*WARNING* RW DVD Won't Eject From Dell Laptop DVD Slot Drive

pauls · Post by **pauls** » Sat Dec 12, 2009 9:31 pm

Hi,

Not really a RW problem I suppose but I wondered if anyone had come across problems with the super-thin RW DVD refusing to eject from a Dell Laptop ? - I can hear it trying to eject - the Laptop keeps cycling through the eject sequence but the RW DVD won't come out. Any ideas that doesn't involve my laptop going back to DELL please ?

Cheers
Paul

mforeman04 · Post by **mforeman04** » Sat Dec 12, 2009 9:47 pm

Is the laptop CD slot loader or tray drive?

If the later there should be a small hole on the tray in which a straightened paper clip can be pushed into. once inserted pull back the paper clip and the drive should follow suite.

pauls · Post by **pauls** » Sat Dec 12, 2009 9:52 pm

Hi,

Sadly its a slot loader - I've not had any problems with normal CD's and its quite a new laptop so I would have thought this thinner type of CD should have been OK. There certainly weren't any problems reading the CD.

Thanks.

Cheers
Paul

mforeman04 wrote:Is the laptop CD slot loader or tray drive?

If the later there should be a small hole on the tray in which a straightened paper clip can be pushed into. once inserted pull back the paper clip and the drive should follow suite.

karma99 · Post by **karma99** » Sat Dec 12, 2009 9:57 pm

Ah eco-disk laptop horror.. HUGE problem on macs but can effect any "slide in" style disk drives.

This thread lists a few ideas, mostly about pushing a piece of card or similar into the slot under the disk to raise it before ejecting. Obviously try at your own risk.
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums/show ... p?t=802831

I've also read people have got them out by tipping the laptop on it's side or upside down and then ejecting.
Hope that's some help.

The single good thing about it is, once it's installed and the disk is out, due to Steam you won't need to put it back in again!

Also read this:
"I have now managed to remove the disc by inserting a thin aluminium ruler under the eco-disc in the drive and lift the disc while the ejection mechanism worked. The disc is completely scratched by this process, but it is going in the bin now anyway"

Seems that "assisting" the disk up and off the spindle is the way to go, although I'd use something soft like card or plastic rather than a metal ruler!

pauls · Post by **pauls** » Sat Dec 12, 2009 10:00 pm

Hi Pete,

I'll take a look at the link that you've given me. What a nightmare - I can't get on with loading other stuff now

Thanks.

Cheers
Paul

Post by **dorlan** » Sat Dec 12, 2009 10:01 pm

There's another possible solution here.

Post by **dorlan** » Sat Dec 12, 2009 10:09 pm

Just a reminder...

Please note that Atomic Systems cannot be held responsible for anything you do as a result of information or advice obtained from these forums, or from linked third party websites. You should fully understand what any recommended changes to your computer may do.

pauls · Post by **pauls** » Sun Dec 13, 2009 1:06 am

Hi,

Well I finally got the RW DVD out using the double sided sticky tape trick.

However a warning about this method - I got the glue from the tape onto the DVD which took quite a bit of cleaning and I suspect I might have got some glue inside the DVD drive because it wouldn't read anything for about 30 minutes. However I kept putting another DVD in and taking it out of the drive and all of a sudden it started working again. I think the mechanical action of this might have cleaned the reader perhaps ?

Equally I think sticking bits of card inside the drive etcetera is very risky - so I think the only method anyone should use is holding the drive at different angles and gently tapping it and trying to make the RW DVD dislodge.

I did a lot of internet searches and the conclusion is that anyone with a slot type DVD drive should NOT buy the RW DVD nor use any eco / super thin DVD's in their slot DVD drives. I thought at one time that I had lost my DVD Drive and the laptop was going to have to go back to DELL and my feelings towards RW and their attempts to save £0.50 on a £35+ product were not nice to say the least !! I can't find any warnings from RW about this problem but I would urge them to add such a warning to their website - Perhaps I should write to them about this to save others any heartache ?

Many thanks to everyone above for their help and advice - it was MUCH appreciated !!

Cheers
Paul

g0fthick · Post by **g0fthick** » Sun Dec 13, 2009 1:09 am

I believe that on the boxed product there is a note on using the discs in slot drive systems typically seen in Macs.

I would check but I don't have it to hand.

CaptScarlet · Post by **CaptScarlet** » Sun Dec 13, 2009 8:41 am

Now that you have it installed make a backup with the steam client and write it to a normal dvd so you wont have to use the eco disk again.

John

pauls · Post by **pauls** » Sun Dec 13, 2009 10:40 am

Hi John,

I'll try this - many thanks

Steam says it needs almost 5Gb of disc space for the back up. Does Steam download this or backup from my hard disc ?

Regards
Paul

CaptScarlet wrote:Now that you have it installed make a backup with the steam client and write it to a normal dvd so you wont have to use the eco disk again.

John

pauls · Post by **pauls** » Sun Dec 13, 2009 10:55 am

Hi,

There is no warning on the website nor on the box - however there is a very TINY ( 1 font ) warning on the DVD itself which says ( when read with a Caltech electron scanning microsope

) :- "No Apple Slot in Drive" - which I didn't notice and isn't the most well written clearest warning I've ever read. The trouble is by this time its too late - you've either purchased the product or not noticed the warning on the CD. There are no warnings in the installation guide either.

Quite why RW would limit their sales in this way is strange - but they can add DELL slot drives to their list of no go hardware. In fact I wouldn't risk putting this kind of disc in any kind of slot drive.

PS The box, manuals and program itself are very nice.

Cheers
Paul

g0fthick wrote:I believe that on the boxed product there is a note on using the discs in slot drive systems typically seen in Macs.

I would check but I don't have it to hand.

netherways · Post by **netherways** » Sun Dec 13, 2009 11:26 am

Good job I saw this thread! was going to have a go at installing it on my Mac tomorrow!

....thing is I'm just too inquisitive not to give it a go

pauls · Post by **pauls** » Sun Dec 13, 2009 12:08 pm

Don't even try installing it - the misery isn't worth it !!

I wonder if you can install just via the internet / steam with the code from the manual ? - or could you go to another computer and copy the DVD to a memory card (pen drive) and install that way ?

Cheers
Paul

netherways wrote:Good job I saw this thread! was going to have a go at installing it on my Mac tomorrow!

....thing is I'm just too inquisitive not to give it a go

pauls · Post by **pauls** » Sun Dec 13, 2009 12:10 pm

If you have an old computer that doesn't matter perhaps you could try using double sided tape to stick the RW DVD to another CD ??

Proceed with caution tho' !! - don't try the above on anything decent.

Cheers
Paul

Atomic Systems

WARNING RW DVD Won't Eject From Dell Laptop DVD Slot Drive

WARNING RW DVD Won't Eject From Dell Laptop DVD Slot Drive

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