How to remove CD from failed optical drive

posted in: Miscellaneous Tips | 37

Remove CD DVD disc from laptop

In this guide I explain how to remove a CD or DVD disc from a failed optical drive or not working laptop.

Let’s say the computer does not turn on but there is a disc stuck inside the optical drive and you want to get it out.

I think most people know this trick but some don’t.

Paper clip

All you need is a paper clip straightened out as it shown on the picture.

Remove CD DVD disc crom IBM laptop

As an example I’ll take my IBM ThinkPad T42 laptop.

There is a small hole located on the front panel close to the eject button. Insert the paper clip inside the hole and slowly push it in.

Open laptop CD DVD drive

The optical drive will open up. Now you can remove the disc and close the drive.

Remove CD DVD disc from HP laptop

All laptop optical drives are similar and most of them have this “secret” hole.

I took this picture from a HP Pavilion zv5000. The hole is marked with a white circle.

Remove CD DVD disc from Toshiba laptop

This picture was taken from a Toshiba Satellite A105.

In you have a slot loading optical drive, on the other hand, you cannot use this method. You’ll have to disassemble the laptop and remove the optical drive completely. After that you’ll have to disassemble the drive and remove the disc.


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37 Responses

  1. Tony Vigil

    On my laptop the following occurs:

    After I turn it on, and it boots-up “as normally it does”, I start to use it.

    Then after a short period of time, the display blanks out? I have looked for some kind of “programmed delay built into the laptop”, and checked the set-up programs and icons, to try to resolve the problem.

    There is a icon for the display, where you can select the display background as well. All to no “avail on my part”.

    I would like the display to stay on until I turn the laptop “off” as it normally should do.

    Instead…I have to move the mouse alittle bit, each time the display blanks out and get dark black, but as soon as I juggle the mouse a bit or two, here comes the display back “on again”?

    What gives here? Hmmmmm

    Tony Vigil
    vigilaw@hotmail.com

  2. Jordan Blake

    You mean you’re Screen Saver is set to a blank screen?

  3. crazeydaisey

    thankyou thankyou thankyou!!! my computer panic is now aborted thanks to your express cd removal whoever you are i officially love you!!!

  4. JPmainsupreme

    You could not have made it any easier for me!! thanks!! 🙂

  5. Jackie Jordan

    I have a hp laptop and my cd disc is stuck. I tried the paper clip and it still didn’t work for me. Do you have any other suggestions? If so,please let me know. Thank you

  6. Mike

    My Laptop(samsung R60plus) DVD drive stays open, refuses to close when powered on, but can be closed when shutdown. D laptop recognises it, i can play cd or install program by holding on to d drive door. It makes a click like sound and led light blinks when d door is pushed inside, then it comes out again. Pls what can i do to make d drive door stay closed while powered on?

  7. lalalface

    My laptop is a dell and you just putthe disk in but, theres no hole for mines so what can I do? I try playing a DVD on Media, but it keeps saying, “Empty disk D:” and now I cant eject it so what am I to do?

  8. lalalface

    Jackie Jordan, try pressing Crtl + J and it might eject the cd if thats the answer your looking for because it helped with me.

  9. Rachel

    Thank you sooooo much!I almost lost my sims 3 pets game and everyone knows those things aren’t cheap.

  10. mario

    god damn! it work! thanks you a lot.. it help me so much! < &_&.. thanks.. GREAT!~!!!!!!!!!!

  11. Oris

    Hi!
    I have multiple problems right now. I forgot my windows 7 password and there’s a cd stuck, I found that hole, I did the same as described but it doesn’t eject the disc at all. I have a Samsung Serie 7. Please, some illumination!!! Thanks!

  12. Barb

    Did not work, I tried several times. I think the DVD might be holding it back, may not be in correctly.

  13. Jess

    thankyou so much! saved my after exam gaming!

  14. Lauren

    OMG thankyou sooo much. You saved my life!!!!! Can’t live without my lord of the rings DVDs

  15. Manan

    God! You saved me from dying with slap of my father ! I love you man!

  16. Regan

    I have a “Slot Load Drive” and there is no hole to put a paper clip into, though I wish there were. More than I can say! This type of loading system was my only reservation with this laptop and turns out I should have listened to that little voice! Can anyone please help me with this type of drive refusing to eject a DVD? Please? When I press the Eject button there is an odd louder than normal type of “grinding?” noise. Perhaps better described as a stuttering? I’ve also gone under the Start menu to the drive itself and right clicked on it and selected Eject to the exact same result. I’d truly appreciate any and all help you may be able to give. Thank you in advance and have a wonderful weekend!

    • IML Tech

      @ Regan,
      You are correct, there is no way to open up this drive from outside.
      If the drive failed, you’ll have to remove this drive from the laptop. After that remove a few screws from the cover on the drive an rescue the disc.
      What is your laptop model?

  17. Jb

    Wow….wow….wow….I was SO frustrated….and wham this worked!

  18. Carmen

    What an awesome trick! Thank you! Just saved the disc with my wedding pics on!

  19. Jen

    What if I have that optical drive hole but inserting the pin does nothing? How could I possibly be doing something so simple so wrong? Ugh!

  20. thankful student

    Thank you so much !!! I was setting up my printer and the CD had gotten stuck.

    life saver you are

  21. Vijja

    Oowww, thank you so much!! i was panic and don’t know how to open it!

  22. lynn

    I have a dell alienware pc which is new. I put the cd in the slot and now it won’t come out. I see no reject button or whole. I don’t know what else to do. thanks for the help

  23. Elle

    Thanks a ton. Managed to remove the cd. It was driving me nuts 🙂