Tips for buying a new notebook DVD drive
Before you upgrade or replace the DVD/CD-RW drive in your notebook, make sure that the drive you are buying is compatible with your computer. Some notebooks require an optical drive that works in cable select mode (CSEL). Some notebooks require master/slave (M/S) drives. Typically the drive is set to master or slave through a firmware flash. If the optical drive is not configured properly, it will not be detected by the BIOS or you will get IDE #1 error when you start the laptop. The best way to avoid these kinds of problems is to buy an optical drive designed for your laptop. If you plan to buy a generic drive, make sure to contact the seller and confirm that the drive will work in your computer.
In most cases you would be able to use the same connector board and DVD drive caddy (braces) from your old device. Just remove them from your old drive and install on a new drive.
Also make sure that your current plastic bezel (front panel) will fit a new optical drive. All bezels are different and very often you have to have a specific bezel for a specific drive. Do not hesitate to contact the seller and ask about the drive and the bezel computability.
Entry Filed under: Laptop Upgrading Tips
September 9th, 2008 at 8:34 pm
anirudh ruhil,
If your laptop can recognize and read CDs but not DVDs, most likely there is a problem with the drive and it has to be replaced. Before you do that, try cleaning the laser inside the drive with a cotton swap soaked in 99% alcohol.
When you open up the drive, you’ll see the laser inside the moving mechanism.