Member Avatar for EDickens78

I have a Toshiba Satellite P105-S6177 laptop that we bought late March/early April. Since getting it, I have used the drive MAYBE 5 times, the last time being 3 months ago easy. With that, I have no idea when it disappeared. I went to get some documents of a disc and the door wouldn't open, I noticed no light, so I checked device manager, no drive, rebooted and went into BIOS..again no drive. It has no power and doesn't exist. Having been opened 4 or 5 times and the care at which I take care of my computers, I'm baffled. This is my first laptop, so I'm scared to open it up without much knowledge, if it were our desktop I'd be in business. I called the support center and they're idoits who's only solution is to send it in. I would REALLY like to avoid giving up the computer at all. Not just for my internet addiction :P but I have ALOT of info on here I would rather not worry about anyone fishing through. If anyone could PLEASE point me in the right direction, it would be grrrrreatly appreciated. This was the fear I had of getting a laptop, I've only ever worked on desktops.

Just in case, I'll put all the info together here:
Toshiba Satelllite P105-S6177
Windows Vista Home Premium


I haven't done any major changes, it's never been dropped, haven't installed anything or anything of that nature. Our computers are our babies, so it's unlikely that it's a misuse issue. I just hope it's something simple..*cross fingers*

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by sarkar

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A short, practical summary of what that thread shows and what typically fixes it.

When an internal optical drive is missing from BIOS the cause is usually hardware (power, connector, jam, or a failed drive); when the drive is visible in BIOS but missing inside Windows the cause is usually software/driver or registry filters. Manufacturer troubleshooting pages and knowledge bases reflect that distinction. () (Dell KB).

Quick triage (low-risk first):

  1. Verify BIOS: cold-boot into BIOS/UEFI and look for the optical drive entry.
  2. Power state check: remove AC and the main battery (if removable) before any work; try the mechanical/emergency eject (paperclip) to rule out a jam.
  3. If BIOS shows the drive but the OS does not, try Device Manager uninstall/restart or the Microsoft registry upper/lower filter fix.
  4. If the drive is absent from BIOS, treat it as hardware: reseat the drive connector or replace the slim drive; follow a model-specific service manual or illustrated teardown rather than guessing.
  5. If the laptop must be handed to a shop and data privacy is a concern, remove the system drive or make a full disk image first (Clonezilla and many step-by-step HDD removal guides are available).

Relevant resources: emergency/jam removal and teardown guides (iFixit optical drive removal), the official Windows troubleshooting flow for CD/DVD detection (Microsoft support), device-specific service manuals and safety warnings (do not attempt to disassemble the drive optics) are available from the vendor. ().

Safety note: always remove all power sources and disconnect the internal battery before opening the chassis; do not open the optical drive mechanism itself (laser safety). Step-by-step model guides often fix loose connectors just as later reported; for those uncomfortable with teardown, ’s suggestion to use an experienced local technician is sensible. (iFixit battery/disconnect practice)

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Member Avatar for sarkar

Do something, take it to some experienced person and he'll do it. No need to take it to the care center or contact them, tell them its an emergency, go to them get it checked and get it back. I suggest the first option.

Cheers,
sarkar

Member Avatar for EDickens78

I should have posted something, but I fixed it about an hour after posting that. Found a site that gave step by step instructions, with pictures no less, of taking apart my exact laptop. I disect our desktops all the time, just with a laptop kinda the fear of the unknown. But all is good.

Member Avatar for sarkar

Can u link to that website?

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