DVD burner tray out and on the floor!

[oldkraut48]

Last night while finishing up some DVD copying I hit the burner tray (which was extended at the time) with my knee and to my dismay watched it fall on the floor. I managed to reinsert it back onto the internal rails inside the DVD burner box, but now, it won't eject right and you have to push it in by hand. When the tray is all the way in it seems to play,although I haven't tried to burn anything since this happened. I have went into computer on windows 7 and clicked on DVD player and from the drop down menu have clicked eject and it will push the tray out about an inch and no further. If the green light is flashing and I try to push it all the way in I can hear gears grinding. I am new to computer hardware,but not afraid of mechanical things. Reason I posting this is I have been on the net and youtube and not found much pertaining to this problem. If anyone has been in a similar jam and knows the do's and don'ts I would appreciate the advise. Machine and the dvd burner ( which by the way is a hp also, I think. Can't see any hp logo on the front of the tray) are fairly new and don't want to buy replacement dvd burner unless I have to. Thanks.

Ted

 

[setishock]

The motor has a gear on it that mates up to the strip gear on the tray. Besides that there is a ridge on the tray that when closed engages the laser safety switch.
These have to be in alignment for the tray open/close to work correctly. It can be done but to open the player up with it under power is something a seasoned tech would be hesitant to do. The risk of eye damage is too great in relation to plunking out 30 dollars to get a new one.
My personal advise is to just replace it and be more careful next time.