Re: [OT]: how to troubleshoot an optical drive in Linux
On 06/03/2008, Douglas A. Tutty <dtutty@porchlight.ca> wrote:
> On Wed, Mar 05, 2008 at 05:48:05PM -0500, H.S. wrote:
> > In a Dell laptop, Inspiron 5160, the optical drive appeared to have died
> > a few days ago. The disk stopped spinning, Fn+Eject stopped working and
> > the button on the drive also stopped working. Attempting to eject lights
> > the LED on the drive, but the tray is never ejected. I had thought the
> > drive was dead (maybe the motor had died).
> >
> > However, it started to work a few days ago out of the blue! Today
> > though, it has again stopped working.
> >
> > I wonder what is going. It is dual boot laptop. It started to work when
> > the user was fiddling with Nero in Windows (it had stopped working after
> > the user first started using Nero).
> >
> > Are there any tools in Linux which I can use to see what is going on?
> > The laptop is long out of warranty so calling Dell is not an option.
>
>
> To eliminate a software problem with the drive, the eject button should
> work during POST and during BIOS screens.
>
> To eliminate a mechanical problem, with the power off, does the
> emergency eject hole (activated with a paper-clip) unlatch the drive so
> you can slide it open manually? It should close on power-on. With it
> open, check for foreign material.
>
> An intermittant problem can often be an electrical connector. I've
> never even seen a Dell laptop so I don't know how to get at the
> connections. I don't suppose the whole drive is ejectable (like on my
> old ThinkPad)?
The instructions for removing the optical drive from the Inspiron 5160 are here:
http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/ins5160/en/SM/upgrades.htm#wp1106797
Dotan Cohen
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