I've spent this evening researching the same thing for my 8200, and found out some information which I hope is relevant and accurate:
- the NEC 6750 is configured as an IDE Master only by the factory
- the hard disc in the 8200 (and presumably the 8100) is also a Master
- therefore, they clash, rendering both drives inoperative until the conflict is resolved.
- You can get a firmware patch that makes the drive a slave from http://liggydee.cdfreaks.com/page/6750/ - at your own risk, of course, and you may need a desktop PC with an adapter to apply the update.
- putting the drive in the front pluggable media bay might work anyway
- you're probably better off with a Pioneer DVR-K06 or DVR-K16, which allows the host to configure whether it's master or slave and should therefore work.
No promises that any of this is accurate, though - but it is the combined total of all the information I've managed to glean from the 'net on the subject.
OK, for the benefit of anyone wanting to upgrade their laptop and who does a search:
The Pioneer DVR-K06 is compatible with the Inspiron 8200 and plugs straight into the fixed optical drive bay using the existing mounting hardware. It appears as the Primary Slave device and is recognised immediately by the BIOS and by both Windows XP and Linux (2.6.12 IIRC).
It's one of the most universal drives out there, reading and writing DVD+/-R, DVD+/-RW, DVD+/-R DL, DVD-RAM, CD-R and CD-RW. I have Nero 6.6.0.6 which also recognised the drive straight away. So did CDEX.
There is a slight gap at the edge of the bezel; the existing Inspiron drive (I have a Samsung SN-324 CD-RW/DVD combo) has a slightly oversized bezel which can't be swapped onto the Pioneer because the DVR-K06 is a slot loading drive. I believe the DVR-K16 is the tray loading version, though unless the button and fixings line up exactly the same you'll still have the same problem. It looks a bit naff but it's worth it at half the price of any 'official' Inspiron DVD-RW drive IMHO.
Be sure to push the new drive in firmly. When I first installed it, the drive powered up OK and would accept / eject discs, but it wasn't recognised by the PC. Undoing all the screws, giving it a good hard shove and putting them back in again fixed the problem.
Hope that helps anyone wanting to upgrade but not sure which drive, if any, will replace their existing unit.
If anyone knows where to buy an empty media bay CD-ROM caddy so I can install my old drive as well, please can they let me know?
THE ND-6750A IS COMPATIBLE WITH DELL LAPTOPS THAT HAVE A PRIMARY AND SECONDARY IDE CHANNEL AS THE INSPIRON 8000,8100,8200 DO. IT WILL SHOW AS MASTER ON THE SECONDARY IDE CHANNEL. THE ONLY DELL LAPTOPS THAT THEY ARE NOT COMPATIBLE WITH ARE ONES WITH ONE IDE CHANNEL, SUCH AS THE B120. THE DRIVES ARE SET TO MASTER, AND IT IS A PROBLEM WHEN YOU HAVE ONE IDE CHANNEL BECAUSE IT IS FORCED TO SLAVE ON THAT CHANNEL BECAUSE THE HARD DRIVE IS MASTER. I KNOW THIS POSITIVELY BECAUSE OUR COMPANY SELLS MANY OF THESE DRIVES THAT ARE USED IN DELL LAPTOPS.
You could try soldering pins 45 and 47 together on the ND-6750A. This trick allows some master drives to function as slave devices. Not sure if it will work for the ND-6750A though.
I actually got a Pioneer DVR-K16 and it is working well. My only complaint is that I hear background noise through the speakers and/or headphones (clicking, the drive spinning) when playing a cd or dvd. It burns perfectly though and the noise is not there when I play the disks I have burned on my Home Theatre system. Does anyone know what might cause this?
AndyC_772
9 Posts
0
March 27th, 2006 20:00
- the NEC 6750 is configured as an IDE Master only by the factory
- the hard disc in the 8200 (and presumably the 8100) is also a Master
- therefore, they clash, rendering both drives inoperative until the conflict is resolved.
- You can get a firmware patch that makes the drive a slave from http://liggydee.cdfreaks.com/page/6750/ - at your own risk, of course, and you may need a desktop PC with an adapter to apply the update.
- putting the drive in the front pluggable media bay might work anyway
- you're probably better off with a Pioneer DVR-K06 or DVR-K16, which allows the host to configure whether it's master or slave and should therefore work.
No promises that any of this is accurate, though - but it is the combined total of all the information I've managed to glean from the 'net on the subject.
npsul
4 Posts
0
March 27th, 2006 21:00
AndyC_772
9 Posts
0
March 28th, 2006 15:00
Message Edited by AndyC_772 on 03-28-2006 11:23 AM
AndyC_772
9 Posts
0
March 30th, 2006 06:00
OK, for the benefit of anyone wanting to upgrade their laptop and who does a search:
The Pioneer DVR-K06 is compatible with the Inspiron 8200 and plugs straight into the fixed optical drive bay using the existing mounting hardware. It appears as the Primary Slave device and is recognised immediately by the BIOS and by both Windows XP and Linux (2.6.12 IIRC).
It's one of the most universal drives out there, reading and writing DVD+/-R, DVD+/-RW, DVD+/-R DL, DVD-RAM, CD-R and CD-RW. I have Nero 6.6.0.6 which also recognised the drive straight away. So did CDEX.
Those of you in the UK, like me, can get it at: http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/ProductInfo.asp?WebProductID=358248
There is a slight gap at the edge of the bezel; the existing Inspiron drive (I have a Samsung SN-324 CD-RW/DVD combo) has a slightly oversized bezel which can't be swapped onto the Pioneer because the DVR-K06 is a slot loading drive. I believe the DVR-K16 is the tray loading version, though unless the button and fixings line up exactly the same you'll still have the same problem. It looks a bit naff but it's worth it at half the price of any 'official' Inspiron DVD-RW drive IMHO.
Be sure to push the new drive in firmly. When I first installed it, the drive powered up OK and would accept / eject discs, but it wasn't recognised by the PC. Undoing all the screws, giving it a good hard shove and putting them back in again fixed the problem.
Hope that helps anyone wanting to upgrade but not sure which drive, if any, will replace their existing unit.
If anyone knows where to buy an empty media bay CD-ROM caddy so I can install my old drive as well, please can they let me know?
lightyear
1 Message
0
April 8th, 2006 19:00
THE ND-6750A IS COMPATIBLE WITH DELL LAPTOPS THAT HAVE A PRIMARY AND SECONDARY IDE CHANNEL AS THE INSPIRON 8000,8100,8200 DO. IT WILL SHOW AS MASTER ON THE SECONDARY IDE CHANNEL. THE ONLY DELL LAPTOPS THAT THEY ARE NOT COMPATIBLE WITH ARE ONES WITH ONE IDE CHANNEL, SUCH AS THE B120. THE DRIVES ARE SET TO MASTER, AND IT IS A PROBLEM WHEN YOU HAVE ONE IDE CHANNEL BECAUSE IT IS FORCED TO SLAVE ON THAT CHANNEL BECAUSE THE HARD DRIVE IS MASTER. I KNOW THIS POSITIVELY BECAUSE OUR COMPANY SELLS MANY OF THESE DRIVES THAT ARE USED IN DELL LAPTOPS.
Skuld
57 Posts
0
May 26th, 2006 05:00
npsul
4 Posts
0
May 26th, 2006 17:00
I actually got a Pioneer DVR-K16 and it is working well. My only complaint is that I hear background noise through the speakers and/or headphones (clicking, the drive spinning) when playing a cd or dvd. It burns perfectly though and the noise is not there when I play the disks I have burned on my Home Theatre system. Does anyone know what might cause this?