CD-ROM erratic operation

I am fiddling with daughter's Compaq Presario 5441 and the CD is not inop. but not really useable. I can press the eject button and the tray will emerge partially then immediately retract. It can be manhandled to hold it out but it's not normal. Just wondering if anyone had come across this quirk and had a fix.
TIA for any advice. It is an older computer that she would like to hand down to my grandson. I searched the hardware forum but couldn't find anything close.

 

bobmc32,
Sorry to say this but with the indications you give sounds to me like a Mechanical boo-boo, and the unit (CD-ROM) is in need of a replacement.

 

Thanks irdreed for your reply and thoughts. S'funny but was just at my sisters home and ran into a similar problem with her CD-ROM (It was just plain old broken as it wouldn't boot from-or anything). Both appear to be mechanical failures. I have found a very cheap replacement so will go from here and replace both I reckon. (The replacement is cheap in price but not quality, I think, as it is an Asus 52X CD-ROM.)

 

It would not be hard to check.

Take it out and connect it to another computer (that is fault-free). You only need to position it close and stretch the data/ribbon and power cables out to connect to it.
If there are no other drives on the ribbon cable, there should not need to be any adjustment to the jumper (or set the jumper the same as the test computer's drive's jumper that you have pulled the connector from). If it acts the same the problem is the drive. If it works properly the problem is the original computer/system.

Find the make and model of the drive and see if there is a "firmware update" for it at the manufacturer's website. Check Compaq's website.

Matt

 

Thank you all for your sage advice and it is appreciated. I have decided that a remove and replace will be the route to go with this malfunctioning CD-ROM. It actually works if you manhandle it and have the timing to grab it while it is out teasing you then manually/forcefully coax it all the way out.

 

Thanks for letting us know.
Coincidence?...
Yesterday my friend got me to replace his CD-RW, the machine is a Compaq Pesario 6000. The drive is ejecting all types of media. I checked it on another computer, no change. I have the drive now and will see if there may be something that can be done with it. I will post back if I find anything that may help with both those problems. (Don't hold your breath )

Matt

 

thanks for the info mattman. I will be waiting but not holding breath as I kind of need it for ongoings.