How do I open the manually cd tray on dead Mac Pro (2008)?

Question

How do I open the manually cd tray on dead Mac Pro (2008)?

Should be obvious but it's not. I want to start up from a DVD OEM disk but I can't even open the tray. I used to use the old paper clip trick on older macs. Now I can't figure it out. I'm only interested in how to physically force open the tray. Not interested in software or keyboard short cuts. Thanks.

Mike

Mac pro (early 2008 desktop), 8 x 2.8, 12GB Ram, 4TB, Mac OS X (10.6.2), Boot camp 3.1, win 7 pro 64bit, 8800 gt

Posted on Sep 24, 2010 8:11 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Michael Northcutt Author

Level 1

39 points

Sep 24, 2010 8:22 PM in response to Michael Northcutt

How do I manually open the cd tray on dead Mac Pro (2008)?

This thread below describes my situation perfectly. I've tried all the key commands on start up with no luck. Is it true I have to completely remove the drive to open it? There must be a hardware solution/method to opening the tray, no?

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=9023352&#9023352

My issue is... I only get a spinning fan at start up and displays don't come on. No keyboarshort cuts have any effect with regards to ejecting tray so I can't get a utility disk into my computer to start from. Power supply and fans working fine. Not sure why Apple would choose to make it so difficult to open up a cd tray.

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Answer 2

Sep 24, 2010 8:55 PM in response to Michael Northcutt

I used the method found at the bottom of the thread link I posted above. I had to physically remove the CD drive from the computer to access the old style pin hole. Then I used the paper clip method from the old days (straighten out a paper clip and insert one end into the hole on front end of cd / drive casing.

Amazing that Apple made this such an arduous task (opting visual design over function). If there is a simpler method not involving opening up the computer I'm still interested in learning for future reference.

Thanks,
Mike

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Answer 3

UKenGB

Level 2

306 points

Nov 18, 2010 11:52 AM in response to Michael Northcutt

Did you try restarting holding down the (left) mouse button? I've never known that to not work.

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Answer 4

zbot1

Level 1

4 points

Jan 24, 2011 3:09 AM in response to Michael Northcutt

have similar problems to you. the mouse does work though, just leave it depressed long enough. did you ever get it to display video? thx.

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Answer 5

RZBBK

Level 1

8 points

Sep 3, 2015 5:17 PM in response to Michael Northcutt

I bought my first Mac on 1984. I have exactly the identical problem and Apple got rid of Michael's Discussions...

And considering that the beautiful Pro Tower's face has enough holes, it would NOT bother anything adding one more small pin hole. Some people working at Apple are geniuses, but whoever ignored the little pin hole should be killed (OK, fired)! It is SO frustrating!

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