Connect Desktop CD to Laptop CD Port?

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trekkie00

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I have an old Compaq laptop at home. Its slim DVD drive broke awhile ago (just stops working, ejects at random times, stops reading discs inside, etc) and I was thinking of replacing it. However, I really don't want to spend $40 or $50 for a slim DVD drive, considering I'll be modifying the computer anyway and won't need a slim one.

I was wondering if anyone knew a way to connect a regular desktop DVD drive to the slim port inside of the laptop (or, worst case, if there was a way to extend the connection so i could put a slim drive a ways outside the computer).
 
You could get an external enclosure and fit an internal drive in it, or just buy an external drive. Or you could buy an SATA to USB adaptor and use an internal drive with that. It wouldn't be pretty though...
 
IMO your best bet would be a USB DVD drive.

You can't ram a regular drive into a slim drives slot - they are build diferently and there is no way it would fit. At best you might be able to purchase an adapter that would connect to an external drive and then it would connect to the inside of your computer - but even then it wouldn't fit. They are half the size of regular drives. You would end up having a CD drive hanging off your computer that would look like crap. Might as well just purchase a USB drive.
 
You could get an external enclosure and fit an internal drive in it, or just buy an external drive. Or you could buy an SATA to USB adaptor and use an internal drive with that. It wouldn't be pretty though...

It's fine if it's not pretty, I'll be putting it inside something else. Should probably mention that the old laptop is all IDE. How well does mounting a drive externally through USB work?


IMO your best bet would be a USB DVD drive.

You can't ram a regular drive into a slim drives slot - they are build diferently and there is no way it would fit. At best you might be able to purchase an adapter that would connect to an external drive and then it would connect to the inside of your computer - but even then it wouldn't fit. They are half the size of regular drives. You would end up having a CD drive hanging off your computer that would look like crap. Might as well just purchase a USB drive.

It'd be mounted outside of the laptop - nowhere near a desktop. Appearances aren't a big deal, because I'd be mounting the laptop within something else. I'd just like to be able to play back DVDs.
 
OH, gotcha. Well IMO a USB DVD would still be the best option for you - i don't even know if they sell converters that would convert the external DVD drive's connection to the internal connection.
 
It's fine if it's not pretty, I'll be putting it inside something else. Should probably mention that the old laptop is all IDE. It'd be mounted outside of the laptop - nowhere near a desktop. Appearances aren't a big deal, because I'd be mounting the laptop within something else.

I'm doing very much the same thing. Have you succeeded in finding a way to connect the standard drive to the laptop? I've only been able to find adapters that go in the other direction.....a laptop dvd drive to a desktop. Thanks!!
 
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