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Area-51 R2, ODD (optical disk drive)
Are slot loading odd easier to break and more expensive to replace compared to regular slim odd with bezel?
Dell OEM ODD for Area-51 R2 =
| Optical drive | DVD+/-RW, 8X, 9.5, SATA, made by Hitachi-LG Data Storage (HLDS) DVD+/-RW, SLOT, HLDS, XLOB |
340D7 |
| Optical drive | DVD+/-RW, 8X, Serial ATA, 9.5S, PANASONIC Slot-Loading Dual Layer DVD Reader |
X6P9P |
| Optical drive | DVDRwith BD-ROM, 5X, SATA, 9.5S, PSNC Optical Drive : Slot-Loading Dual Layer Blu-ray Reader (BD-R OM, DVD/RW, CD-RW) |
5CTFV |
I have handled three units. All have bad odd. The odds are certainly against the Dell slot loading odd
1. ate a disc and refuse to eject. had to open up odd top cover to retrieve disc. afterwards odd could not be assembled neatly any more. Looks like the dissemble procedure broke it.
2. regurgitates any disc I fed it.
3. not detected by bios at all. This is a GS40N, which is the same as 340D7. replacement cost
| DVD+/-RW,8X,9.5,SATA,HLDS. | $59.99 |
PS
FIO has a two pin header (#10) “optical drive power connector (ODD1)” but it is actually connected via a cable to the odd eject button of front bezel. Apparently if eject button is pressed, a signal is send to FIO which somehow feeds into Windows or BIOS which then tells odd to eject. The ODD is actually powered by a mini sata power/data combo connector from the PSU.

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redxps630
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Posted February 19th, 2024 20:02
the question is can I order a cheap generic slim load odd to replace the oem odd? I am reluctant to order a genuine oem replacement part given three strikes already. Can some one explain how the eject button works to tell a slot loading odd to spit out a disc? The community has complaints of eject button not working before. I had three old Apple iMacs much older than R2, but their slot loading odd still works perfectly. In iOS you drag the loaded disc to trash-bin icon on desktop, which ejects disc.
Can I buy an old Apple iMac superdrive sata slim slot loading odd to replace the Dell odd?
PS
Slot-loading optical disc drives usually have no emergency eject hole or eject button, and therefore have to be disassembled if the optical disc cannot be ejected normally.
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