Sometimes they do get sticky and require lube, but usually after sitting unused for years. The symptom is that they won't eject a disk. That doesn't sound like your problem. Sounds like your drive is having trouble reading a disk. You were trying to read a *CD-ROM*, right? Not a system installer DVD, because the cube's CD/RW drive is not a combo drive. It won't read DVDs at all. I have not found that lens cleaner CDs do any good on computer drives or on CD players either for that matter. Sorry, I don't have any cure. Check the cables and connectors, because sometimes they oxidize and make poor contact after many years. Let us know what you find.