Jo-Anne
Sun Jun 08 08:34:13 PDT 2008
Thank you, Mae!
Jo-Anne
"mae" <agrannie@notemail.msn.com> wrote in message
news:OOseBiWyIHA.4704@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
> Just follow the pictures and directions from Dell.
> I have an old Dimension 4300 with the same style case and had no problem.
> I installed an old dvd-rw from a cast-off HP.
> Windows recognized and worked just fine.
> So just try it, if unsuccessful, then have the shop install.
> Your local shop price seems reasonable.
> I put my first CD drive in old Windows 3.
>
> I can use the EasyCD Creator 5 for the Data disk.
> To make a video disk to play on DVD players,
> you would need DVD authoring software, which will probably come with the
> drive.
>
> mae
>
> "Jo-Anne Naples" <naples@tbcnet.com> wrote in message
> news:OxHaw0LyIHA.3968@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> | Thank you, Doug! You make it sound much simpler. If I do it myself, is
> there
> | anything in particular I should look for in a DVD burner? Any brand that
> has
> | a particularly good reputation? Any online store that specializes in
> these
> | drives? (I saw a few of them on Amazon, but the prices were wildly
> divergent
> | and I had no idea where to start.)
> |
> | Also, you said I'd need software to burn the DVDs. Two questions:
> |
> | Does this mean that you can't use drag and drop for DVDs under Windows
> XP?
> | Or just that there's nothing more sophisticated than that in the OS?
> |
> | The software that came with my Dell is the free Easy CD Creator 5 by
> Roxio.
> | When I click on "make a data CD," one of the options is "data DVD
> | project--use your DVD recordable drive to store up to 4.7GB of data." I
> | assume this software should be sufficient--right?
> |
> | Thank you again!
> |
> | Jo-Anne
> |
> | "Doug" <datapod@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> | news:OEvL6PJyIHA.2208@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> | >
> | > "Jo-Anne Naples" <naples@tbcnet.com> wrote in message
> | > news:en3N6H1xIHA.2208@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> | > | I've decided to replace my nonwritable DVD drive with a writable one
> in
> | > my
> | > | 5-year-old Dell Dimension 8250 desktop computer (running Windows XP
> Home
> | > and
> | > | SP3). Is this something a complete novice can tackle, or should it
> be
> | > done
> | > | in a shop? My local shop says it would cost $49 for the drive and
> $75
> to
> | > | install it--and it would come with software for burning discs. (I
> didn't
> | > | know burning discs required extra software. For my CD drive I use
> either
> | > | drag and drop or the ancient Easy CD Creator that came with my
> | > computer.)
> | > |
> | > | Thanks much for your help!
> | > |
> | > | Jo-Anne
> | > |
> | >
> | > I think you've been way over intimidated for this job.
> | >
> | > I have several Dells with this style case and changing optical drives
> is
> | > very simple. The case swings open with two buttons and has ample room
> for
> | > working.
> | >
> | > The drives aren't screwed into the case. They are on green plastic
> rails
> | > that slide out with no tools.
> | >
> | > Pull off the data cable and the power cable. (the power cable can be a
> | > tight
> | > fit, a little gentle rocking back and forth may be required) Pinch the
> | > green
> | > plastic rails toward each other and the drive slides right out.
> | >
> | > The rails are fastened to the drive with four screws. Remove them from
> the
> | > old drive and place them in the same position on the new drive. The
> holes
> | > and screw size are standard.
> | >
> | > Dells all come with their drives jumpered as "cable select" (which BTW
> | > requires the correct type of data cable so don't change the cable
> there
> is
> | > no reason to) Place the jumper on the new drive in the cable select
> | > position. The new drive will have instructions for this. Here's a
> picture
> | > of
> | > what one looks like
> | >
>
http://www.windowsdevcenter.com/pub/a/windows/2005/02/23/Build_Perfect_BudgetPC.html?page=4
> | > It's a simple matter of moving that little plastic piece (yours will
> | > probably be black not green) from one set of pins to the pair marked
> "CS."
> | >
> | > Slide the new drive into the same spot the old one came out of and
> plug
> | > the
> | > power and data cable back in. They are keyed and can't be plugged in
> the
> | > wrong way.
> | >
> | > Windows will see and configure the drive at next boot.
> | >
> | > In order to write to DVDs you will need extra software. XP doesn't
> have
> | > any
> | > native DVD writing capabilities. Virtually all name brand retail
> drives
> | > will
> | > come with software.
> | >
> | > If not Nero is a good commercial product to consider.
> | >
> | > There are several very capable freeware DVD writing packages
> available.
> | >
http://www.deepburner.com/?r=products (has both free and paid
> versions)
> | >
http://www.cdburnerxp.se/
> | > for example.
> | >
> | > Review;
> | > 1.) Open case.
> | > 2.) Remove two cables and slide drive out.
> | > 3.) Move rails from one drive to another (four screws) Move jumper to
> "CS"
> | > position.
> | > 4.) Slide new drive in and replace two cables.
> | >
> | > Boot up and install the software for DVD writing.
> | >
> | > Having done a few the physical exchange takes me about 5 minutes once
> the
> | > computer is on the bench. Might take you half an hour.
> | >
> | >
> |
> |
>