CD blew up in computer???

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workinforwood

workinforwood

Member
Joined
Mar 1, 2007
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Location
Eaton Rapids, Michigan, USA.
I just got home, and when I came in the office there is one of my $20 steak knives sitting beside the computer. I shout to my youngest kid..what the ....steak knife doing in here???! :mad: I strictly forbid any food in my office...I am a pretty easy going guy and very lax with rules, but that puts me right over the edge of sanity. She comes in and says..oh, that was Shane <wife's son and 19yrs old>...she says his CD blew up in the computer and he had to get the pieces out. And the knife was not to open the door..supposedly the door opened fine, but the pieces were stuck inside and supposedly there are more pieces in there but I don't see them. The door on the drive is open and I push the button and it closes but it only stays closed a few seconds then opens again and stays open. I have never ever heard of a CD blowing to pieces inside a DVD player and I see nothing inside the machine that looks even capable of such a feat..heck the gears are nowhere near the CD and the gears are plastic with an elastic drive belt that couldn't possible exert enough force for a gear to crunch up a CD in the first place. I think this tale is impossible. I am sitting here and I am cursing fuming mad. How can this kid destroy everything he touches and disregard all my rules, have no respect and no common sense. I've replaced the computer chair 5 times and every time he manages to rip the seat to pieces. He eat in here when I am not around..I know he does, I find evidence because he isn't smart enough to hide it. I am at wit's end.
 
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Jeff, around here we call that "The Busted Anvil Syndrome". Some kids can just break an anvil. The bad news is that the syndrome is lifelong.
 
Maybe he hadn't pushed the CD down tight on the holder and when it started to spin inside the computer it came off ?????????
 
Cd's can actually break in a cd drive/dvd player. Especially if the cd is old and/or damaged. The force of the spin itself can actually break one. Especially the newer faster drives. Seems like Mythbusters did a thing about it a few years ago. I'll see if I can find it for you.
 
Jeff I have had this happen a few years ago. I was at work and had put a CD in the slot and I don't remember what I was doing but it was nothing out of the normal and the CD actually exploded with a loud bang. Wierdest thing I had ever seen. We took the case off of the computer and cleaned all the pieces out and never did determine what had happened but I can tell you this, it really happened.
 
VampMN said:
Cd's can actually break in a cd drive/dvd player. Especially if the cd is old and/or damaged. The force of the spin itself can actually break one. Especially the newer faster drives. Seems like Mythbusters did a thing about it a few years ago. I'll see if I can find it for you.
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Dang I just learned something new today.

Sorry to hear about your step kid, Jeff!
 
I used to fix car radios and CD players for a living and have seen this before . Audio CD players can spin the disc at speeds exceeding 20,000 rpm's DVD players are a little faster I think . That kind of speed can cause a disc to explode due to the rotational forces generated . If the disc has any flaws in the plastic it will self destruct .
 
Well I am not going to sit here and doubt you guys, especially when more than one of you have had that happen, but none of it makes me feel any better. I'm tired of turning around everyday and having to fix or replace something. I know that much of it is just life...but I'm telling ya'll it drives me crazy.

I looked and looked at my steak knife and still can't find the words pry bar on it anywhere.
 
There are several steps you can take to keep him out of the computer. Password protect it, lock the door to the office, turn it off and set a boot up password. Years ago we put keyboard locks on and that prevented those kinds of issues. Unless it was an extremely high end CD drive you can replace it for less than $100.00. I know that isn't any consolation when it shouldn't have happened to begin with. Unfortunately sometimes everybody has to suffer for the actions of one. I can sympathize, years ago I had real bad experiences with step son issues.
 
Password protection on boot is your best option, but what about buying the kid his own computer? Go on CL or similar and find a nice "Internet computer' - nothing speed demon or super high end and put it on your network. tell kid "this is yours, this is mine, you break yours, you fix yours"??
 
Jeff , take the drive out of the computer and open it up and shake out any pieces . There are several gearing sets in there and a piece may be stuck in one of them . . It's worth a shot since the drive isn't working anyway .
 
I will confirm that a normal everyday drive can cause a disk to shatter every once in a great while. It' is related to the manufacturing process that compresses the actual optical media between the "protective" plastic outer layers.

I can't help you with a 19 year old that would attempt to work on a computer with a steak knife, however. Even less so one that would leave the evidence in plain sight. I will offer my condolences, and suggest a good quality lock on the door and the key in your sole possession.

However, it is quite simple to remove a dvd drive from the computer chassis, and then remove the top cover to ensure all fragments are gone. You will also want to look at the bottom of the sliding tray and insure that the little arm that slides in the track on the bottom of the tray is where it is supposed to be, although usually if it is not, the drawer will not close all the way, rather than close then reopen.
 
yep -- my kids did the same thing. Would read CDs after I shook all the parts and pieces out of it, but not DVDs -- had to replace it.
 
Jeff, exploding cd's aside, it would seem that if the young man was required to take financial responsibility for the things he breaks on a consistent basis, he would stop being so hard on items.

This would be hard for you to implement though considering the whole blended family situation in which he lives. His mom would have to tell him "you break it you buy it or repair it."

