Optical Disk Drive is Unable to Eject the Disc

This article has information about how to troubleshoot issues related to the CD, DVD, or Blu-ray drive on your Dell Desktop or Laptop computer. The instructions below will help you diagnose and resolve issues if your CD, DVD, or Blu-ray drive is unable to eject the disk.

The CD, DVD, or Blu-ray drive on your computer may not be able to eject the disk.

Use the troubleshooting instructions below if your CD, DVD, or Blu-ray drive is not able to eject a disk. The instructions help you resolve the problem in some instances if the drive has not failed completely.

The instructions below can be used for both internal and external CD, DVD or Blu-ray drives but some of the fundamentals might be a little different.

The instructions below applies to the following Microsoft Windows Operating Systems, however some instructions may slightly vary with older version of Microsoft Windows (Windows Vista or Windows XP):

• Microsoft Windows 11 or Windows 10
• Microsoft Windows 8 or 8.1

Troubleshooting steps

Click on the troubleshooting steps below for more instructions. If the issue is not resolved, go to the next troubleshooting step.

1. Eject the disk within the Operating System
2. Manually eject the disk within System BIOS
3. Use the emergency eject option (tray-load drives only)
4. Install or Update the Dell Quickset drivers (slot-load drives only)
5. Close the CD/DVD playback or recording software
6. Install the latest BIOS update on your computer

1. Eject the disk within the Operating System

Windows Explorer or File Explorer has an option to eject the CD/DVD tray manually within the Operating System. To eject the tray within the Operating System, follow these steps:

1. Press the Windows key + E to open Windows Explorer or File Explorer.
2. Click on Computer or My PC on the left pane of the window.
3. Right-click the CD/DVD/Blu-ray drive icon and select Eject.

2. Manually eject the disk within System BIOS

To better isolate if the issue is caused by the drive itself or some third-party application which may be causing the issue, you can try to eject the tray from within the System BIOS. To eject the tray within the System BIOS, follow these steps:

1. Restart your computer and tap the F2 key while it is restarting.
2. Once you are in the SystemBIOS screen, press the Eject button of your CD/DVD/Blu-ray drive. For instructions on where to find the Eject button on your computer, see Dell Knowledge Base article, Instructions to Download and View Manuals.
3. If the tray eject is successful within the System BIOS, restart the computer and boot into the Operating System.
   If eject does not work within the Operating System, go to the next troubleshooting step.
4. If the tray eject is unsuccessful within the System BIOS, contact Dell Technical Support for In-warranty repair options.

3. Use the emergency eject option (tray-load drives only)

You can manually eject the tray of the optical drive using a paperclip. This is applicable for computers with tray-load drives only.

1. Turn OFF your computer.
2. Unfold the paperclip until there is at least 1 to 2 inches (2 to 5 cm) that is straight.
3. Directly under or above the drive bay door (the part that "ejects" the disk) there should be a small pinhole.
   
   Figure 1: Optical Disk Drive (Desktop)
    

   	Drive Status LED
   	Emergency Eject
   	Eject Button

   
   
   
   Figure 2: Optical Disk Drive (Laptop)
    

   	Drive Status LED
   	Eject Button
   	Emergency Eject

4. Insert the paperclip into the pinhole and push it in gently. Remove and reinsert the paperclip as often as needed to eject the drive bay enough to grab a hold of it.
5. Slowly pull on the drive bay until it is fully retracted. Take care not to continue to pull if you feel any resistance.
6. Press the Eject button again to close the tray. (Desktops only)

4. Install or Update the Dell Quickset drivers (slot-load drives only)

The Dell QuickSet utility provides easy access to configure settings for power management, icon and font size, display brightness, and optical drive tray eject as well as other functions on most Dell Laptop and select Dell Desktop computers.

See the Dell Knowledge Base article Drivers & Downloads FAQ to find out more information about how to download and install a driver.

5. Close the CD/DVD playback or recording software

Some CD/DVD playback or recording software may cause the optical drive not to eject. Ensure to close all such applications before trying to eject the disk.

You may also want to look in the System Tray at the bottom-right corner of the screen. If you see an icon that represents the CD/DVD playback or recording software, right-click the icon and select Close or Exit.

6. Install the latest BIOS update on your computer

Dell Technologies recommends updating the BIOS as part of your scheduled update cycle. Like Operating System and driver revisions, the update contains feature enhancements or changes that help keep your system software current and compatible with other system modules (hardware, firmware, drivers, and, software) as well as provide security updates and increased stability.

See the Dell Knowledge Base article Dell BIOS Updates for more information.

For any other issue with the CD, DVD or Blu-ray drive on your computer, see the Dell Knowledge Base article Troubleshooting CD/DVD or Blu-Ray Drive Problems in Microsoft Windows.

Recommended Articles

Here are some recommended articles related to this topic that might be of interest to you.

• How to Troubleshoot CD, DVD or Blu-Ray Drive Problems
• Guide to Optical Disc Drives and Optical Discs
• Optical Disk Drive is Unable to Read or Recognize a Disc
• Troubleshooting Optical Drive Recognition Issues in Windows