What should I do if my broken disc tray will not slide back in?
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I recently encountered an issue with my disc tray, and it’s really frustrating. The disc tray is broken and will not slide back in, no matter what I try. I’ve made sure there are no obstacles blocking its path and even manually pushed it a bit, but it just won’t go back in. It’s as if it’s stuck or jammed, and I’m worried that there might be a mechanical problem inside. This is causing a lot of inconvenience because I can’t use my CDs or DVDs at all. I’m not sure if this is something I can fix on my own or if I need professional help. Can anyone help me understand why this might be happening and what steps I should consider?
10 Answers
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Updating or reinstalling device drivers can occasionally solve the problem. Sometimes issues with the software can make hardware components malfunction. Open your device manager, find the disc drive, and then either update the driver or uninstall and then reinstall it. Restart the computer and see if the tray works correctly afterward.
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If you feel comfortable, open up the device to check the internal gears. Removing the outer casing to access the drive, you might find misaligned or broken gears inside. Realigning these parts could potentially fix the issue. Just be cautious and sure of what you are doing to avoid causing any further damage.
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Dust can cause your disc tray to jam. Take a can of compressed air and blast it inside the mechanism to clean out any potential dust or dirt that’s accumulated there. If it still doesn’t move, try adding a tiny bit of light machine oil to the sliding rails to lubricate it, which might free up some movement.
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Check for any external obstructions first. Turn off and unplug your device, and then look inside the disc drive for any foreign objects that might be causing the blockage. If you find any, use a small tool like tweezers to carefully remove them without damaging the inside components. Plug the device back in and try again to see if the tray retracts properly.
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Using a paperclip, you can attempt to manually reset the tray. Find the tiny hole near the tray on your CD/DVD drive and gently insert a straightened paperclip into it. This should engage the manual release mechanism and may allow you to reset the tray to its proper position. Be very gentle to avoid doing any harm to the drive’s internal parts.