disk stuck in machine

[tearinghair]

I've just put a CD in the computer. I wondered as I closed it whether I'd inserted it correctly, and it looks as though I didn't... it's not showing in Computer and pressing the eject button doesn't do anything. I don't want to force it - any ideas, please?

[daffy654]

Jiggle (gently) the PC tower to seat the disc properly then try ejecting again.

[tearinghair]

Do I need to shut down first?

[tearinghair]

There is a little hole, Trim, but I can't see it very well by artificial light, so maybe I'd better leave it until tomorrow morning. It's not a tower, Daffy, just a neat sort of box, but I guess the gentle jiggle would still work.

[ChuckFickens]

Note.

If you manually open it with the computer on the drive won't work again until you reset the computer (It won't harm it in any way)

[tearinghair]

Thanks Trim - I'm a bit nervous about it. Am I right in thinking I need to shut down the computer first?

[tearinghair]

This is getting scarier. I think I might have to leave it in, and hope it decides to release itself. As I'm sure you remember from previous posts, I'm absolutely non-technical - can use a computer fine as long as I don't need to understand it or do anything to it. Unfortunately my son, who set it up for me, lives in California an isn't likely to be over again for about 18 months!

[Poor-Alfie]

who else thought at first glance , something other than disk was stuck in the machine?

[ChuckFickens]

TH,

Do it, you won't hurt anything, my warning was purely if you were to do it with the computer on then the drive needs to be reset afterwards by turning the computer off and on again, if you turn the computer off the drive will be fine and work again when you turn it on.

You do need to push pretty hard on the paperclip, so don't be afraid to give it a good shove in the hole.

[tearinghair]

Job done indeed! Thank you all VERY much. (I was going to elaborate and say precisely how your advice had helped, but whatever I typed could be taken as vaguely pornographic if readers were in the wrong mood, so I thought I'd better keep it short!)

[tearinghair]

Just a little footnote...the programme I was hoping to install via the CD that got stuck,and which I have now succeeded in removing, was originally bought for XP (it's the background prog Marine Aquarium). Will it transfer to Windows 7? I was planning to have another try tomorrow, taking a bit more care this time. (Bad day today - I lost my watch first thing this morning, and eventually found it in a shoe!)

[ChuckFickens]

which version is it?

and even if the CD doesn't work you can probably download it and just use the license key you have.

[tearinghair]

bought some time ago, Chuck - version 2.0

[Carakeel]

Mine was stuck too and Ratter15 has just made it open by sticking a little opened paper clip into the tiny hole just below the CD cover. It worked. Hope it works for yours too. I closed it again after that and it opened as normal when I pressed the little button

[ChuckFickens]

only says upto vista, but try it and see, it will probably work.

[tearinghair]

Thanks, I'll have a go in the morning.
Carakeel, the paperclip method worked perfectly for me thanks to Trim's video and Chuck's encouragement not to be afraid to push it.