Even if he's in college he can work a part time job to gain experience in the job world and earn a little money.
 
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Sorry for your loss. I experience the same problem with a high end stereo I had bought in Japan. Same senerio, Stepson would not leave my stuff alone. 6 disc CD player had to be repaired numerous times till he actually killed it.
 
I looked and looked at my steak knife and still can't find the words pry bar on it anywhere.[/QUOTE said:
Hey Jeff, send me the knife and I will laser engrave "pry bar" on it for you---no charge. Just trying to be helpfull.
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workinforwood said:
Well I am not going to sit here and doubt you guys, especially when more than one of you have had that happen, but none of it makes me feel any better. I'm tired of turning around everyday and having to fix or replace something. I know that much of it is just life...but I'm telling ya'll it drives me crazy.

I looked and looked at my steak knife and still can't find the words pry bar on it anywhere.
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Jeff, I've got a couple of butter knives in the shop ground down to thin parting tools and nowhere on them do they say "parting tool" but hey ...they work!
Seriously, that sucks hope you can resolve the situation.
 
Anvil test

Back when I did restaurant repair, the main qualification to work at Burger King was to destroy a 100# anvil with a soda straw in less than 20 seconds! Too many kids today, are worthless. Make him pay.
 
the best way is sometimes is to make them pay for it. The password boot up is a good idea. As far as having to pay for things I am glad that my parents had me purchase things. I bought two bikes (one mountain one road), my first car, laptop etc. and countless other things. people take better care of things when they paid for it. I earned the things I have including all my pen making stuff
 
jppensplus said:
I think your problems run deeper that an exploded DVD---good luck!!
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Everyone has interesting thoughts and idea's, but I think this guy really hits the nail on the head. Because he is my wife's son and for me just a step son, control issues exist. There is a delicate balance dealing with these situations when you are in this type of relationship. Buying another computer just for him would just cost me more money, make him stay home more, live here longer, as it all induces more laziness while he is on his new computer from 4pm till 5am eating and tossing trash on the floor then finally going to bed to wake up again at 4pm and restart the cycle. I could go on all day, bottom line is..the problems runs deeper than an exploded DVD. :frown:
 
Jeff, all the other guys offered you advise, I can only offer you preyers, I think tht's the only thing not being offered yet. but, I was thinking maybe he had something on the DVD, or CD that he didn't want anyone to see and he got walked in on and got into a hurry to remove it, hence the blow up. I know this doesn't help, but it may ease your apin a little. if you think hard about it, you maybe dealing with the emotional aspect of him cometeing you in his head for the mother's attention.
I have taken little psychology in school, not that makes me any expert.
Man my .02 cents are becoming 2 quarters. :eek::wink:
 
YES, CD or DVD can Shatter

Jeff, that is my trade, repairing electronics and computers, and yes, the cd or dvd can shatter inside. The principle on how it works-the electronics sense that the door is now shut and the laser comes on and the cd starts to spin, if it is not spinning fast enough due to a faulty spindle motor, the electronics compensates and gives more juice so it will spin faster, if there is a bad disc that won't allow itself to be read, or if the laser power has gone down for various reasons and can't quite put enough power out, the unit thinks if it spins quicker then it may read the disc,! normally there is a time out circuit so that after so many tries it says ok, can't read the disc-shut down. If a fault occurs that bypasses the chain, the cd will spin at a great rate of speed ,and suddenly Bang! it has shattered-has happened in my workshop and sounds frightening. Amos:)
 
I just don't understand why the "kid" is your problem. Or his mother's. If he is 19, and not in school, he has to have a job. 19, no school, no job - no live here. I know. I know. Easier said than done.
 
sefali said:
I just don't understand why the "kid" is your problem. Or his mother's. If he is 19, and not in school, he has to have a job. 19, no school, no job - no live here. I know. I know. Easier said than done.
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Yep...so easy to say. It is not as easy as I thought it would have been 10 yrs back to be a step father. Where's Rodney Dangerfield when you need him...I can't get no respect! :biggrin: of all the comedians out there..I kinda miss that guy.

I try to make a bit light of it all so as not to drive myself insane. Thank god for hobbies and you guys!
 
ldb2000 said:
Jeff , take the drive out of the computer and open it up and shake out any pieces . There are several gearing sets in there and a piece may be stuck in one of them . . It's worth a shot since the drive isn't working anyway .
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To join the thread; Every CD or DVD computer drive has a small round hole in the front near the drive tray. If the drive will not open, unbend a large paper clip and stick the end in there. You will feel a "catch". Push on the catch and the tray will release / open.

Computer Dweeb since 1970......:)
 
randyrls said:
To join the thread; Every CD or DVD computer drive has a small round hole in the front near the drive tray. If the drive will not open, unbend a large paper clip and stick the end in there. You will feel a "catch". Push on the catch and the tray will release / open.

Computer Dweeb since 1970......:)
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See Jeff, you wife's son is not all bad. Because of him driving you up a wall, I just learned something new. Be sure to thank him for me, will ya? :smile-big:
 
Sorry to hear about your troubles.

After watching the mythbusters episode at the link, I think you may want to remove the cover from the disc drive and encourage your step son to use your computer. Think sharp plastic projectiles.
 
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