DVD in Ultrabay - cannot remove

[andrewb]

I was hoping someone might have a bright idea which could help me.

I have a standard issue DVD-RW player in the Ultrabay on my T43. The DVD works fine in terms of the tray opening and closing, and it playing DVDs etc.

The problem. The [censored] thing is stuck in the machine. I can flip the unlock catch, the little plastic pulling implement springs out, but the player itself will not slide out of the machine. Rather, it is stuck solidly in place as if (but I have not) put the screw in the spare hole for the Ultrabay.

Might anyone be able to advise please ?

[rkawakami]

If the latch is popping out like it should then it's possible that part of the optical drive case is hitting the edge of the Ultrabay cage and/or the laptop case. See if that's the case. If not, you may be able to resort to something I've done but can break your drive:

- with the Ultrabay eject lever popped out,
- open up the drive's tray using a straightened out paper clip inside the emergency eject hole in the front bezel
- gently pull on the tray and see if that frees the drive from the Ultrabay. A slight side-to-side rocking motion can help.

edit: I just found something else that might also work. I don't have a T43 but I do have a T42. On the bottom of the system look for a slot or two which is near the middle of the case. There's a metal piece there that is attached to the Ultrabay eject system. IF there's an opening between the metal piece and the end of the slot, you can pry/push/slide the metal piece towards the front of the Ultrabay and that can also allow you to remove the drive.

[andrewb]

Thank you. The T43 also has the slots un the underside. Manipulating the metal piece with a paprclip has, indeed, solved the problem.