OT How hard is it to Install a Internal CD Burner?

wwfguy2000 · Post by **wwfguy2000** » Sat Mar 09, 2002 8:14 am

I want to buy this cd burner

http://www.staples.com/Products/SpotLig ... efault.asp

but I never installed a CD Burner into my comp before Is it hard? I am only 15

mirrorsaw_2000 · Post by **mirrorsaw_2000** » Sat Mar 09, 2002 8:51 am

It's not really that hard...if you're comfortable installing hardware in general, you'll do fine.

wwfguy2000 · Post by **wwfguy2000** » Sat Mar 09, 2002 8:54 am

well the only thing i ever put inside my comp on my own would be ram

slasher · Post by **slasher** » Sat Mar 09, 2002 8:54 am

It depends how much you know about computers and hard ware. CD burners are very easy to install, the only ticky part is wether or not it's going to be on the primary or secondary IDE cable and the if it will be a master or slave. When your computer boots up it will find all your IDE drives which are hard drives, CDroms and DVD drives. Now if you are swapping put your current CDrom this will be very easy as it can go onto the current IDE spot and all you need to do is set it to master or slave, depending on what your current drive is. If this sounds confusing it can be at first but once you see everything in front of you it will be pretty clear.

Nyarlathotep · Post by **Nyarlathotep** » Sat Mar 09, 2002 9:56 am

Off Topic Questions? hmm..... there should be a forum for that....

oh, wait there is.

I predict...

TOPIC MOVED to Off Topic

wwfguy2000 · Post by **wwfguy2000** » Sat Mar 09, 2002 10:07 am

yes that sounds very confusing. but aslong as i have detailed directions i should be ok

theultimatechuff · Post by **theultimatechuff** » Sat Mar 09, 2002 10:44 am

Its extremely easy, look in your computer. You probably have two IDE channels: a primary and a secondary (the two plugs sockets on your motherboard). Each of these can support up to two drives: a master and a slave. All you need to do is plug the IDE ribbon and power cables into your CDRW drive and then set the jumper(little pin thing) on the back to be master or slave depending on whether you already have a device on that channel(cable).

Note: Your HDD with your OS on it should be left as Primary-Master.

EDIT: Not actually sure if that explains it any better but nevermind.

pavelbure · Post by **pavelbure** » Sat Mar 09, 2002 12:25 pm

i just installed a dvd-rw on my moms pc this morning (first time for me) and it was not hard. only took about 30 min at the most. just look how your other cd drive is hooked up and it should be self explanatory.

Narcissus · Post by **Narcissus** » Sat Mar 09, 2002 1:21 pm

Nahh... it's not too hard at all. I opened my computer for the first time to install a new cd-burner. There's 2 things you need to know first.

1. Do you have an open slot. By that I mean is there an open IDE cable on your computer. IDE cables are the wide cables that plug into your HD's and CDrom's. Most IDE cables have 2 plugs on them so you can actually have 2 devices plugged into each one. So I have 4 IDE plugs. Which means theoretically I can have 8 devices plugged in, 2 per plug.

2. If you are plugging it in to an IDE cable that already has a device plugged into it, you would set it up as a slave device. If you are plugging it in to an empty IDE cable you would set it up as a master (or cable select) it usually tells you in the manual which one it needs to be.

The master, slave, and cable select options are easy. There are 2 rows of pins on the back of the cd-burner. There are plastic plugs that set over these pins. Once again refer to the manual of the burner to see where the plugs need to be placed on the pins depending on whether it's a master, slave, or cable select.

Hope this helped, but what would I know, I'm just a spammer.

Gmc · Post by **Gmc** » Sun Mar 10, 2002 3:01 am

Installing a CD-Writer is easy, and its not like you can really do it wrong...

Plus, dont CD-Writers include instructions anyway?? (Mine did, but I never read them

)

Veggita2099 · Post by **Veggita2099** » Sun Mar 10, 2002 1:58 pm

If you can install memory into your computer Im sure you can install this.

that is a good deal on that drive also.

