DVD burner drives are cheap (some under $30). You don't need to go back to Dell to buy one as they are standard items. You only need to know which type you have - SATA (newer interface type) or PATA (IDE) which is the older type. The Dell manual (available on-line) will show how to replace the drive(s) and the technical specs. For quick reference, if you have a large wide data cable and a large type power connector then you have the PATA (IDE) type of drive. If the power and data cables are both small (about an inch wide or less) then you have the newer SATA type. You can buy drives locally (even Wal-Mart has some) at Best Buy, Circuit City, etc or on line at places such as www.newegg.com or www.compusa.com
Click on "Support" at the top of this page to access the drivers and manual for your model.
One additonal note on CD/DVD drives, if you have the PATA type you will need to set the device type jumper to "Cable Select" (May be labeled CS or CSEL on drive). SATA types do not have the device type jumper.
As far as installing from an external USB drive, that again depends on your PC model. Some will boot from an external CD/DVD drive and some will not. Having the disk image on an external hard drive is questionable on whether that will work.
fireberd
9 Legend
•
33.4K Posts
0
May 24th, 2008 09:00
DVD burner drives are cheap (some under $30). You don't need to go back to Dell to buy one as they are standard items. You only need to know which type you have - SATA (newer interface type) or PATA (IDE) which is the older type. The Dell manual (available on-line) will show how to replace the drive(s) and the technical specs. For quick reference, if you have a large wide data cable and a large type power connector then you have the PATA (IDE) type of drive. If the power and data cables are both small (about an inch wide or less) then you have the newer SATA type. You can buy drives locally (even Wal-Mart has some) at Best Buy, Circuit City, etc or on line at places such as www.newegg.com or www.compusa.com
Click on "Support" at the top of this page to access the drivers and manual for your model.
One additonal note on CD/DVD drives, if you have the PATA type you will need to set the device type jumper to "Cable Select" (May be labeled CS or CSEL on drive). SATA types do not have the device type jumper.
As far as installing from an external USB drive, that again depends on your PC model. Some will boot from an external CD/DVD drive and some will not. Having the disk image on an external hard drive is questionable on whether that will work.
monophonick
3 Posts
0
May 25th, 2008 22:00