Has anyone fitted a new CDR/RW Drive?

The one that ive got now is broke so im getting a new one. Are they hard to fit, or is it farily straight forward. Its an internal one. Any advice would be helpful. Thanks.

 

piece of wee wee

take the cover off your pc, take one out and put the other one in the same hole then just install the drivers from the disk you get with it.</p>

thats basically it</p>

 

Cheers

thought it might be simple. This looks like a good deal:
http://www.pcworld.co.uk/martprd/st...95&category_oid=-24856&fm=4&sm=0&tm=undefined

 

Don't forget to set the jumper as the original. It most probably is a SLAVE drive.

 

RE: Cheers

Don't forget to check the position of the jumper. Why don't you get a DVDR drive for 35 pounds. Writes CD's and DVDs.

 

Whats the jumper?

 

Watch for static - buy a wrist band or tap the casing with a screw driver - and make sure that the drive is connected to a power socket on the inside. That's the mistake I made when fitting mine. There should be a couple of spare ones on the inside.

 

rubber gloves are a good way of avoiding static - I've got a pair of surgical gloves that I use when messing with the innards of my PC.

 

Like this.

1. Cotton clothes - jeans and a tee - good for static prevention. Use a wristband or earth yourself by touching a bare metal part of the case with the mains lead connected (I mean the chassis itself not any internal components!

2. Disconnect mains power and remove sides.

3. Remove (and save) screws retaining old CD writer and slide out. All cables connected to rear of drive disconnect by pulling them out. Some, especially the power connector, may require some force!

4. Set jumper on new drive to same as old drive. Three choices - MA (master) SL (slave) or CS (Cable Select). The jumper is a vertical piece of plastic connecting 2 metal pins. Whatever letters are over the pins connected on the old drive must be the same on the new.

5. Slide new drive in and secure with secure with screws.

6. Connect Power cable, IDE ribbon connector and (if one was connected to the old one) audio connector. The power connector is D-shaped and the IDE connector has a pin missing. These designs are to prevent upside down connection. Be sure your IDE connector is correctly orientated before giving it a stout push or you'll bend the pins in the socket.

7. Replace sides and connect up.

[img=http://nickspage.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/cdrom.JPG]
LAST NOTE - If the cable are long enough feed them out thru the slot where the drive will slide in, then swap instructions 5 and 6 round - ie do the connecting of wires outside the case where it's less fiddly,

 

Thanks for that

 

Last couple of tips

1.  **** cheapo cases are often very sharp inside - the internal parts of the chassis are left unfinished where they're cut.  You'll find out whether your case is cheap-made crap when your drive comes!  Take care and have the plasters handy.

2. If your system is up to it, instead of £20 delivered for a CD writer, £36 delivered will get a DVD/CD writer.  If writing DVD's appeals to you, take Roundsmans advice and go DVD.  Post your system specs (processor, ram, hard disk size) to make sure they're up to it.

 

RE: Last couple of tips

im thinking of getting one too (A dvd re writer thingy). Its a Dell with Pentium R 4 2.26 Ghz, 512 Mb Ram, 37 Gig hard drive. Its got a dvd drive and cd drive but i think they are read only. One on PC world ive looked at is the Phillips DVDR 1628K. Is this ok?

 

If there's two separate drives

The CD drive will almost certainly be writable.  Those specs are fine for a DVD writer, although a bigger hard drive wouldn't hurt.  Not familiar with the drive you mention.  How much are you looking at paying?

For &quot;bang for your buck&quot; I like the NEC range. Example - svp.co.uk
NEC 4550 drive + 25 RiData Extreme 16x DVDR's £43 delivered.

 

I assume your machine is a desktop not a laptop by the way...

 

RE: If there's two separate drives

its 35 quid inc delivery from pc world. how much would upgrading my hard drive cost me?

 

Quick search on the DVD drive - looks fine.

Good buy at £35 but you'll pay thru the nose for blank discs at PC World.  Local PC shops tend to be cheaper.

A new hard drive, say £55

 

Cheers!

your a star

 

RE: Quick search on the DVD drive - looks fine.

Just got a 250Gb for 62 pound from Dabs.

 

RE: Quick search on the DVD drive - looks fine.

Can't fault that.
As it may be an older machine, his bios may only recognise up to 120GB though.  I seem to remember my BIOS needed upgrading for a 250GB drive.

Belting value all the same!

 

RE: Quick search on the DVD drive - looks fine.

Oh aye...forgot that. The old easybios.....!