May 26, 2006

Curious George: Stuck Laptop CD drawer! Help! I've borrowed a laptop from work and now the CD / disc draw won't open!

It's a HP SD.MS.Pro MMC XD if that helps. What's the usual procedure for this? I've never really used a laptop before. Am I screwed? (I can't finish the job as it stands...) My Swiss Army Knife is calling to me... Cheers!

  • Just unfold a paperclip - there's a little paper-clip-wire-sized hole on the drive door. Poke that sucker open. *cue GramMa tagline*
  • what pete said.
  • Fuck me! So there is... *searches house for a paper clip* God bless you...
  • It's to the lower right of the CD-door button, if this is an accurate pic here
  • success! Best post ever!!! please consider the thread now OPEN!
  • Makes me wonder who first came up with the idea of having that nifty little hole, having made use of it many times myself. Ahem... *cough*
  • I always wondered what that little hole was good for. kitfisto, I mean, not the thing on the drive.
  • NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOB
  • You guys!
  • Man, it's so annoying when you can't get that drawer open. I mean, where are you supposed to put your coffee cup in the meantime?
  • nice going, rummy
  • Now we FIGHT ***ROUND 1*** >Light punch >Medium tickle >Full strength wedgie
  • quid..you made me scroll right for a silly "b", damn you....
  • ok. if this is wide open....
  • it's cool, baby, it's cool (Get the chloroform)
  • um, is that a chipmunk smoking a bowl or am I more hungover than I realize... and the nunc made me laugh I gotta say, made me laugh at kitfisto.
  • I could take that chipmunk in a fight, no bother.
  • quid..you made me scroll right for a silly "b", damn you Sorry, chummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmp!
  • I'm taking that shrine back RIGHT NOW!!!!
  • i'm going thematic today, Medusa... here's your brownie mix.
  • drunk noob poopy jerkface
  • c'mon! c'mon! I gotta pee!! *hops/dances*
  • Just be careful that when you use the paperclip to reopen the drive, that you don't scratch the shit out of the disk that's in there. Not that I ever did that. Cuz that'd be dumb. Which is why some of you need to know. But I won't name names. I'll just say that his initials are P and Etebest.
  • Lies! All nasty lies! And some pr0n. That I found. By accident. While researching "The History of Multi-Party Information Systems Development: The Challenge of Cross-Boundary Collaboration and Crispy Nougat Confection", my Huffheinz-winning paper presented to the Society of N00le5s cLu8ie$ over at Todd's house that one time.
  • Monkeyfilter: Poke that sucker open. *pinches pete's chubby little cheek Here you are, my dowerlink bubblachik!
  • Oh, and get a Mac!
  • I was just going to say "The first place I remember seeing the little 'eject' hole was on my original (so cute, no hard drive) Mac." It was very useful. /doesn't have a Mac now, though
  • 1. Start selling pre-straightened paperclips. 2. PROFIT!
  • Now that we're not talking about CD drives any more, I wonder how the drive on my iBook would spit out a CD since it's one of those fancy-ass slots with no drawer. I have a feeling if I poked any paperclips into any holes in the vicinity, I'd electrocute myself.
  • Monkeyfilter: one of those fancy-ass slots with no drawer
  • tracicle, you hit eject and flip it over and shake it some. the cd should poke out far enough to grab it.
  • I had that same problem last weekend tracicle. I spent a good 30 minutes trying to pull a CD from the slot drive on my mac. I finally had success using two small glow-in-the-dark stars (thin, yet very sturdy) - the multiple points of the stars were able to get a good grip on the CD, and I didn't get electocuted. Still, it was a bitch!
  • shake it with the slot facing down, that is!
  • shake it with the slot facing down I hear that! Bow chicka chicka bow! Yeeeahh!
  • Monkeyfilter: adminned by a filthy slot-shaking, no-drawer-having hooer since time immemorial
  • Tracy, if you look to one side of the foam in the slot (giggle) there should be a tiny hole (snort, snicker) try sticking something in that (aHahahaha) serioously, i have the same problem with my old slot loading iMac (grey, with a tv in it), the one that has been demoted to 'giant alarm clock'. the main problem being that the CD is Really Bad. (keywords: ex-boyfriend, mixtape, kelly clarkson) and the paperclip thing does not work...please do not laugh, but i think the disk is too thick. will try glow-in-the-dark star method.
  • *wonders who the glow-in-the-dark stars are*
  • My slot has no hole! This hasn't actually happened to me yet but I think I've mentioned before the slow decay of this machine. If you move the laptop or bump it or adjust the screen or type too heavily, the CD drive makes ejecting noises. We just don't use it unless absolutely necessary.
  • > *wonders who the glow-in-the-dark stars are* that'd be the red hot chili peppers
  • 1. Start selling pre-straightened paperclips. 2. PROFIT! There used to be an overzised pin with a non-pointed shaft the exact thickness of the hole (ha!) sold speciafically for that use. Advertised in Mac mags, a few years ago... my weak googlefu didn't found any reference now. In fact, that's what I've used: one of thsoe color pins, with the point loped off. Or a straightened clip, one of the medium-sized, thicker ones. As for those hole-less machines: usually there's a bezel in front of the actual drive door; you might want/need to explore that via light disassembly. Or use your favorite disc-burning app to force an 'eject'.
  • thanks i will try those things! *removes crowbar from drive*
  • MonkeyFilter: My slot has no hole
  • thats so sad!
  • Ah the old paperclip in the hole trick.
  • Now you know why I had two caesareans.
  • /collapse
  • tracicle = barbie ???
  • oh OUCH!
  • I'll never look at my holeless slot the same way again...
  • *peers under desk, concludes his slot doesn't have a hole, either* It's DEFECTIVE!!!
  • MonkeyFilter: defective slots without holes
  • The Golden Paperclip Hotel and Casino has the loosest slots in town! Just don't eat at the buffet.
  • Monkeyfilter: I'll never look at my holeless slot the same way again.
  • OMG! I can't believe this has just happened to the slot drive in my Powerbook... *goes in search of glow in the dark stars*
  • See! You all mocked me and my retarded-ness, but now this thread is providing a useful public service. No need to thank me. No, really...
  • THANKS KITFISTO! *throws rose petals*
  • Ah...lovely.
  • UPDATE My intern just came to me for help with a stuck CD drawer. I remembered this thread, and I used Pete's paperclip/hole trick. Thunderous applause from intern AND boss. Thanks, Monkeyfilter! *smiles into camera*
  • My work here is done. *thunders off into the distance on white charger* *forgets keys*
  • kit, a great tip: You can hotwire that charger by using a simple hairpin and a rubber band.