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CD Drive won't close

T40/T41/T42/T43 Series
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Sand
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CD Drive won't close

#1 Post by Sand » Sat Feb 21, 2009 10:33 am

I dropped my laptop twice in one day and it still works okay, except for the CD drive. It will not close all the way so that when I need to download something, I have to hold the drive in the whole time until it's finished; it can be a while sometimes.

Is there a repair for this? I'm out of warranty.

Thanks,
Sand

T42 2379DXU 3 1/2 yo

Harryc
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Re: CD Drive won't close

#2 Post by Harryc » Sat Feb 21, 2009 10:50 am

If you eject the drive from the machine does the tray close? I'm just trying to determine if you broke/bent something in the machine or in the drive itself.

Sand
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Re: CD Drive won't close

#3 Post by Sand » Sat Feb 21, 2009 10:59 am

harryc,

I'm sorry, but how do you eject the drive? Do you mean just the 'drawer' or does the whole drive unit come out? Ironically, before this happened I could never get the drive (drawer to me) open w/o the use of the paperclip. The Eject utility never worked on it. So I don't know if that's what you mean or something else.

Sand

Harryc
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Re: CD Drive won't close

#4 Post by Harryc » Sat Feb 21, 2009 11:02 am

Sand, there's a little slide switch down by the side of the drive somewhere. Slide it, and a lever will pop out. Then you pull the lever to remove the drive. Once you do that, try to close the tray.

Johan
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Re: CD Drive won't close

#5 Post by Johan » Sat Feb 21, 2009 11:12 am

Harryc wrote:Sand, there's a little slide switch down by the side of the drive somewhere. Slide it, and a lever will pop out. Then you pull the lever to remove the drive. Once you do that, try to close the tray.
.. the slide that Harry is explaining about can be seen in the Ultrabay device removal movie - ThinkPad T40/p, T41/p, T42/p, T43/p - more T4x/p movies are fond in the Hardware removal and installation - ThinkPad T40/p, T41/p, T42/p, T43/p. Of course, the Hardware Maintenance Manual - ThinkPad T40, T40p, T41, T41p, T42, T42p is the ultimate source of information! :wink:

If you have a CD or DVD stuck inside a drive, then here's how to get it out: How to Eject a Stuck DVD/CD Drive.

A while ago, there were cheap T4x CD-RW/DVD-ROM's for sale in the Marketplace on this forum; see FS: $10.00 T4* CD-RW/DVD Drives - perhaps some of these are still available?

Johan
IBM T42p's (2373-Q1U & -Q2U): 2.1 GHz, 15" UXGA FlexView, 2 GB RAM, 128 MB FireGL T2, 128 GB 1.8" SATA SSD, IBM a/b/g, BT, Win 7 Ultimate
IBM T42 (2373-N1G): 1.8 GHz, 15" SXGA+ FlexView, 2 GB RAM, 64 MB Radeon 9600, 64 GB 1.8" SATA SSD, IBM a/b/g, BT, Win 7 Ultimate

Sand
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Re: CD Drive won't close

#6 Post by Sand » Sat Feb 21, 2009 11:35 am

Harry,

I removed the drive and the tray does not close anymore than it did before. It stays open about a half inch.

Sand

Harryc
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Re: CD Drive won't close

#7 Post by Harryc » Sat Feb 21, 2009 11:40 am

I don't personally know of a way to repair that open tray. Last time it happened to me I replaced the drive. Good luck.

Sand
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Re: CD Drive won't close

#8 Post by Sand » Sat Feb 21, 2009 11:43 am

Harry,

Thanks for helping me to make a decision what to do.

Sand

Sand
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Re: CD Drive won't close

#9 Post by Sand » Tue Feb 24, 2009 8:53 am

I forgot to mention also that since I dropped my laptop that there is a low steady buzzing noise coming from the computer. Is this something that happened inside to worry about?

Thanks,
Sand

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