CD/DVD-RW optical drive
Most modern laptops are equipped with a CD/DVD-RW drive also known as an optical disc drive which allows it to read and write data from or to a CD/DVD disc. All laptop CD/DVD drives are shaped the same but they all have different face plates also know as front bezels. On the picture above you can see three different laptop CD/DVD drives with different face plates/front bezels.
When you are replacing a failed CD/DVD drive, you have to make sure that the face plate from the old drive will fit your new drive.
On the picture below you can see two different types of connectors found in modern CD/DVD optical disc drives. One drive has a SATA connector and the other one has an older slim ATAPI connector.
An optical disc drive with a SATA connector is not interchangeable with an optical disc drive with a slim ATAPI connector and vice versa. In other words, if your laptop motherboard comes with a SATA connector for the optical drive, you can only use CD/DVD drives with SATA connectors.
On the next picture I compare a SATA connector used in laptop hard drives with a SATA connector used in CD/DVD drives. As you see, these two connectors are a little bit different. The data connector (right connector) is shaped similarly for both drives, but the power connector (left connector) is shaped differently.
By the way, you can connect a 2.5″ laptop SATA hard drive to a desktop computer using same cables as you use for a regular 3.5″ desktop hard drive.
In order to connect a Slimline SATA optical CD/DVD drive to a desktop computer, you’ll have to purchase the Slimline SATA Cable.
If you are replacing the CD/DVD disc drive in your laptop with a new one, make sure your new drive is compatible with the laptop. The best way to find a new optical disc drive is searching by the manufacturer’s part number found on the old drive.
When you install an optical drive which is not compatible with your laptop, it will not be recognized by the BIOS or you’ll get an IDE #1 ERROR on start up.
HOW TO REMOVE CD/DVD DISC DRIVE
In most laptops, the CD/DVD disc drive is secured by one or two screws on the bottom of the laptops. Remove these screws and pull the optical disc drive from the laptop.
On some other models, the optical drive is secured by one or two screws located under the keyboard. If that’s the case, you’ll have to remove the keyboard first. After that remove those screws and pull the drive from the laptop.
Laptop parts | Repair Man | 
December 26, 2008 3:01 pm
April 11th, 2009 at 7:10 am
i have the same ? as the guy above me? im installing a mini itx system in my car and i need the power adapter what is it called? so i can do a search for it? is there a adapter that connects a regural Sata power to the small power adapter on my sata dvd drive
March 27th, 2009 at 10:07 am
Tim,
Check out this store. They have a bunch of SATA cables, a few pages of listings. They sell Slimline SATA Cables for Slim Drives. I found a few of them on the second page for about $5.
March 27th, 2009 at 9:55 am
I’m trying to install a laptop SATA DVD drive in a new mini ITX system, but I cannot locate a power cord/adapter. Are you aware of where one may be able to be found?
Thanks,
Tim
March 8th, 2009 at 10:59 am
lwebuga,
If the drive can read some DVDs but not CDs, it’s a problem with the drive. There is not much you can do to fix it. You’ll have to replace the drive.
March 8th, 2009 at 3:53 am
Hi repairman,
My drive doesn’t read CD’s it also some times fail to read some DVD’s.
What should i do?
March 3rd, 2009 at 8:38 am
deckoff,
You’ll have to remove the DVD drive from the laptop and search for any stickers with numbers. One of the number could be the manufacturer’s part number. Google it.
If you cannot find the part number, find the drive model number and google it.
March 2nd, 2009 at 1:25 pm
“The best way to find a new optical disc drive is searching by the manufacturer’s part number found on the old drive.”
What do you mean?Do I have to search for exactly the same drive?What do you mean by manufacturer’s part number, can you show with a picture.
My phillips sdvd8431 failed , and I want to replace it, but I can’t find a compatible device
thanx for the article , I’ve been searching for this info for 2 days
February 3rd, 2009 at 12:05 pm
Alina,
It sounds like your CD/DVD optical drive is getting old and failing. I’ve seen problems like that before. The optical drives fails only with DVDs but not with CDs and that indicates a problem with the drive, not the laptop.
I guess you’ll have to replace the CD/DVD drive.
February 3rd, 2009 at 8:34 am
My CD-DVD drive fails in a very strange way. It was working fine for about 2 years but lately it has trouble reading some DVD discs and it’s getting worse. When I put a DVD disc inside, the drive starts making noises like trying to read it but it cannot. Sometimes it reads fine but on some occasion it will not read the DVD disc at all. The strange thing is that I have no problems with CDs. They all work 100% perfect. Do you think my laptop is getting old or what?