CD stuck in my e drive

Hi Doug,

Is this a slot loading drive? Then you may not find an emergency eject hole. However, try this. Boot your desktop, then tap the F2 key to get into the BIOS. Now try using the eject button.

This is the second drive down from the top of the tower, it came that way. I have added no additional drives, just USB

devices. I tried pushing release button, after send my computer into BIOS with F2. It still would not release the stuck CD.

Any other suggestions?

Did you try opening  Windows Explorer, Computer and right clicking on the drive in the list and choose Eject? Try ejecting each cd or dvd drive in the list. It might not be in the E drive. The letter designations sometimes get switched.

I have tried ejecting every drive letter that shows up. The CD is shown in the drive, it just won't eject. I hear the tray

trying to open, but can't. The light flieckers as well. I have also tried resetting many things in properties, none of that

worked either. No recent software or hardware has been added to my machine. I think this is a hardware problem.

I have tried to troubleshoot it as well, it says devise is working okay. But, it does not release.

Then you can either ignore it since you have another drive and the computer is working or remove the drive and replace it. Your manual will show how to remove and replace the drive. 

PS A new computer for Christmas would be a great idea! :emotion-5:

The CD is shown in the drive, it just won't eject

Usually, optical drives have a small hole in the front through which a straightened-out paper clip can be inserted to push an internal button that will force open the drawer.

Have you tried that?

[quote user="Dog_Father"]The CD is shown in the drive, it just won't eject

Usually, optical drives have a small hole in the front through which a straightened-out paper clip can be inserted to push an internal button that will force open the drawer.

[/quote]

Doug said there is no emergency eject hole.

I have a feeling the drive is bad. Maybe some debris got into the drive, or something like that. My cat likes to sit on top of

my computer tower, could maybe cat hair got in the drive. I have tried everything I can  think of and all suggestions

so far given me.

I noticed the little flashlight, sweeping back and forth, starts as soon as I open My Computer. That is not something I

remember happening in the past, when opening My Computer.

I'm able to write to the CD in the drive and erase the info after writting to the CD.

After data was put on the CD. I tried all options, to get the drive to release the CD, so far suggested and I could think of.

I then erased the data, then repeated all options, to get the drive to release the CD. Still none worked.

I could take the tower apart, which would take a while and still might not fix the problem.

I could buy an external drive, that would solve the problem. And give me an extra drive, that could be used also, if I buy a new computer in the future.

I realize my machine is 6 yrs old and nearing the normal end of life. So, I will have to spend the money sooner or later.

Other than taking apart the tower or buying an external drive, any other ideas?

Sometimes drives fail, and I suspect that's what's happened. You might try it in a different machine, though; I have an old optical drive that won't eject when installed in one of my collection but will in another.

A relative has a six-year-old Dell which back in the summer was experiencing slow bootups and regular BSODs. A new power supply and 7200-RPM SATA drive (this was before the Thai floods) later, coupled with a change in the anti-virus, and it is stable and snappy.

Doug,

This is up to you obviously. An IDE DVD drive for your Dim 3000 is going to cost $25-30. Most if not all of your other problems could be solved by reinstalling the operating system. I have an old Dimension 4550, even older than your 3000, and it still runs reasonably well with a freshly installed copy of XP.

On the other hand, depending on your needs, a new system might be the best long term option. The better days for your Dimension 3000 are clearly behind it.

I'll add that after my daughter left for college, I reinstalled XP on her Dim 3000 and sold it for $85.

For what ever reason, when I went into properties on the drive, then into Auto Play and changed the option from music

files, to mixed files. That did the trick. The drive works fine now. Why this worked, I don't know. Maybe some of the past

files were not totally erased, leaving different types of files on the CD. That's the only reason I can think of.

Wow, good to hear that's all it was.