CD-ROM tray doesn't close - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

MageB420666 · 12-26-2004, 03:01 PM

The title pretty much exlains it. I'm on a Compaq Presario with a DVD-ROM and a CD-ROM\RW drive running Win XP Home SP 2. This computers been having some problems lately, one of which was that it would freeze for about 30 seconds to a minute every one or two minutes, but I seem to have fixed that somehow, but now whenever I try to close the tray, it closes, scans to see if there is a disk, and even if there is one in it it acts as if its empty and then opens itself back up. Any help and ideas would be appreciated, thanks.

catback · 12-26-2004, 03:20 PM

Try closing all your programs first and if that fails to work reinstall your WinXP because it sounds like you may have a trojan messing with you.

blitz.fenix · 12-26-2004, 03:41 PM

Virus scan + spyware scan it
Check for latest updates and drivers

If those don't work then reformat

MageB420666 · 12-26-2004, 04:56 PM

Small problem with the reformat idea. With the drive acting up, its not letting me boot from the XP disk. And since I've already gotten SP 2, I can' reload Windows.

MageB420666 · 12-26-2004, 04:57 PM

Oh, and I've been using Anti Virus Gaurd and Ad-Aware and Spybot, but Ad-Aware won't complete a full scan, it reaches a certain point and freezes.

cyrnel · 12-26-2004, 05:04 PM

If you can't even boot from it then it isn't a virus/trojan. (could be, but I haven't seen a BIOS hack that did this)

It's a reach but check if the CD drive bezel is too tight or pressing against the inside of the computer case. It could be holding the eject button.

MageB420666 · 12-26-2004, 05:48 PM

Can't be the eject button, cause pressing it causes it to go in and repeat the whole sequence, if it was being held in then pressing it wouldn't do anything.

Right now I'm thinking some joker hacked this computer because for the past couple of months it hasn't had any real firewall or anything protecting it. Altough it does now(just installed)

MageB420666 · 12-26-2004, 08:13 PM

Ok, I've tried everything that I can think of and haven't been able to fix this. The only thing that I can think of is to format the harddrive which I can't do because the cd-rom isn't working, the only other thing that I can think of would be to have the computer boot from the dvd-rom, which works, the only problem is that the BIOS menu doesn't have an option for the dvd-rom, it just has the cd-rom, does anyone know how I can change it? Or are there any other methods for formatting the harddrive?

bal8664 · 12-26-2004, 09:09 PM

I would recommend turning the computer totally off, and taking a paper clip and unbending it and sticking it in the tiny hole on the front of the cd-rom ( this is a mechanizm to open it in case of power loss, its meant to do that don't worry) this will open up the tray, put the cd in while the pc is still off, and then close it. Then turn the pc on, If its not a mechanical problem it should then boot off of the cd, and from there you can format and re-install.

MageB420666 · 12-27-2004, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bal8664

I would recommend turning the computer totally off, and taking a paper clip and unbending it and sticking it in the tiny hole on the front of the cd-rom ( this is a mechanizm to open it in case of power loss, its meant to do that don't worry) this will open up the tray, put the cd in while the pc is still off, and then close it. Then turn the pc on, If its not a mechanical problem it should then boot off of the cd, and from there you can format and re-install.

One of the problems is that the tray is already open and when it closes the cd-rom scans, finds nothing and then instead of staying closed, it opens back up. This cd-rom does not appear to have that little hole in it anyways, but the dvd-rom does.

Is there any way that someone could have changed the BIOS on this computer? It seems like the main problem is originating there, but I don't know that much about it. Plus the only setup screen I can get for this computer looks extremely different from the BIOS screen on my Dell computer, plus this BIOS screen is reached by hitting F10 instead of F12. Does this seem like someone has fucked around with the BIOS settings to anyone? Is there anyway I can correct it if they have?

bal8664 · 12-27-2004, 11:19 AM

Different BIOS's look totally different and use different hotkeys to get into them. it'd be pretty hard for someone to mess with it unless they actually had physical access to your computer. I would guess more than anything that it's a mechanical problem with the cd-rom itself not BIOS or software problem. maybe a small gear in there got offset just enough to make it keep spinning and continually ejecting. I know in my BIOS if i set it to boot from cd-rom it checks both of my drives and boots off of whichever one it can. I would try setting it to that and putting the cd in the dvd-rom. Though i donb't suspect a re-install will help if this is all happening before windows even loads. Are you comfortable opening up the computer and physically removing or replacing the cd-rom? Or do you have any friends who know how? If you know someone with a spare laying around that you can test in this ones place I'd definatly recommend trying that before replacement.

cyrnel · 12-27-2004, 11:21 AM

You've said the problem occurs before booting so we know formatting won't help.

Someone could have modified the BIOS but it's more difficult than win-based trickery. It would not be the first thing I'd suspect. Start simple.

Does it still happen after you disconnect the cd data cable?

Does it happen with another cd or dvd drive?

MageB420666 · 12-27-2004, 05:07 PM

Apparently the cd drive was bad and the computer wouldn't boot from the dvd drive, put in a new cd-rom and it fixed it right up, thanks for all yalls help.

