# CD Rom door opens by itself



## acesbro (Feb 6, 2001)

My CD Rom door will open all by itself. I close it and it just opens again. The device seems to be working fine except for the door opening. I think it might be a windows 98 problem. I appreciate any help with this problem.


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## rexpert (Jan 17, 2001)

Sounds like an obsessed Cd-Rom. But seriously you might want to check the power connectionsto the CD rom. If you have made any recent hardware changes this may have something to do with it. I would also check to see if your comuter is under warranty, if so, the company should take care of it.

[This message has been edited by TechGuy (edited 02-13-2001).]


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## dollpie (Feb 12, 2001)

> quote:
> 
> Originally posted by acesbro:
> *My CD Rom door will open all by itself. I close it and it just opens again. The device seems to be working fine except for the door opening. I think it might be a windows 98 problem. I appreciate any help with this problem.*


I'm having the same problem! I contacted the manufacturer. I'm not sure if it matters who made your cdrom drive (mine is a toshiba) but here is what they suggested to me:

Sometimes the device driver in windows gets corrupt. you can try removing the CD-ROM driver from device manager. Have it reboot, and windows should reinstall it.

Check the ribbon(IDE) cable inside the computer sometimes it goes bad after
several years due to the heat inside the computer.

Make sure your DMA mode for your CD-ROM is enabled.

Please get the latest updates for your motherboard Bus-Mastering
chip-set(ie; via, sis, ali). This controls your IDE port that the CD-ROM is
plugged into.

Unless your testing the CD-ROM in DOS. Make sure your CD-ROM is not running
in 16-bit mode(DOS). The drivers would be loaded in the AUTOEXEC.BAT and
CONFIG.SYS files, you will need to remark them out(REM).

You can increase the Supplemental Cache Size of the CD-ROM to Large.
Cntrl-Panel => System => => Performance => file system => CD-ROM =>
Supplemental Cache Size.

Hope some of this helps. Good luck!


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## acesbro (Feb 6, 2001)

Thanks for your help. I will try your suggestions. I appreciate it.


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## 4239 (Oct 20, 1999)

Hi acesbro,

Just wondered if the cd is behaving now and/or you found out why it was opening on it's own? 
Bob


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## 4239 (Oct 20, 1999)

I was going to email dollpie and ask about it too but I see that reply doesn't have an email listed for dollpie.

Besides being a curious thing to happen, Reading that the cd door opening on it's own can be caused by a Trojan virus is what brought me back to check this post.

Bob









[This message has been edited by bd (edited 02-17-2001).]


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## Guest (Feb 17, 2001)

hmmmmm

it could be one of thoose prank thingy's, when did it start?, did u get any unusual e-mail's before you had it sent.


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## acesbro (Feb 6, 2001)

I have tried everything that dollpie suggested except cheching the cable. It is still opening by itself. I did think of a virus and checked it with my virus software and it said my computer is clean. Does anyone know of something in windows that could be causing this problem?


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## dollpie (Feb 12, 2001)

I haven't had time to replace the cable to my cd rom drive yet. I did scan for viruses and didn't find any either. I would try to check the cable connection next. Also, if possible, remove the drive and install into another computer to determine if it's the cd rom that's bad or there's a problem with your system. If the cd rom drive functions correctly in another system then there must be some other problem. Good luck and keep me updated.


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## acesbro (Feb 6, 2001)

Thanks Dollpie. If you come up with the solution, I would appreciate your answer and, of course, I will let you know. I had this problem once before along with other problems and when I reloaded windows it stopped. That is why I am wondering if it could be a windows problem. I also noticed that my drive letters changed (zip drive and cd rom drive swithched letters). I think your idea of the cable is a good one. I will try it when I have time.


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## dollpie (Feb 12, 2001)

Good News! I fixed it! Last night, I opened up the computer and checked on the cables. I made sure they were installed securely. That must have been the problem and there was no need to replace anything. So please be sure and try this as well as this may be your solution too.

Good luck!


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## Emtronics (Jan 20, 2000)

*acesbro* Your drive letters swapped? The run *(should be IOMEGAWARE)* under the Iomega Programs and assign the correct letters for the ZIP and the CD ROM. (change them back) It may indeed be something in Windows that sees the ZIP drive and when it wants it, it opens the door to your CD Rom instead.

[This message has been edited by Emtronics (edited 02-22-2001).]


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## 4239 (Oct 20, 1999)

Here is some info on CD-Roms that says you can't change the cd drive letter back-I don't know which is right.

Problem: My CD-ROM drive letter changed changed to a different drive letter.

SOLUTION 1

Right click on the My Computer icon 
Right-click Properties from the menu. 
Click on the Device Manager tab. 
Double click on CD-ROM. 
Click on your CD-ROM listing. 
Click on the Settings tab. 
Click on the down arrow next to "Start drive letter". 
Select the letter that the CD-ROM used to be.

