How to Eject a Stuck DVD/CD Drive

A straightened paper clip can open a stuck DVD drive.

Optical drives in computers can sometimes get stuck if they are jostled and the rails get bent. You might also need to eject a disk immediately without waiting for the computer to power on and make the drive operable. Optical drives have an emergency disk eject feature that you can use -- as long as you have a paper clip -- to remove CDs or DVDs.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Paper clip

1. Locate the optical drive that contains your stuck disk. You'll see a small hole on or immediately below the disk tray.

2. Straighten the paper clip.

3. Insert the straight end of the paper clip in the hole and push. You should feel it catch inside the latch mechanism.

4. Pull the paper clip out gently. The disk tray will come with it.

5. Remove the CD or DVD and close the tray.