Disc drive won't stay closed

I was wondering if this happened to anyone else or if anyone knew a way to fix it, I searched online but only found the problem relating to the 360 and not the original XBox.

When I put a game in my XBox or open the drive at all, the drive won't stay closed and keeps opening up. The only way to get it to load a game is to keep a finger pressed against the drive to force it to stay shut then after the game loads to the XBox logo, the drive stays closed.

I bought the system new 5 years ago and it doesn't get a ton of use, last time I used the system was in October. Towards the end of the summer and early fall I noticed it took longer than usual to load a disc so I am thinking the system might be breaking down.

I really don't want to get a new system because I have saves on the hard drive and I always back up my saves to a memory card for most game but some games won't allow you to copy a save file to a memory card, unless there is a way to transfer all saves somehow off the hard drive?

My rarely used Xbox1 acts up in a similar fashion. It has a Samsung drive and if I'm sitting there with no game inserted, it just randomly ejects sometimes for absolutely no reason. Eject button isn't stuck or anything either. Thankfully I haven't ever had it happen while a disc is inserted so it isn't nearly as bad as yours. I had tried searching in vain just like you in trying to find info regarding an issue like this.

I have the opposite problem with my Xbox1. The drive wont open unless i mash on the eject button like 20 times.

[quote name='Nogib']My rarely used Xbox1 acts up in a similar fashion. It has a Samsung drive and if I'm sitting there with no game inserted, it just randomly ejects sometimes for absolutely no reason. Eject button isn't stuck or anything either. Thankfully I haven't ever had it happen while a disc is inserted so it isn't nearly as bad as yours. I had tried searching in vain just like you in trying to find info regarding an issue like this.[/QUOTE]

My system also has a Samsung drive. I looked into replacing the drive but I could probably buy a used XBox for the same price and I really don't want to even attempt to replace the drive.

Replacing the dvd drive is incredibly easy. Nothing to it besides unplugging it and plugging in a new one. There are no keys to swap, etc.

I have one that I'd sell to a CAG for $10+ship. It's sitting right now in an xbox with a busted motherboard but the drive itself works fine. The only things I've shipped are games on eBay (Ddude723), so I'm not too sure how much the shipping would be. I'm sure we could work something out if you're interested though.

Must be a Samsung drive issue...as mine has been doing the same thing for the past 4-5 months now.

As such, I'd be interested in knowing if a fix exists as well.

And here I thought I was one of the lucky ones when I bought my 'box back in March of 2004 to find it had the Samsung drive, as opposed to the troublesome Toshiba or even worse (insert the name here since I forget the name).

I am shifting to PS3. Of course like a child I am exploring something new everyday.
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It's working a little better now, about half the time it stays closed on its own and the rest of the time I only have to hold the drive shut for 1 or 2 seconds.

[quote name='cavalier']Must be a Samsung drive issue...as mine has been doing the same thing for the past 4-5 months now.

As such, I'd be interested in knowing if a fix exists as well.

And here I thought I was one of the lucky ones when I bought my 'box back in March of 2004 to find it had the Samsung drive, as opposed to the troublesome Toshiba or even worse (insert the name here since I forget the name).[/QUOTE]
You mean the infamous Thomson drive, right? I have the Samsung drive myself and after not being used for almost a full year I decided to break out the old XBox last August to play some games while I had Sony give my fat PS3 I had then the once over(end of warranty so I said I was 'having issues' to get a 3 month extension).

Unfortunately, I had the same issue as some of you(drive tray wouldn't open till I mashed on the eject button a number of times). But after using it for 2-3 weeks until my PS3 came back from Sony it was playing like normal.

Of course, it's been back in my closet since then(9 months), so chances are it's borked again with the eject issue.

Thing is, I have at least a few games I want to try and finish for the system(Psychonauts, for one), but yet I have no desire to drag it out as of late.