never opening, but that the button press wont eject it.

The unit is an Internal drive on my desktop. I think I could remove the front panel but I am unsure if I can remove the sides since it looks like a single case.Its a Sony drive if it helps.

One observation - When I do an eject from the Windows explorer, the drive keeps knocking (trying to open but not able to) and does this some 3 or 4 times and then opens up.

The cabinet that houses the drive sits vertically , I dont know if the vertical position should be an issue - apparently it wasnt an issue for over a year when it worked fine in the vertical position.

Alex

[Neil Jones]

The orientation isn't a problem, the drive would quite happily work upside down. Whether you'd be able to put anything in it when it's upside down is an entirely different issue.

It's most likely the drive door's catching on the flip-down cover, and rather than wear the gears out, most drives simply reverse direction when they find the tray's stuck. Easiest way round this is as I said, take the front off (on some cases you may need to take the side off first), take the flippy-down door out, unscrew the drive and slide it forward where possible.