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#1
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Newbie: easy to swap cdrom drive ?
Hi,
I've got a tower with CD-ROM drive the latter I want to swap for a CD/rw. The system is on Win'98 and about 4 years old. I've changed the cpu fan and memory in the past but only had the courage to do this when it became essential to do so ! I am concerned that undoing the CD-ROM bay screws will release something and I won't be able to get it back together again if I bodge the job. Is their a website that shows simply what needs to be done ? I suppose I would have to remove the drivers of the old CD Rom to begin with. Mike. |
#2
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http://www.helpwithpcs.com/upgrading...d_recorder.htm
"Mike" notme_&_here.com wrote in message t... Hi, I've got a tower with CD-ROM drive the latter I want to swap for a CD/rw. The system is on Win'98 and about 4 years old. I've changed the cpu fan and memory in the past but only had the courage to do this when it became essential to do so ! I am concerned that undoing the CD-ROM bay screws will release something and I won't be able to get it back together again if I bodge the job. Is their a website that shows simply what needs to be done ? I suppose I would have to remove the drivers of the old CD Rom to begin with. Mike. |
#3
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On Fri, 16 Jul 2004 21:48:53 +0100, "Mike" notme_&_here.com wrote:
Hi, I've got a tower with CD-ROM drive the latter I want to swap for a CD/rw. The system is on Win'98 and about 4 years old. I've changed the cpu fan and memory in the past but only had the courage to do this when it became essential to do so ! I am concerned that undoing the CD-ROM bay screws will release something and I won't be able to get it back together again if I bodge the job. It's easier and less risky than swapping a CPU. 1. Turn off computer (unplugging gives added safety). 2. Remove the cables from the old drive. 3. Remove the 4 bay screws (careful not to lose or drop them. They're small and a pain to hunt for). 4. slide out old drive 5. Set the Master/Slave jumper for the new drive. As this is a replacement, the setting will be whatever the old drive was set for. 6. Slide in new drive. 7. Screw in the bay screws. Some cases require you to support the drive with one hand, others have retaining ledges to do this for you. 8. Reattach the cables. 8. Power up the system to see if it works. 9. Put the cover back on. Is their a website that shows simply what needs to be done ? I suppose I would have to remove the drivers of the old CD Rom to begin with. Mike. Not unless it's a CDROM drive from the early 90s. Modern ATAPI drives use a standardized generic driver which is built into windows/Linux/OS2/insert modern OS here. --------------------------------------------- MCheu |
#4
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MCheu wrote:
On Fri, 16 Jul 2004 21:48:53 +0100, "Mike" notme_&_here.com wrote: Hi, I've got a tower with CD-ROM drive the latter I want to swap for a CD/rw. The system is on Win'98 and about 4 years old. I've changed the cpu fan and memory in the past but only had the courage to do this when it became essential to do so ! I am concerned that undoing the CD-ROM bay screws will release something and I won't be able to get it back together again if I bodge the job. It's easier and less risky than swapping a CPU. 1. Turn off computer (unplugging gives added safety). 2. Remove the cables from the old drive. 3. Remove the 4 bay screws (careful not to lose or drop them. They're small and a pain to hunt for). This is where I find a magnetic screwdriver invaluable. |
#5
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As MCheru says its a 'doddle', remove the top and side panels and
you will see there are about two screws on each side. Loosen them with a screw driver and then use your fingers so you don't drop the screws, there is nothing else to drop as they screw directly into the metal casing of the CDROM. Pull off the back cables and slide it through the front casing (the hardest part I found, as it was quite a tight fit). I don't recall changing any drivers when I did mine, all I did way put the CD that came with the drive in and it installed it own 'burning' software. Actually on my hardware profiles it does say "no drivers are required or installed for this device" (both cd drives) so no worries there. Incidently don't you have a 'spare' bay? I have both drives installed on mine so I never had to remove the old one. You might have to remove a flimsey plastic panel and a somewhat more robustly attactched metal plate behind it. (About a millimeter or so of metal on either side), basically a brute force job with a screwdriver or chisel, just keep 'waggling' it untill metal fatigue causes it to break. You might need extra cabling though, (an IDE cable with two device connectors, and extra power cable (there will usually be a spare one knocking around inside, if not get one on ebay). You need to set one as master (cdrw probably) and the other as slave, mine seems to work either way. Its basically fear of the 'unknown' I would say changing memory is far trickier, it's when you are doing things second time round and you are a bit more complacent that you might get the odd 'niggle' (Memory not fully inserted and 'half inserted' (half_pint inserted?) in my case, but all turned out well in the end). Incidently there is a third small cable (i am not to sure what it is for so I just plugged it into the master drive with nothing on the other one and all seems fine). half_pint. "Mike" notme_&_here.com wrote in message t... Hi, I've got a tower with CD-ROM drive the latter I want to swap for a CD/rw. The system is on Win'98 and about 4 years old. I've changed the cpu fan and memory in the past but only had the courage to do this when it became essential to do so ! I am concerned that undoing the CD-ROM bay screws will release something and I won't be able to get it back together again if I bodge the job. Is their a website that shows simply what needs to be done ? I suppose I would have to remove the drivers of the old CD Rom to begin with. Mike. |
#6
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After you do all that the CDRW will act as a CDROM. Win98 does not have any built in CD writing capability, you will have to install CD writer software to write CDs. -- When replying by Email include NewSGrouP (case sensitive) in Subject Mike Walsh West Palm Beach, Florida, U.S.A. |
#7
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Hi,
Thanks everyone for the info regarding replacing CD drive and details of the website http://www.helpwithpcs.com/upgrading...d_recorder.htm I will save the postings for reference. One last point ,does the old drive get removed by pushing out through the front of the case , would it be best to remove the front fascia ? (Compaq Presario mini tower). Thanks. Mike |
#8
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"Miss Perspicacia Tick" wrote in message news:joZJc.51
This is where I find a magnetic screwdriver invaluable. Why don't you use it to fix your face? ss. |
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