I have determined with my drive that the “stuck” tray has nothing to do with friction between the sliding tray and the drive casing components.
After the tray closes some type of mechanism locks the tray closed.
Before opening, either by pressing the eject button or via software, this lock is dis-engaged–then the tray is able to slide open.
With my drive, this locking mechanism is what cannot be disengaged. (Unless the pin in the eject hole is used.)
I tested by removing the face plate from the tray. I drilled a small hole in the center of the face plate and threaded a small screw slightly to serve as a handle to pull the tray out. I then replaced the faceplate on the tray and tried:
- Pressing the eject button and pulling on the “handle” to help the tray eject.,
- Repeating using software eject and pulling on the “handle.”
Regardless of how hard I pulled while the green light was activated to eject I could not get the tray to open. So it is not friction on the rails or elsewhere that is sticking the tray.
The only way to open the tray without damage is to use the pinhole method.
Regardless I will continue using it till it cannot read, scan or write discs.