How do I remove a disc if my CD / DVD drive won’t open?

Question: My CD / DVD drive on the computer does not open any more, how can I get my disk out?

Answer: Technology is great up to the point of when it does not work any more. Like any other mechanical device, parts of it can fail and when that happens, you may have a disk stuck in the drive. However there is a simple fix and it can be found in your desk drawer. The tools you will need for this fix will be one paper clip, preferably a larger one because they are sturdier. Take this paper clip and bend the outside end 180 degrees so that it is straight. Bend the next part of the paper clip 90 degrees so that you have a nice L shaped piece of metal. Now that you have created your CD removal tool we can use it to open the stuck CD / DVD drive. First you will need to look at your drive. Notice the CD tray outline where you place the CD in the drive and see if you can find a small pin sized hole. This is the manual ejection hole. Put the paper clip inside the hole going at straight as possible, in other words do not go in at an angle or it will not work. When you have inserted the paper clip it should go in about an inch or so until you find a bit of resistance. At that point push harder and that should slide the tray out half an inch or so. Now you can grab the tray and pull it out the rest of the way to remove your CD. Once you have recovered your disk, push the tray back in to the unit. If your CD / DVD drive continues to have problems opening the tray, then it would be a good idea to get the drive replaced. You can check the Classifieds section to find a computer repair business to have it fixed.

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