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Jay32 · 02-26-2003, 07:55 AM

If the button were in a more convenient location I would probably be a button pusher too, but it isn't so I'm not.

Thinking that my tray pushing habits could be damaging my hardware, I performed a torture test a few months back:
I had an old system with a 12X CDROM (Toshiba, I think) in it. It wouldn't read CDRW's so I was planning on trashing it anyway. With the system powered up, I spent about an half an hour repeatedly ramming the tray open and closed. I was pushing it so hard that it was actually stripping the gears in the loading mechanism. I repeatedly flexed the tray in all direction, but not hard enough to actually break the plastic itself. After all that, it still opened and closed just fine (even though it did make a bit of grinding noise) and still read cd's.

I know brands vary but this thing seemed to be built like a tank. So I don't think that the occasional gentle nudge from normal use will damage them.

02-26-2003, 07:55 AM	#21
Jay32 Member (8 bit) Join Date: Sep 1999 Location: Virginia Posts: 143	If the button were in a more convenient location I would probably be a button pusher too, but it isn't so I'm not. Thinking that my tray pushing habits could be damaging my hardware, I performed a torture test a few months back: I had an old system with a 12X CDROM (Toshiba, I think) in it. It wouldn't read CDRW's so I was planning on trashing it anyway. With the system powered up, I spent about an half an hour repeatedly ramming the tray open and closed. I was pushing it so hard that it was actually stripping the gears in the loading mechanism. I repeatedly flexed the tray in all direction, but not hard enough to actually break the plastic itself. After all that, it still opened and closed just fine (even though it did make a bit of grinding noise) and still read cd's. I know brands vary but this thing seemed to be built like a tank. So I don't think that the occasional gentle nudge from normal use will damage them.