Do you wonder if your IT business is truly profitable or if you should raise your prices? Learn how to calculate your overhead burden using our free interactive tool and use it to determine the right price for your IT services. Start calculating Now!
How do I eject a CD from a DVD drive when the OS is missing?
My primary HDD died while I had a CD in the DVD drive. I have purchased and installed two new HDDs to replace and have a copy of Win7. BUT the cd is still in the drive and I am unable to get the disk out. I have tried to build a bootable USB drive using RMPrepUSB but the bios does not seem to recognize it as a bootable drive. A utility launched off the bios can see the drive but not any of its contents.
How do I eject the DVD so I can put my new Win7 install DVD in the drive?
How do I eject the DVD so I can put my new Win7 install DVD in the drive?
Do more with
EXPERT OFFICE® is a registered trademark of EXPERTS EXCHANGE®
Most DVD drives have an "Eject" button. If the disk doesn't eject when you press that, they usually also have a small hole into which you can insert a straightened paper clip (you need to press it in while the PC is off). That should force the mechanism of the drive to open the tray.
There is usually a paper-clip sized hole if there is not a button. It was designed to emergency open CD and DVD drives. Unfold a paperclip...
Or remove the drive from its present computer and attach it to another computer and use that one to control the drive.
Most optical drives have a small "eject hole" that you can put an opened paper clip in (even when the computer is turned off) to eject the disc. Here's a photo of a typical drive, although the position of the hole varies from drive to drive:
Regards, Joe
Regards, Joe
Try the bootable USB in another computer to ensure that it actually works. If not, I would use the Microsoft tool to make a bootable USB key - http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msstore/html/pbPage.Help_Win7_usbdvd_dwnTool - I suspect you haven't enabled USB booting or you're using the wrong USB slot (there shouldn't be a "wrong" one, but I've found they can be flaky - try other USB slots to see if they work but FIRST test in another computer). Any computer made in the last 5 years (and ALMOST any made in the last 8) should boot off USB devices if the USB device was created properly.
As for the CD/DVD that seems to be stuck, doesn't the drive have an eject button? I assume not or that it's not working, in which case, you may need to replace the drive (even temporarily). Look for a pin hole on the front of the drive - if you find it, unfold a paper clip and push it into the slot - that should eject the drive. If it doesn't, it COULD mean the drive is stuck and in which case you'll almost certainly have to replace it (they're cheap - $20).
As for the CD/DVD that seems to be stuck, doesn't the drive have an eject button? I assume not or that it's not working, in which case, you may need to replace the drive (even temporarily). Look for a pin hole on the front of the drive - if you find it, unfold a paper clip and push it into the slot - that should eject the drive. If it doesn't, it COULD mean the drive is stuck and in which case you'll almost certainly have to replace it (they're cheap - $20).
I knew about the pinhole on older systems. There is not one I can see on this machine.
I did try to pull the snap-on front of the casing off and while doing so found a molded, inconspicuous button next to the drive opening... that was it. I restarted the machine and pushed the button during the start-up and it ejected the drive bay.
I am off and running installing Win7.
Thanks for all that responded.
I did try to pull the snap-on front of the casing off and while doing so found a molded, inconspicuous button next to the drive opening... that was it. I restarted the machine and pushed the button during the start-up and it ejected the drive bay.
I am off and running installing Win7.
Thanks for all that responded.
Premium Content
You need an Expert Office subscription to comment.Start Free Trial