Why
would I want a new CD-ROM drive?
You might want a new CDROM drive for zillions of reasons. Maybe yours broke or maybe you have to manually spin the disk up before it works (actually happened to a friend of mine). Maybe you can't burn DVD's, or you want to burn those nice "dual-layer" DVD's that can hold 8GB and your drive is older. Maybe you've heard about that cool LightScribe technology that lets you burn a "label" onto special CD's (available at special prices) with the drive's laser. Anyway, a new CDROM drive is cheap, easy to install, and often quite useful. Be sure you buy a "SATA" drive, though, as IDE ones are a bit cheaper but much more hassle. Not worth the money.
How much do new CD-ROM drives cost?
They're cheap. Generally around $50.
Where can I buy a CD-ROM drive?
Just look on your favorite online bargain site, Amazon (http://www.amazon.com), or Newegg (http://www.newegg.com).
How do I install a CD-ROM drive?
It's really easy, but you have to know the trick. The easiest is to simply replace your existing drive. However, if you have an empty 5-1/4 inch bay in the front of your computer (maybe labeled "Expansion Bay") you can probably stick the new one in there, although you may encounter problems hooking up power cables.
You might want a new CDROM drive for zillions of reasons. Maybe yours broke or maybe you have to manually spin the disk up before it works (actually happened to a friend of mine). Maybe you can't burn DVD's, or you want to burn those nice "dual-layer" DVD's that can hold 8GB and your drive is older. Maybe you've heard about that cool LightScribe technology that lets you burn a "label" onto special CD's (available at special prices) with the drive's laser. Anyway, a new CDROM drive is cheap, easy to install, and often quite useful. Be sure you buy a "SATA" drive, though, as IDE ones are a bit cheaper but much more hassle. Not worth the money.
How much do new CD-ROM drives cost?
They're cheap. Generally around $50.
Where can I buy a CD-ROM drive?
Just look on your favorite online bargain site, Amazon (http://www.amazon.com), or Newegg (http://www.newegg.com).
How do I install a CD-ROM drive?
It's really easy, but you have to know the trick. The easiest is to simply replace your existing drive. However, if you have an empty 5-1/4 inch bay in the front of your computer (maybe labeled "Expansion Bay") you can probably stick the new one in there, although you may encounter problems hooking up power cables.
| 1. First you should decide
whether you want to replace your existing CD-ROM drive or add another
one. If you want to add another one, see if you have an available bay.
Such bays are usually covered by an "Expansion Bay" plate or several
plastic chunks. See right for a popular Expansion Bay slot. |
 |
| 2. Open the case using the
directions in the Overview section; get a large flat screwdriver for
prying stuff. |
|
| 3. Remove the faceplate.
This is usually as simple as pulling out on a couple of plastic tabs
and then carefully pulling it out from the front of the system. See
right. The bottom picture shows it removed from the computer (with the
computer lying flat, of course, which you should always do). If there's
a bunch of dust on the metal part, great time to get your compressed
air and clean it up a bit. |
  |
| 4. If you are replacing an
existing drive, skip to step 6. You will either see the metal plate
between the drive and the "Pocket Media Drive Bay" slot in the above
picture or several blank plastic plates. If you see the metal plate,
often with a screwdriver symbol on the front, simply insert a flat
screwdriver into the holes in turn and pry a bit; after a while the
plate should come loose and break off. If you have plastic plates,
there are usually tabs inside or outside that you have to pull to get
them out. Be careful. If there is a longer tab and a shorter tab right
next to each other, you need to remove both as only the longer one will
allow you to insert a hard drive, but not the longer CDROM drive. You
may need to fiddle around for a bit, but by and large, this part is
fairly easy. |
|
| 5. Pull out the
cables inside the computer that are connected to the drive; it's
probably a good idea to take note of which ones you're using. If you
have a big, long, fat cable connected to the motherboard, you had an
IDE drive, but the new drive probably came with a SATA cable. |
|
| 6. You should see tabs like
the ones to the right or perhaps simply screws in their place. If you
play around with them a bit, you'll see that you can release or lock
the drive(s) into place by moving them. If there are screws, unscrew
them if you're replacing a drive. If you need to take a drive out,
unlock or unscrew it and carefully slide it out; it may require a bit
of force at times, but don't break anything. |
 |
| 7. Slide the new drive into
the proper slot and connect the cables; if you can't get the cables to
fit because you need a long, thin power connector and you only have fat
4-pin ones, go to any computer store and ask for a "Molex to SATA power
adaptor." One end plugs into the connector you have and the other
simply goes into the drive. If you only have gigantic cables and your
drive didn't come with a narrow "SATA" cable, go buy a SATA cable at a
computer store. (Is there an echo here?) Both should be easy to find
and under $5-10. |
 |
| 8. Put the faceplate back
on (careful not to break any tabs), close the case, and go back to the
Overview upgrade directions to power up. Your new drive should work
great from the beginning, although you might need to install a driver
from the CD, but don't try that unless it doesn't work. |