[rshaffer61]

Nope all you have to make sure is it is a laptop drive and it has the same Interface as yours.
That means is it a IDE or SATA interface. They are not interchangeable so it is important to make sure it is the right one.
Is this the drive HERE?
If so it is a IDE interface.

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Nope all you have to make sure is it is a laptop drive and it has the same Interface as yours.
That means is it a IDE or SATA interface. They are not interchangeable so it is important to make sure it is the right one.
Is this the drive HERE?
If so it is a IDE interface.

So could this be an ideal opportunity to upgrade to a better drive, so long as its dimensions are the same and it's IDE? Is there anything else I'll need to look for? Cheers

[thearabianmage]

Nope all you have to make sure is it is a laptop drive and it has the same Interface as yours.
That means is it a IDE or SATA interface. They are not interchangeable so it is important to make sure it is the right one.
Is this the drive HERE?
If so it is a IDE interface.

So could this be an ideal opportunity to upgrade to a better drive, so long as its dimensions are the same and it's IDE? Is there anything else I'll need to look for? Cheers

[rshaffer61]

So could this be an ideal opportunity to upgrade to a better drive, so long as its dimensions are the same and it's IDE?

I would say so as the newer drive are slightly faster.

Is there anything else I'll need to look for?

As long as the parameters are followed I gave you about the interface and actual drive size 2.5 inches and a laptop dvd\cdrom drive, then you should have no problem.

[thearabianmage]

So could this be an ideal opportunity to upgrade to a better drive, so long as its dimensions are the same and it's IDE?

I would say so as the newer drive are slightly faster.

By 'slightly', do you mean the difference between a Volvo and a Lamborghini?

Is there anything else I'll need to look for?

As long as the parameters are followed I gave you about the interface and actual drive size 2.5 inches and a laptop dvd\cdrom drive, then you should have no problem.

I'm sorry to be a pain, but as I've never gone internal-cd-drive-shopping before, I've got one last question concerning compatibility: does it matter what OS the drive used to be configured to? As in, if I find a drive, it's 2.5 inches/ide/laptop but came from a computer with XP on it - would that pose a problem as my computer is Vista?

And also, this is slightly unrelated, but thought I'd throw it out anyway - I've got an iMac G5 sittin round, and it needs a new cd drive as well - I was thinking to hit two birds with one stone and get a decent external cd drive - but no listing seems to mention compatibility with Macs. . . I thought it was all the same - but are there compatibility issues with external cd drives and Macs?

Thank you very much for your help - you've been uber awesome

[rshaffer61]

Nope old drives would burn at 4x speed and new drives burn at 8x or 12x

As in, if I find a drive, it's 2.5 inches/ide/laptop but came from a computer with XP on it - would that pose a problem as my computer is Vista?

Nope because the OS has default drivers for optical drives so it's not setup per say to be specific with one OS.

I thought it was all the same - but are there compatibility issues with external cd drives and Macs?

Should not be as I said just above.

[phillpower2]

If I may chip in with a couple of suggestions for a new optical drive;
http://www.novatech..../30387.html#sp4
http://www.citycompu...products_id=646

[thearabianmage]

Thank you very much!

[phillpower2]

You are more than welcome

[thearabianmage]

WHAT!?!

I don't know what happened, nor what I did. I have hardly even used my computer in the past few days, and when I have, it's mostly done searching for a new CD drive. . . I nearly bought one yesterday. . .

So today, I turn my laptop on - 'wake it up' from hibernation - and, while the desktop was loading. . . Guess what decides to install itself? Yeah, the little bugger.

I would like to thank those who kindly offered me their time and advice - it was very much appreciated.

However I'm now more confused than I was before. . . Why did it conk out? Why did nothing work? Why does it work now?

Did it just go on 'holiday', or is this one of those Twilight Zone moments?

-------------EDIT----------------

Okay, it must be the Twilight Zone scenario. When desktop loaded and the drive installed, I immediately checked it in 'My Computer'. I opened up the drive (I just left Hiren's in there) and opened up some folders on HBD to have a look round. Everything seemed fine, and it recognized and read it all. Thus the post.

Then I put in the tablet installation CD, and POOF!

Gone again. . .

So the drive 'works' - can read CD's - so software and drivers 'work'; has installed itself - so physical connection's OK. . .

What's wrong?

Edited by thearabianmage, 20 December 2010 - 05:40 PM.