12-26-2004, 03:01 PM	#1 (permalink)
MageB420666 <Insert wise statement here> Location: Hell if I know	CD-ROM tray doesn't close The title pretty much exlains it. I'm on a Compaq Presario with a DVD-ROM and a CD-ROM\RW drive running Win XP Home SP 2. This computers been having some problems lately, one of which was that it would freeze for about 30 seconds to a minute every one or two minutes, but I seem to have fixed that somehow, but now whenever I try to close the tray, it closes, scans to see if there is a disk, and even if there is one in it it acts as if its empty and then opens itself back up. Any help and ideas would be appreciated, thanks. __________________ Apathy: The best outlook this side of I don't give a damn.

12-26-2004, 04:56 PM	#4 (permalink)
MageB420666 <Insert wise statement here> Location: Hell if I know	Small problem with the reformat idea. With the drive acting up, its not letting me boot from the XP disk. And since I've already gotten SP 2, I can' reload Windows. __________________ Apathy: The best outlook this side of I don't give a damn.

12-26-2004, 04:57 PM	#5 (permalink)
MageB420666 <Insert wise statement here> Location: Hell if I know	Oh, and I've been using Anti Virus Gaurd and Ad-Aware and Spybot, but Ad-Aware won't complete a full scan, it reaches a certain point and freezes. __________________ Apathy: The best outlook this side of I don't give a damn.

12-26-2004, 05:48 PM	#7 (permalink)
MageB420666 <Insert wise statement here> Location: Hell if I know	Can't be the eject button, cause pressing it causes it to go in and repeat the whole sequence, if it was being held in then pressing it wouldn't do anything. Right now I'm thinking some joker hacked this computer because for the past couple of months it hasn't had any real firewall or anything protecting it. Altough it does now(just installed) __________________ Apathy: The best outlook this side of I don't give a damn.

12-26-2004, 08:13 PM	#8 (permalink)
MageB420666 <Insert wise statement here> Location: Hell if I know	Ok, I've tried everything that I can think of and haven't been able to fix this. The only thing that I can think of is to format the harddrive which I can't do because the cd-rom isn't working, the only other thing that I can think of would be to have the computer boot from the dvd-rom, which works, the only problem is that the BIOS menu doesn't have an option for the dvd-rom, it just has the cd-rom, does anyone know how I can change it? Or are there any other methods for formatting the harddrive? __________________ Apathy: The best outlook this side of I don't give a damn.

12-26-2004, 03:20 PM	#2 (permalink)
catback Psycho Location: North America	Try closing all your programs first and if that fails to work reinstall your WinXP because it sounds like you may have a trojan messing with you.

12-26-2004, 03:41 PM	#3 (permalink)
blitz.fenix Insane Location: Toronto	Virus scan + spyware scan it Check for latest updates and drivers If those don't work then reformat

12-26-2004, 05:04 PM	#6 (permalink)
cyrnel Adequate Location: In my angry-dome.	If you can't even boot from it then it isn't a virus/trojan. (could be, but I haven't seen a BIOS hack that did this) It's a reach but check if the CD drive bezel is too tight or pressing against the inside of the computer case. It could be holding the eject button.

12-26-2004, 09:09 PM	#9 (permalink)
bal8664 Crazy Location: Rochester, NY	I would recommend turning the computer totally off, and taking a paper clip and unbending it and sticking it in the tiny hole on the front of the cd-rom ( this is a mechanizm to open it in case of power loss, its meant to do that don't worry) this will open up the tray, put the cd in while the pc is still off, and then close it. Then turn the pc on, If its not a mechanical problem it should then boot off of the cd, and from there you can format and re-install.

12-27-2004, 11:19 AM	#11 (permalink)
bal8664 Crazy Location: Rochester, NY	Different BIOS's look totally different and use different hotkeys to get into them. it'd be pretty hard for someone to mess with it unless they actually had physical access to your computer. I would guess more than anything that it's a mechanical problem with the cd-rom itself not BIOS or software problem. maybe a small gear in there got offset just enough to make it keep spinning and continually ejecting. I know in my BIOS if i set it to boot from cd-rom it checks both of my drives and boots off of whichever one it can. I would try setting it to that and putting the cd in the dvd-rom. Though i donb't suspect a re-install will help if this is all happening before windows even loads. Are you comfortable opening up the computer and physically removing or replacing the cd-rom? Or do you have any friends who know how? If you know someone with a spare laying around that you can test in this ones place I'd definatly recommend trying that before replacement.

12-27-2004, 11:21 AM	#12 (permalink)
cyrnel Adequate Location: In my angry-dome.	You've said the problem occurs before booting so we know formatting won't help. Someone could have modified the BIOS but it's more difficult than win-based trickery. It would not be the first thing I'd suspect. Start simple. Does it still happen after you disconnect the cd data cable? Does it happen with another cd or dvd drive?

12-27-2004, 05:07 PM	#13 (permalink)
MageB420666 <Insert wise statement here> Location: Hell if I know	Apparently the cd drive was bad and the computer wouldn't boot from the dvd drive, put in a new cd-rom and it fixed it right up, thanks for all yalls help. __________________ Apathy: The best outlook this side of I don't give a damn.