TheUnSlinger · Post by **TheUnSlinger** » Sun Mar 10, 2002 2:16 pm

installing hardware is a breeze. Just read the instructions and don't force anything and you'll be fine.

Ron_Jeremy · Post by **Ron_Jeremy** » Sun Mar 10, 2002 4:37 pm

i was a little worried when i bought my burner because i'm not much of a pc genius to say the least. but it was beyond simple. i just opened up my case slid the burner in from the front connected the power and the master/slave thing and voila i was done. really it's easy and if all else fails you could probably find someone else or take it to a local pc store if you're really scared

pavelbure · Post by **pavelbure** » Sun Mar 10, 2002 8:33 pm

Gmc wrote:Installing a CD-Writer is easy, and its not like you can really do it wrong...

Plus, dont CD-Writers include instructions anyway?? (Mine did, but I never read them )

my moms dvd-rw instructions were crap. it was basically
open the pc case
put the drive in
your finished.

gee thanks a-lot

XantiaX · Post by **XantiaX** » Mon Mar 11, 2002 8:43 am

directions to install a cd burner:
1) make sure you have a free slot in the front of your case, if you havent then you'll have to take out your cd drive.
2) open the case and place it on its side.
3) find the wide cable made up of many small cables. There should be two of these, one end of both is plugged into the motherboard and the other ends should be plugged into the Hard drive and/or CD Drive
4) find a spare end on one of these ide cables (you may have to remove your cd drive if they're isnt a spare one)
5) decide if your CDRW is going to be a primary or secondary device. If you have a hard drive and CD drive already and these are plugged into seperate cables it will have to be a secondary device, if your cd drive and harddrive are plugged into one cable then it can be either.

Ill finish this post in about 30min when i get home

XantiaX · Post by **XantiaX** » Mon Mar 11, 2002 1:19 pm

6)if your device must be secondary then you need to take a look for a small "jumper" (or peg, its small and plastic) its probably situated next to the cable inputs on the back of the cdrw.
7)once you've located this jumper you need to find the picture in the manual or on the cdrw itself that relates to this jumper. It will have 3 choices on it, master;slave and cable select. Choice the correct option for your hardware

now you need to take the metal panal out of the front of your case, do this using a flat headed screwdriver and wiggling it from side to side.
9) now if you can pull the cables GENTLY out through the hole u just made so they dangle over the edge of it. You will need 2 (maybe 3) cables. The ide cable (wide cable) the power cable (will have red yellow and black wires coming out of the connector) and an optional is the audio cable, not needed if you have your cd drive still.
10)plug the power and ide cables into your cdrw. The IDE drive cable should have a small bump on the top of the cable to indicate which way it goes in. If not then look for the small arrow on the side of the cable and plug that arrow in to the number 1 pin on the cdrw (look on the cdrw for where this is indicated)
11) push the cdrw into your case and screw it in place. reassemble your pc and turn it on. Install the software that came with it and you should be ok!

if not bitch slap me and complain

pavelbure · Post by **pavelbure** » Mon Mar 11, 2002 1:23 pm

depends what case he has. the newer dell pc cases have this really easy to use slide thingy. just screw these things on the side of the drive and slide it into the bay. it cliks in place. very very easy to use.

Ron_Jeremy · Post by **Ron_Jeremy** » Mon Mar 11, 2002 2:44 pm

yeah that's how mine is. a couple of screws. blammo! i was expecting more of a chore. i guess technology is advancing

Jeeba Jabba · Post by **Jeeba Jabba** » Mon Mar 11, 2002 3:58 pm

I honestly dont see the point in buying an external for a few more bucks. *wham USB* that easy

Jeeba had a very hard time with his first Internal CD Writer...very hard time

U.S.MALE · Post by **U.S.MALE** » Tue Mar 12, 2002 8:25 pm

I screwed up when I installed mine because I was going to reformat afterwards............ just don't plan on doing that and you should be fine. The actual installation is simple.... just remember where all the connections go, write on 'em if ya have to.