Help! How to fix Mac Pro 2010 SuperDrive Door Sticking Open?

[timidhermit]

I have a Mac Pro 2010 which I baby'ed since purchase.

Yesterday, the metal door that opens and closes when the SuperDrive tray ejects and retracts start to stick. Now, even when the tray retracts fully back into the SuperDrive, the drive bay door remains open in the retracted down position.

I found this thread from MacRumors forum long ago and have already tried the suggested fix, but it did not help:

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/anyone-elses-sliding-drive-door-stick-on-mac-pros.281969/

Can someone please give me some other troubleshooting tips or fixes? Anyone tries to "oil" the hinges? If so, how? What about out-of-warranty repair by Apple? Is this possible?

Please help!!!!

 

[h9826790]

You can still take the 2010 Mac Pro to Apple, and they will fix it (test for free, but charge you if you really want to fix it).

They usually provide maintenance for 7 years since the machine release. So, this may be the last year that you can still take the 2010 Mac Pro to Apple store and ask for a fix.

However, in your case, they may replace a whole new case for you and then charge you accordingly. I doubt if they have the procedure to just fix the jammed door for you.

 

[timidhermit]

Anything I can try for a self-repair beforehand? It is truly disappointing given how much care I baby'ed my MacPro and still have a mechanical part breaking.

 

[h9826790]

It's hard to tell if can be fix easily.

At least you have to open it up, take the optical drive out, and have a look what's happened to the door mechanism.

 

[nigelbb]

How often do you use the DVD drive? The quick & dirty fix would be to either jam the door open or remove it entirely. If that offends your aesthetic sense then forget about the SuperDrive buy a USB external drive for peanuts. Why not treat yourself & buy a Blu-ray burner? Then you can tell yourself it's an upgrade not a workaround for a defect.

 

[h9826790]

I think his door is now jammed at the open position, so, won't affect any ops, just cosmatic issue.

 

[timidhermit]

You are correct. It is jammed in the open position. Admittedly, it is cosmetic. But also it keeps dust out. I have removed the optical drive bay and have thoroughly cleaned the bay and the door. No change. I don't see anything obvious. I can forcefully close the door by flicking it back up, but it would stick again. Possibly some spring mechanism issue?

I think his door is now jammed at the open position, so, won't affect any ops, just cosmatic issue.

 

[GoCubsGo]

I Fonzie it...light little bitch slap just below the door makes it pop right back. Mine is a 2008 and started sticking about a year ago.

 

[macpro00]

You can still take the 2010 Mac Pro to Apple, and they will fix it (test for free, but charge you if you really want to fix it).

They usually provide maintenance for 7 years since the machine release. So, this may be the last year that you can still take the 2010 Mac Pro to Apple store and ask for a fix.

However, in your case, they may replace a whole new case for you and then charge you accordingly. I doubt if they have the procedure to just fix the jammed door for you.

7 year maintenance?? What does that mean?

 

[h9826790]

7 year maintenance?? What does that mean?

They usually only provide up to 7 years hardware maintenance in Apple store. After that, you can still take the machine to there for testing etc, but not necessary have parts to fix it. The 2009 Mac Pro just being put into the obsolete list last year, this year should be the 2010 Mac Pro.

 

[owbp]

I Fonzie it...light little bitch slap just below the door makes it pop right back. Mine is a 2008 and started sticking about a year ago.

That's what I do. Few light bumps below the door always bring them up.

 

[timidhermit]

Yes, that is what I am doing. But if possible, I want to get to the bottom of the mechanical cause of this sticking. I presume that there must be some fiction point I have yet to find that is causing the jam. Anyone figured out where the fiction point might be?

BTW, what is "Fonzie" it? I am embarrassed to say that I am lost in yet another English colloquialism.

That's what I do. Few light bumps below the door always bring them up.

 

[owbp]

I'll get right to it as soon as I get graphics power cables from eBay. Right now, my GPU is connected to molex so DVD is out of the case. It has to be some dust buildup/friction. Although i can see that bottom drawer, on that doesn't stuck, has some space between door and case. Upper one is completely flush with case, so maybe thats the problem?


Btw, take a look how would Fonzie resolve the thing with a door, as GoCubsGo suggested.

 

[scott.n]

They usually only provide up to 7 years hardware maintenance in Apple store. After that, you can still take the machine to there for testing etc, but not necessary have parts to fix it. The 2009 Mac Pro just being put into the obsolete list last year, this year should be the 2010 Mac Pro.

Does Apple consider the 2010 and 2012 Mac Pros to be different models? In any case, the "2010" version was sold until mid-2012 so your 7 year period would last until 2019.

