*Oh*. Do you hear a "click" roughly 20 seconds after applying power to the drive? That's the lid latch solenoid. The "click" means that you can open it now. If you hear the "click" but still can't operate the open-cover latch, this is likely because the long piece of nylon line that connects the button to the latch is out of whack. (Or just plain broken!) Can you slide the button back and forth? If you feel *no* resistance, then the nylon line is probably broken. If you still can't move the sliding button at all, then the latch mechanism is screwed up. Some previous fellow may have tried too enthusiastically to move the slide when he shouldn't have, and bent or notched something out of whack. It's also possible for the latch mechanism itself, the other end of the nylon string, is broken/bent. If you don't hear the click, there may be a power supply or logic board problem. In *any* event, if you loosen the four screws holding the plastic panel on top at the rear of the drive, you can lift up the *entire* top cover quite handily and see what's going on. -- Tim Shoppa Email: shoppa(a)trailing-edge.com Trailing Edge Technology WWW: http://www.trailing-edge.com/ 7328 Bradley Blvd Voice: 301-767-5917 Bethesda, MD, USA 20817 Fax: 301-767-5927