HELP! How to install an Internal CDRW drive and other questions...

[Dark Angel]

Hello, recently, I've been wanting to buy a CDRW drive, I have the money, but I want to know if the installation is hard, and how to install it. I use a Compaq Presario 7462 with Four Expansion Slots, Two Unused Drive Bays. So how would I go about installing a Internal CDRW drive?

Also, let's say I buy an External CDRW drive, will I have to do any extra work other than just plugging the parallel cable into my printer port, or will I have to do something more? I'm not lazy, it's just the risk that's involved with opening up my case. So I need some help, if there is any extra work need, could you please tell me what to do? Thank you.

[SpookyEddy]

Installing an internal CDRW is not dificult, I run a Creative 8x4x32 drive as my master & a crappy old 24x CDROM drive as the slave (2nd EIDE channel) and it works well.

However a few things worth considering:

A SCSI drive will let you do other stuff while burning CD's

CDRW drives are quite fragile, I bust my first one within a month so dont kick your case no matter how much it is annoying you.

Make sure you get decent software, I like Nero.

Hope this helps

[ArcAngel]

sup Dark,,, CDRW are easy to install,even If you don't know the slightest thing about computers...I'm sure the instructions that come with any CDRW are idiot proof (NO PUN INTENDED), nowadays instructions come in full detail with diagrams and pictures.. Just take your time to figure out your case( If you've never opened it before)I've seen some cases that large companies use are not User friendly, LIKE CTX cases for EXAMPLE, then just keep your motherboard manual handy for reference,,,If all else fails, keep us posted here on the Forum, and we'll help you through this......Good Luck.....

[Dark Angel]

Thanks alot, see, I'm only 14 ^^, I'm really a pubescent tech freak, so this really helps, I also heard somewhere that I should where gloves when handling the components of my case, why is this? (so many questions!)

Arigatou!! and THANKS!

[spark25]

No gloves-You want to be carefull of static electricity as even a small discharge from your fingers to the wrong part inside can make it go bad.As in scuffing your feet on a shaggy rug and touching components-not good,keep touching the case,or frame of the case to ground yourself before touching stuff inside your case. Be really gentle with your drives and there won't be any problem.It'll be cake.
You can do it,if you get hung up,just ask.
Read everything that comes with the drive. If you don't know what some of the terms mean,look them up at a site like Webopedia
http://webopedia.internet.com/
Or ask. You'll do just fine.




[This message has been edited by spark25 (edited 09-04-2000).]

[NDC]

As to the earlier post that I read of being able to do other things while burning a CD on a SCSI burner would only apply if both of your devices are SCSI interface, CDROM and CDRW. You have to remember that IDE CDROM's also utilizes CPU when burning a CD. Especially when you have a source CD that has heavy audio extraction to do. http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif
Also make sure to set the jumpers correctly for master and slave. And try to avoid connecting the CDRW on the same channel as your hard drive. Connecting CDRW on the same IDE channel as your CDROM would be best. Connecting your CDRW on the same channel as your hard drive can cause a bottleneck. Always remember that IDE bus speed moves at the bus speed of the slower device.

EX: DMA33 + UDMA66 = DMA33 http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif

[This message has been edited by NDC (edited 09-05-2000).]

[NDC]

Well, Qball, I think the reason that your system may not be getting a bad burn when you multi-task perhaps because your IDE CDROM may have and may only need very lowe CPU utilization to do the task. As you may already know, there are IDE CDROM drives that have extremely high CPU utilization. I've seen some CDROM's the have such high CPU utilizations that when you copy a CDROM to your hard disk, the the mouse starts skipping around on the screen when you move the mouse.

I use a dual CPU system and use IDE CDRW (Plextor) and IDE CDROM (Teac) and SCSI hard drive and I don't get bad burns when I multi-task. But as for my single processor system with the same set up, well..... it's a different story.

I think it also has to do with how high CPU utilization of a program that are mulit-tasking in when you burn a CD.
http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif



[This message has been edited by NDC (edited 09-05-2000).]

[qball]

NDC, I slightly disagree with the SCSI Burner remark.

[quote]
being able to do other things while burning a CD on a SCSI burner would only apply if both of your devices are SCSI interface, CDROM and CDRW
[\quote]

My CDRW is SCSI my HD are SCSI, my CDROM is IDE! Anyway, I have banged and tested burning CDs whilst being online, playing music, working in multiple apps and have never had a burn go bad. My secret may be that the CDROM is the Only IDE device.

FYI.