 

[h9826790]

Almost everyone know that they are the same model. However, Apple tends to use the ident Mac Pro 2010 but not Mac Pro 5,1. So, I guess they will still put the 2010 Mac Pro in the obsolete list even though all parts still available for the 2012 Mac Pro (they are trying so hard to kill this best ever made upgradable Mac). It will be a challenge if you want Apple to repair an item that in the obsolete list (regardless if the parts avail or not). In fact, most of the parts are also compatible to the 4,1, but that's already in the list, so technically no hardware support for the whole machine, including the PSU, GPU, fans, etc.

The following quote from the Apple website.

"Obsolete products are those that were discontinued more than 7 years ago. Apple has discontinued all hardware service for obsolete products with no exceptions. Service providers cannot order parts for obsolete products. All Apple Retail Stores and the Canadian, European, Latin American, and Asia-Pacific operating regions follow the U.S. product list, but make no distinction between vintage and obsolete. When applied to Apple Retail Stores and these operating regions, products on the U.S. vintage list (all models) are considered obsolete."

 

[GoCubsGo]

Yes, that is what I am doing. But if possible, I want to get to the bottom of the mechanical cause of this sticking. I presume that there must be some fiction point I have yet to find that is causing the jam. Anyone figured out where the fiction point might be?

BTW, what is "Fonzie" it? I am embarrassed to say that I am lost in yet another English colloquialism.

Not so much another English colloquialism as much as it shows my age. Fonzie is a character in Happy Days and he would basically hit things closed-fist to get them to work for him..or get a free soda pop...etc.

Yup, I am old.

 

[timidhermit]

Mine is like yours too. So I agree that there must be some kind of obstruction that is blocking the door from closing and not a mechanical problem with the spring holding the door.

I'll get right to it as soon as I get graphics power cables from eBay. Right now, my GPU is connected to molex so DVD is out of the case. It has to be some dust buildup/friction. Although i can see that bottom drawer, on that doesn't stuck, has some space between door and case. Upper one is completely flush with case, so maybe thats the problem?

 

[haralds]

Mine is like yours too. So I agree that there must be some kind of obstruction that is blocking the door from closing and not a mechanical problem with the spring holding the door.

I have the same problem and have spent hours without luck. The design is finicky and once it jams, there is little you can do to adjust it. Replacing it is a major job, since you have to take all the insides out to get to the back screw that holds it in place. I know close it manually by flicking the little tabs that get push by the sled, when it is opened.

 

[timidhermit]

Here is a tip that you may try if you are brave enough.

I got a Genius Bar appointment today at my Apple store. Showed the Specialist a video I captured of the door jamming. He said he had seen this before. Because the MacPro is very heavy, I did not bring my own system to the store without knowing first whether or not it is fixable. By chance, there was a Mac Pro at the store (not on display) that the Specialist said was also having the same problem. He took it out from the back room to see what's wrong with it (assuming the problem would be identical to mine) so that he might give me a quote for the repair cost.

Then a strange thing happen. As he was tugging the plastic frame holding the door mechanism from the inside backward, the frame suddenly gave a little, after which the door worked normally again. When we looked at the door, neither of us however could see any visual difference in the position of any of the parts. In the end, he said it was likely that there was a subtle misalignment of the frame against the chassis. He was tugging quite hard, obviously without breaking it, and I could see that the frame was partly moving away from the frame. After the tug, the frame must somehow reseated into the correct position to fix the door jamming.

I am too scared to try this on my own system. If any of you are brave enough to try, please report here your findings (with some photos if possible so the rest of us can follow you).

 

[res6jya6]

Here is a tip that you may try if you are brave enough.

I got a Genius Bar appointment today at my Apple store. Showed the Specialist a video I captured of the door jamming. He said he had seen this before. Because the MacPro is very heavy, I did not bring my own system to the store without knowing first whether or not it is fixable. By chance, there was a Mac Pro at the store (not on display) that the Specialist said was also having the same problem. He took it out from the back room to see what's wrong with it (assuming the problem would be identical to mine) so that he might give me a quote for the repair cost.

Then a strange thing happen. As he was tugging the plastic frame holding the door mechanism from the inside backward, the frame suddenly gave a little, after which the door worked normally again. When we looked at the door, neither of us however could see any visual difference in the position of any of the parts. In the end, he said it was likely that there was a subtle misalignment of the frame against the chassis. He was tugging quite hard, obviously without breaking it, and I could see that the frame was partly moving away from the frame. After the tug, the frame must somehow reseated into the correct position to fix the door jamming.

I am too scared to try this on my own system. If any of you are brave enough to try, please report here your findings (with some photos if possible so the rest of us can follow you).

