Re: [OT]: how to troubleshoot an optical drive in Linux

["H.S." <hs.samix@gmail.com>]

Douglas A. Tutty wrote:

> To eliminate a software problem with the drive, the eject button should
> work during POST and during BIOS screens.  

It doesn't. The drive's LED blinks (I guess normally), but the drive 
does not eject. If it contains a CD, the OS fails to detect the CD.

> To eliminate a mechanical problem, with the power off, does the
> emergency eject hole (activated with a paper-clip) unlatch the drive so

Yes.

> you can slide it open manually?  It should close on power-on.  With it

I am not sure what you mean by it should close on power-on. The 
paper-clip trick works both on power on as well as power off.

> open, check for foreign material.

I did had a look see. Fished out a loose screw stuck between to PCBs! 
But the symptoms remain.

> 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)?  

No, I don't think it is like. But I am yet to figure out how to take the 
drive out.

thanks,
->HS


> Doug.