[Info-vax] Suggestions for Toshiba CD-ROM drive problem

[Ben Lambert]

On Sunday, 30 April 2023 at 01:33:05 UTC+1, John H Reinhardt wrote:
> Just a shot in the dark, but has anyone had the problem with a Toshiba CD drive (specifically the XM-5701B) where it immediately spits out the CD after loading? I've watched the CD label and it doesn't change so it's not even spinning the disk. I was using the drive and have been for a week or so copying some SPL disks to my MicroVAX 3100 and had no issues. In fact, I had just copied one disk, ejected it and put in the next when this started happening. Literally less than a minute in between success and failure. 
> 
> So I started to investigate. I removed the drive from the MV and I was using some canned air to blow around in it just to make sure there was no dust. However, the danged canned air decided to shoot the red tube straight into the opening slot of the CD drive! WTF! Then when I tipped the drive face down to see if I'd get luck and it would fall out, I got a small white gear instead. Sh*t, my canned air was trying to kill my CD drive! I shined a flashlight into the opening and I could see the red tube off to the side, hiding after doing it's dirty work. I saw no obvious place where the gear could have come from. Now I had to open the case and dig. I had never taken one of these apart before so I went carefully. It wasn't too bad and most things were pretty obvious if you've dug around in things like these. 
> 
> The short story is that I got it apart and after peeling off a couple layers of plastic case and the circuit board I found where the gear was supposed to go. It slipped right on and seemed to work. It was part of the mechanism that lowers the LED read head so that the CD tray can slide in and out. Pushing on the lever you hit with the unfolded paperclip in that little hole on the faceplate cause it to move and turn and the LED platform dropped like it was supposed to and the CD tray slid out. It also meas that the gear wasn't the problem because with it gone, the LED platform won[t drop and the tray won't come out - which it was doing quite well. Too well, if you remember. I poked around a little more and made sure everything looked clean and nothing appeared broken - snapped plastic and such. Then I closed it back up without any more problems encountered. However, it still does the eject right after the ingest. 
> 
> Any suggestions? 
> 
> For what it's worth, I believe the Toshiba XM-5701B is what DEC labeled their RRD46, possibly the RRD47. 
> 
> I do have a couple of possible replacements coming from Ebay but these things are rare enough now I don't want to think it's toast. 
> 
> John H. Reinhardt

I've had the same problem previously.  My issue appeared to be caused by some slightly extra pressure on the drive casing when it was installed in the case.  It was sufficient to cause the drive tray to do exactly what you described.
I don't recall exactly how I solved it, but I think I removed the front panel and/or used the drive slightly protuding from being flush with the case.  I'm not sure if its weather dependent?!

I very nearly ended up buying a replacement drive from ebay for the same reasons.

HTH

Ben.