Can confirm - gently pulled back on the plastic frame for the door trays and the top one is now unstuck.

 

[SpaceRocket5000]

I have a Mac Pro 2010 which I baby'ed since purchase.

Yesterday, the metal door that opens and closes when the SuperDrive tray ejects and retracts start to stick. Now, even when the tray retracts fully back into the SuperDrive, the drive bay door remains open in the retracted down position.

I found this thread from MacRumors forum long ago and have already tried the suggested fix, but it did not help:

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/anyone-elses-sliding-drive-door-stick-on-mac-pros.281969/

Can someone please give me some other troubleshooting tips or fixes? Anyone tries to "oil" the hinges? If so, how? What about out-of-warranty repair by Apple? Is this possible?

Please help!!!!

Hello,

This is what finally worked for me.


I had the same problem where both drive doors suddenly stopped closing.

There were two problems.
1. The plastic drive door mechanism would get itself jammed,
2. The plastic drive door mechanism was also jamming against the case.

I followed the excellent instructions posted by voidcom - (discussions apple com thread 7774238) to open and disassemble the optical drive door mechanism.

Also look at this video on youtube by Kyle Dorang - MacPro optical drive doors sticking open - solved!
This explains the mechanism jamming itself.

I found that a torch and magnetic tipped screwdriver was essential with those tiny screws and the angles of accessing the case.
These are the tools I used in order to solve the problem.

This solved the problem of the mechanism locking up on itself when it is out of the case.

Cut the tabs off with the pliers.

However the doors still got stuck when I put the mechanism back in the case.
Outside of the case the whole mechanism stopped getting stuck, but then gut stuck as soon as it went back in the case.

I still had the drive door not closing and had a closer look.

When the plastic drive mechanism goes down it was still grinding against the inner aluminum mesh of the case. The problem was on the sides of the drive sled tabs. The optical drive tray/sled pushes the tab down and slides on top of it when it opens and closes.

There is almost no tolerance between the tab sides and the aluminum case mesh.

Depending on where and how the mechanism was seated the problem got worse. That explained why it would sometimes jump free when the mechanism got nudged to the back or the side.

This image shows the pinch points - the tab against the mesh with almost no clearance.
The mesh is grinding against the plastic sled tab. Pinch points from the front.

Notice the tab bent out of alignment on the top left.
The image below shows the pinch points from the inside.

So I removed the aluminum tabs on the outer part of the mesh. I just bent them a few times (left to right) and they snapped off.
It seems they have no use at all and do not affect alignment.

These tabs bend easily and caused them to grind against the outer edge of the sled tab.
Image below shows one of the tabs removed. Remove all four.

Then to take care of the inner part of the plastic sled tabs rubbing against the mesh. I filed the inside edges of the tabs down by 2mm to increase the clearance between the plastic tab and the aluminum mesh.
You could also file away the edges of the aluminum, but it was easier for me to just file the plastic tabs. (no metal shavings in my case)

It still got stuck when pushed all the way down. So I rounded the sanding off some more.

Rounded inside tab edges.

All four sled tabs filed narrower on the insides. The tabs still work and the door mechanism is not compromised.
This image shows the final clearance between the mesh and the sled tab sides.

Finally lined up the doors with tape before replacing the mechanism.
The image below shows the final state of mechanism before putting it back in the case.

Use tape to line up the blinds before screwing everything back in place.

That solved the problem permanently for me.
It worked on a Mac Pro 3,1 2008 and a Mac Pro 5,1 2010.

I hope it works for you too.

 

[Macschrauber]

The process is quite easier if you lay the Mac on the face and file the aluminium.

No taping necessary if you work with gravity and easier to handle.

But anyway, thanks for the hints

 

[Flocondavoine]

I swaped case and reinstalled everything in my new case. The only issue I have is with the Optical drives doors. The mesh got so damaged trying to take off the plastic mechanism that I ended up taken them off. I am glad I didn't do anything wrong by doing so. But still, the mechanism get stuck when trying to lower the doors manually. I spent so much time trying to figure out what was wrong... i gave up until I finally found this post.

I will try to narrow those plastic tabs with a metal file and will see what's going. But to be honest, I got so frustrated for 2 hours trying to make them work again that this solution will be the last one I will try. I cross my fingers.

Oh by the way, is there a specific way the metal doors have to be? Since the top edge is different than the bottom one, I am wondering if that matters. And the top door would be positioned the same way as the bottom one? I didn't find any answer to that question online...

Another thing, is it normal that it is so difficult to take off and put back this plastic mechanism? Also, the edge where you screw to the case has been damaged and I am now unable to put a screw without blocking the mechanism. Any solution to this issue? I would really very highly appreciate some help.