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close cd-rom drive with non-apple keyboard

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Xer0dIn

macrumors member
Original poster
Feb 28, 2008
65
0
Hello everyone, Sorry if this is a dumb question but I've not been able to figure this out. I've just got my new Mac Pro set up today. I've put Windows XP (32 bit) on there and I'm using a Logitech DiNovo Edge keyboard. I can eject both of my cd-rom drives in by going into My Computer and right clicking the drive and selecting eject. But I cannot close them without either pushing the drives close (don't want to do that) or by rebooting the computer.
It is really annoying, can anyone please help?
 
Xer0dIn said:
Hello everyone, Sorry if this is a dumb question but I've not been able to figure this out. I've just got my new Mac Pro set up today. I've put Windows XP (32 bit) on there and I'm using a Logitech DiNovo Edge keyboard. I can eject both of my cd-rom drives in by going into My Computer and right clicking the drive and selecting eject. But I cannot close them without either pushing the drives close (don't want to do that) or by rebooting the computer.
It is really annoying, can anyone please help?
Click to expand...

This might sound silly but I used a PC keyboards for 23 years so you can imagine I used many different ones. Now I use the new Mac keyboard. It's the best one that I ever used. Why don't you like it?
 
The last time I used a keyboard designed for Windows, I think F12 would open and close the optical drive tray. Not sure if it has changed or or not.
 
Just give the drawer a gentle push. It's designed to close with a push.
 
surflordca said:
This might sound silly but I used a PC keyboards for 23 years so you can imagine I used many different ones. Now I use the new Mac keyboard. It's the best one that I ever used. Why don't you like it?
Click to expand...

I do like it, but I like the DiNovo Edge even better :)
 
pastrychef said:
The last time I used a keyboard designed for Windows, I think F12 would open and close the optical drive tray. Not sure if it has changed or or not.
Click to expand...

That doesn't work, I've tried other key combinations as well with the F12 key.
 
krye said:
Just give the drawer a gentle push. It's designed to close with a push.
Click to expand...

I didn't want to do that because I thought that decreases the lifespan of your drives. I think theres third party software out there that will let you close and open drive that sits in your task tray. I haven't tried looking for any yet. Looks like that may be my best option. I really don't want to push the drives close.
 
Xer0dIn said:
I didn't want to do that because I thought that decreases the lifespan of your drives. I think theres third party software out there that will let you close and open drive that sits in your task tray. I haven't tried looking for any yet. Looks like that may be my best option. I really don't want to push the drives close.
Click to expand...

You could try using this:

http://www.creativetechs.com/tips/quicktips_51.html

When the tray is open and you click it, it closes the tray.
 
Go here:

/System/Library/CoreServices/Menu Extras/

Double click on Eject.menu and you'll have an eject icon on your menu bar.

For more option settings, install TinkerTool.
 
cal6n said:
Go here:

/System/Library/CoreServices/Menu Extras/

Double click on Eject.menu and you'll have an eject icon on your menu bar.

For more option settings, install TinkerTool.
Click to expand...

I won't be able to try anything until this evening, but I'm talking about Windows, not OS X. The eject and close work perfectly fine in OS X with a non-apple keyboard. I can't get the drives to close in windows because I'm using a non-apple keyboard.
 
trake this tray and shove it.

Xer0dIn said:
I didn't want to do that because I thought that decreases the lifespan of your drives. I think theres third party software out there that will let you close and open drive that sits in your task tray. I haven't tried looking for any yet. Looks like that may be my best option. I really don't want to push the drives close.
Click to expand...

first thought. i've been building computers and pushing drives closed for more than 20 years. really. i never push a key/button, and have never had a failure due to using the brute force method.

but, if you want an alternative, i can recommend hotkey as working well with xp. $10 alternative to giving the tray a little bump. ;) best of luck.
 
i'll second the "just give it a nudge" opinion...

I've been closing optical drives this way since you had to put the CD into a cassette and push THAT into the drive bay. I've never, ever, ever had any trouble with one breaking. The only drives that seem to break (unless you just punch the thing or hit it with a hammer or something extreme) are the slot-loading ones or the really thin laptop tray drives. They are very fragile in general and not my favorite things...

The mac pro's drive has a little actuator in there that senses a "close" push and takes over the action from you, just like automatic minivan sliding doors.

Too bad apple doesn't want us to be able to touch the button on the front of the drive for aesthetic reasons...otherwise you'd just be able to push the physical "eject" button on the drive and it would close back up.

optical drives cost 20-40 bucks anyway, so if you somehow break one, it isn't the end of the world...chances are a 25 dollar drive you buy at newegg will be better than the one that shipped with your mac pro anyway, as sad as that is...
 
Xer0dIn said:
That doesn't work, I've tried other key combinations as well with the F12 key.
Click to expand...

I've just connected my new Logitech Denovo edge. The F12 key worked right away. Just remember to hold it down for a few seconds.
 
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