Six Simple Ways to Fix the "Open Tray Error" for XBOX 360's

by Sreyo

2.7M3052

Intro: Six Simple Ways to Fix the "Open Tray Error" for XBOX 360's

Click below for a video tutorial:
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ed5x5TexYSQ

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PLEASE READ THIS: Before reading this, make sure the problem is your xbox and not the disc simply by putting a different disc into your xbox 360.
           If your like me, you obviously have and xbox 360 that has or has had the "open tray error". This error is when you have a disc in your xbox 360 and it doesn't "see" it and it displays the message "open tray" as if there isn't a disc in your xbox. There is also an error just like this but when you put a disc in the xbox makes two clicks. I call this error the "double click error".
           Anyway, in this instructable I will teach you six simple ways to fix these error that I have tried, and every one of them has worked for me at least once.
           Not all of these will work at one time, and then work at another. So try them all, at least one of them will work. But if your in a hurry try Fix 5 (Step 5) for the open tray error and fix 6 (step 6) for the double click error because they have worked the best for me the most times.
            Sorry about the pictures, they wouldn't really help so I didn't take them. But any way, let's get started

STEP 1: Fix 1: Blow Some Air Into the Disc Drive

This is probably the simplest fix. But has worked for me.
          What you'll want to do is open up your disc drive, (where the disc goes) and blow some air into the space that let's you see into the xbox itself. I think this sometimes works because dust or something gets on the laser that reads the disc, and by blowing some air into the space, you remove that dust.

STEP 2: Fix 2: Blow Some Air Into the Power Cords/spaces

Fix 2: what you'll want to do for this is turn off your xbox, remove the power cord from the xbox and blow some air into the the part of the cord that goes into the xbox and then blow some air into the part of the xbox where the cord goes.

STEP 3: Fix 3: Clean the Disc

Fix 3: This fix will try and make it easier for your XBOX to read a disc by making the disc easier to read. We do this by taking a disc out running some cool water over the disc and then gently drying it either by dabbing it or by rubbing the disc from the inside to the outside of the disc. Then just put the disc back into the xbox.

STEP 4: Fix 4: Try Different Discs

Fix 4: This is and easy fix, just try putting different discs into your xbox. even try regular xbox games and DVDs. If your xbox reads one of them, then switch the disc to the original game you wanted to play.

STEP 5: Fix 5: Keep Opening and Closing the Disc Drive

        This fix is probably the best fix because it has worked the most times for me.
        So all you'll want to do is put a disc in the disc drive, close it and wait for it to load. If it says "open tray", open and close the tray again. Now keep doing this. It should eventually load the disc. But keep trying for at least 5 minutes straight.

STEP 6: Fix 6: Knock on the Xbox

        This fix has worked for me with the "double click error" even though it it kind of wierd. I'm not sure it works with the "open tray error" but you might as well try it.
        So what you'll want to do is first, open the tray and put a disc in. Then close the tray and start gently knocking on the xbox right above where the disc is inside the xbox. Now keep repeating this until it works. It could take a while, but it could not. You might want to try this to for like 5 minutes.
        If your not sure how to do this step, look up a video on how to do it. It might help.

STEP 7: Hope I Helped!!!

           Okay guys, those are all the fixes I've done that have worked for me, and they should work for you too. But if they didn't, (and make sure they don't work by keep re-trying the steps, it might just save you some money.) you might want to start looking up tutorial on how to fix the error from the inside by taking the xbox apart and doing some things to the inside. But anyway, I hope I helped. Bye!

55 Comments

playfats 4 years ago

Thank u very much, the only game mine says open tray on is Gta5. These are very useful tips, I really appreciate these.

MlowmanGGL 4 years ago

So helpful! I have a makerspace customer making a custom Wii/Xbox console, and the Xbox looked pretty trashed, and it wouldn't read any disk. Blowing out the dust and hitting it worked.

samcro906 9 years ago

My xbox 360 won't read Madden 15. It just says "open tray". I even returned it and exchanged it for another copy of the game and I'm still getting the "open tray". All of my other games still work but neither copy of madden 15 will work. Anyone else have a problem like this?

WHY GOD 7 years ago

Ita doing the same thingg but to my Minecraft disc. Althoug i did ty seven other discs but nothing seems to be working!

JenniferP76 8 years ago

Yess!!! Tonight was my 4th time exchanging COD & it still says "open tray", same with GTA .... Damn pre owned games -_- I just wanted to play Xbox man!

DeductedColt 9 years ago

Yea same here. I just bought GTA V recently WITH NO scratches on it or anything. It doesn't give me the disc read error but when I select the game, it loads for a few sec and then gives me the UNREADABLE DISC ERROR.

DeductedColt 9 years ago

Yea same here. I just bought GTA V recently WITH NO scratches on it or anything. It doesn't give me the disc read error but when I select the game, it loads for a few sec and then gives me the UNREADABLE DISC ERROR.

swluke 9 years ago

Read my last comment *swluke*. That will fix your problem.

ArthorW 7 years ago

Thanks, i did 5 and 6 together and it worked

JoshW99 7 years ago

The problem is the lens itself. Supposedly microsoft keeps making warped, imperfect lenses. Which i tend to believe due to having several models with the same issue. Though these tricks may work you ultimately need a new drive. Also, tap LIGHTLY otherwise you can cause a head crash in your hdd and lose all your data.

elijah_200123 7 years ago

step 6 worked on my game until i it went to the loading screen (my game was gta 5) and now my game just keeps restarting

RachelG49 7 years ago

fantastic thanks so much! Step 6 knocking on the top worked!

ntijskens 8 years ago

Step 5 worked for my early model 360 (without hdmi). Thank you very much!

SkYFaLlMC1 8 years ago

all i did was turn my disc upside down and put on the tray i closed the tray then opened when it said open tray turn the disc the other way and closed the tray then GTA5 worked

ThatOneGamerGirl 8 years ago

What we did was took the xbox 360 apart and cleaned the lens, the inside of that and inside of the tray very well and then hooked it back up and lightly repatedly tapped on the tray case untill it said reading and it worked.
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