Note: If you have installed a new drive (i.e. Zip drive, Jazz drive, hard drive, etc..), you may not be able to use the old drive letter. The CD-ROM will ALWAYS be the last drive letter assigned. If you can't change the drive letter back to the old letter, you may have to reinstall some software to update it to the new drive letter.

Note 2: The CD-ROM is assigned drive letter E: from the factory.

Bob


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## Emtronics (Jan 20, 2000)

This I do know, there is a program that comes with the Iomega software that allows you to set the drive letters (or reset) for your ZIP and CD ROM. I posted earlier that it was "refresh" but that is incorrect. In older Iomega software, there was a program that you clicked on that did this but on the newest Iomega software, just click on IomegaWare and there are choices one of which is to change the drive letters assigned to all removeable disk drives. My ZIP drive is "E" while the CD Rom is "D". For some reason, they switched. The CD Rom became "E". This caused any software that was loaded prior to this switch not to operate as the path was D:\ It also caused any program that I had stored on a ZIP drive ("E") like a word.doc to search the E drive thus the CD Rom door would open. If "Refresh" is running in the backround this may indeed cause the CD Rom door to open if the drives swap letters, that is why Iomega includes this handy little program to reset your drive letters back and this is why I suggested *acesbro* run IomegaWare and correct it.


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## 4239 (Oct 20, 1999)

Hi emtronics and acesbro,

As I said I don't know which is correct but I had just seen that info after reading this topic and posted it without thinking too much about it. 
Afterward I reread it and had some question about it's validity . I spent too long trying to find the CDROM site to check it again in my favorites [well over a thousand items and not organized well] and had to leave without finding it again.

I believe your information is probably correct. Bob


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## Emtronics (Jan 20, 2000)

Hey *bd*, I understand and thought maybe, just on a chance this might be *acesbro's* problem with his door opening for no apparent reason. Internal ZIP drives can cause some weird problems sometimes and one of those is juggling the drive letters around. With a ZIP drive installed, the only way I would change the drive letters on my CD ROM and ZIP drive would be with the Iomega software. Changing these in the Device Manager or Control Panel could really cause problems. At any rate, this is probably a long shot as any number of things in Windows might cause the CD Rom to open by itself including a gummed up open/close button on the CD Rom itself.


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## acesbro (Feb 6, 2001)

I thought about a defective switch. However, the door always opens by itself but never closes on its own. I would think that if the switch was bad both would occur.


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## acesbro (Feb 6, 2001)

Does any one think it could be the ribbon cable or the connectors on the cable?


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## 4239 (Oct 20, 1999)

Hi ,
There is always a possibility of connection problems but it is not as likely as other things causing it.

Check the operation of the door by opening it and closing it repeatedly. Look for hesitation, stopping, noises, slow response,failing to stay open or closed etc. If it works normally in these tries then it probably 
is not a mechanical fault.

Try to notice what else is going on at the time the door opens on its own. See if there is any that is the same each time.

If these things don't reveal a cause then what worked for Dollpie might be the answer for you. It doesn't hurt to look inside the case once in a while. I found a processor fan and heatsink that had come loose from the processor the last time I opened a case.[although that was not the reason I went inside] It is also a good time to clean if it needs it
Bob


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## 4239 (Oct 20, 1999)

Hi again, I just reread this thread and noticed that you said originally that the drive door stays open. I [and I think most of those replying ] were thinking that the door was just randomly opening.

If it just stays open and will not close, it is likely that it could be an electro/ mechanical problem.
If Dollpie had exactly the same problem and the cable was the cause it is worth looking into but I don't know how the ribbon cable connection would cause it. Bob


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## acesbro (Feb 6, 2001)

Bob, thanks for your reply. I think that I am going to need to go inside. One other thing, I notice that the door stays shut until the computer is on for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. I wonder if it could be a heat problem of some kind? If so, what could it be (perhaps the ribbon cable)? Thanks!


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## 4239 (Oct 20, 1999)

Hi , 
Temperature could be a factor in a poor connection. Kind of an outside chance but definitely possible. Bob


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## 4239 (Oct 20, 1999)

Hi , 
Temperature could be a factor in a poor connection or expansion in a mechanical part Kind of an outside chance but definitely possible. Bob


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## glynda (Jun 1, 2001)

my cd rom opens by it self. i just bought a new cd-rom. the other day my son was leasning to the cd he left it in then i got on later and had to shut down the computer, when it started up it broke the cd now the door well not stay closed. i don't see any of the cd still in it.i need help it cost $46 an hour to get it fixed. everything that was wrong with it when i took it to have the cd-rom put in is now fixed but now there are new problems but one thing at a time . hope some one can help me .thanks gsm


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## acesbro (Feb 6, 2001)

My door is still opening. I have tried everything except a new drive. It sounds like your drive is new so I would have it replaced under the waranty.


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## Michaeleen (Oct 6, 2002)

What was the resolution to this problem? All of a sudden this is happening to me 

Anyone know how to fix this problem? I have Windows ME.

Thanks,


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