Closing the CD-ROM drive question?

[Gaard]

My brother-in-law saw me closing the CD-ROM manually instead of using the little button and told me not to do that anymore. I just put a little pressure on the open tray until it starts to close. Should I stop doing that and always use the little button?

 

[LiLithTecH]

Only time it would present a problem is if you force-it closed.

 

[xizor]

i don't think its proven it hurts a drive, but it certainly can't help. i wouldn't blame someone for being cautious.

 

[dude]

Been doing this for years. Never had a problem. Just put a slight pressure on the door and it closes. I always did this to my cdrw and even my dvd burner. I never hurt them before.

At work, my cdrom drive has been open and closed like this for about 3 years.

 

[sswingle]

I think the drives are designed to do this. If not, I think you would have to manually push them the entire way, and not just a little bit.

 

[Looney]

LOL you've got to be kidding. They're meant to be pushed in... if not, the button would be above the drive, not below it.

 

[Jeff7]

Originally posted by: pwddesign
I think the drives are designed to do this. If not, I think you would have to manually push them the entire way, and not just a little bit.

I thought this too.

The only bad thing I can think of about forcing the door closed would be the current put back into the circuit - when you close the tray manually, it spins the motor that usually opens and closes it. This produces a current. I don't know that it's very much though, and the circuit, considering that it normally provides power in either direction, should be able to handle it.