BleepingComputer.com: Think the CD Drive is going...

With everything else going on. I do believe that the Cd drive is giving up the ghost because it plays real slooow and it doesn't seem to want to write anymore...guess I burned it out with all those disk trying to clean the system. So any suggestions on what I should or where I should get a replacement? And the next question...are they difficult to replace? Thanks in advance for any and all suggestions!

Simple to replace. You need to know what interface you use, IDE or SATA. I would guess IDE, but you need to make sure. I like Pioneer and I almost always buy from Newegg:
http://www.newegg.com/Store/SubCategory.as...=CD-DVD-Burners
For the price you might as well get a DVD burner

http://www.buildeasypc.com/hw/howto/instdvd.htm

This post has been edited by garmanma: 06 September 2009 - 10:08 AM

garmanma...thank-you ever so much, esp for the site that has pic's. It appears that it is very similar to replacing the old 5 1/4 inch drives. But my next question is how do I know if I have IDE or SATA? It's for the emachine...and please don't laugh...

The connectors for each are very different, as are the cables. SATA cables and connections are much smaller than those for PATA drives.

http://www.directron.com/patasata.html

Louis

Okay...if I know that the optical drive is an interface enhanced IDE (ATAPI)<br> ...right, as if I really know what that all means, but I'll take a guess and say I have IDE, as garmanma thought. Now my question to you, hamluis is the IDE equal to the PATA? Or are we talking a whole different set of cables?

Again, Thank-you and please bear with me for I am Totally Computer Clueless.

Just remember...I've probably been more clueless than you for a longer period .

For all intents and purposes...IDE and PATA are interchangeable...when talking about connectors for drives.

Both SATA connectors and PATA/IDE connectors...can be used to connect either a hard drive or an optical drive (CD/DVD).

All this confusion is the result of advancing technology, since for years there were only IDE cables...and then along came SATA .

SATA cables are less than 1/2-inch wide and all mine are red...while IDE cables (here we go again) can be either rounded (but still with same 1-inch-plus connector) or flat (approximate same size as the connector).

Louis

Nothing like being dazed and confused...I was really hoping that I would not have to open the tower, but it looks like I am going to have to take a peek. I guess it would be okay just to look so that I can order the drive? Reason why I am asking is that I am waiting for help and they do state don't change anything, so I don't want to do any more damage than I have already wonderfully done.

How did I find out what might be in the tower? I cheated and called emachine.

At any hoot, Thanks garmanma and hamluis! It might be awhile before I can actually change the darn drive, but I am at least in some kind of direction and will let you know if even a "ding bat" can do this one!