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(solved) Plextor optical drives are stuck and won't open. Fix?

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First post, by ux-3

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All my plextor optical drives will fail to open the tray when empty. They make periodic noises and are trying to open, but they don't. After many attempts, they finally open. If you then close, they are likely stuck again.

HOWEVER, they do eject right away if they have a disk inside. The problem only occurs without a disk.

My first assuption was, that the rubber ring sticks to the above counterpart. I cleaned the mechanism with alcohol, but the problem still occurs.

I am nearly certain that it must affect all Plextor drives out there, so you will likely have seen it too, if you have a Plex.

Any info on this?

Last edited by ux-3 on 2024-05-19, 14:17. Edited 1 time in total.

Retro PC warning: The things you own end up owning you.

Reply 1 of 5, by jmarsh

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It is almost certainly the belt either worn loose or stuck in the "default" shape that it's been sitting in for so long and not wanting to rotate.
Some people report boiling the belt in water helps tighten it up. I usually just take them off, roll them between my fingers a bit and put it back on inside out from the way it was originally installed.

Reply 2 of 5, by ux-3

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jmarsh wrote on 2024-05-17, 15:28:

It is almost certainly the belt either worn loose or stuck in the "default" shape that it's been sitting in for so long and not wanting to rotate.
Some people report boiling the belt in water helps tighten it up. I usually just take them off, roll them between my fingers a bit and put it back on inside out from the way it was originally installed.

And why does it work just fine when a CD is inside?

Retro PC warning: The things you own end up owning you.

Reply 3 of 5, by Kalle

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And why does it work just fine when a CD is inside?

Because the upper part of the mechanism that holds the CD in place is magnetic. With a CD inside, the magnetic force on the lower part is less than when both parts make direct contact without a CD between them.
Had the same problem with my DVD player. The belt was out of shape, thus the tray would only open when there's a DVD inside or if I gave it a slap on the top (which helped overcome the magnetic force). After having replaced it with a new belt it's been working flawlessly again.

I am nearly certain that it must affect all Plextor drives out there, so you will likely have seen it too, if you have a Plex.

I do have a Plexwriter 12/10/32A, but I believe it doesn't use a rubber belt for the tray mechanism (have to check it once I'm back home). It is still opening fine without a CD in it.
EDIT: Took me a while, but I opened my Plexwriter 12/10/32A, and indeed there's no belt. The motor drives the tray via some cogwheels.

Last edited by Kalle on 2024-10-09, 18:08. Edited 1 time in total.

Reply 4 of 5, by ux-3

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OK, makes sense.

Moved the belt a bit out of "phase", so the assumed sharp bend is now elsewhere. Seems to work for now.

Thanks!

My oldest is the one before the "premium", the 48/24/48A, and I have observed it with basically all the drives since.

Last edited by ux-3 on 2024-05-17, 18:09. Edited 1 time in total.

Retro PC warning: The things you own end up owning you.

Reply 5 of 5, by darry

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In addition to some Plextors, I have also seen this with an LG DVD-ROM. I t was less than 5 years old at the time.

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