How to install a CD device drive
Jun 22 '01
The Bottom Line Everyone knows how to "use" a CDROM but this editorial will tell you how to install one.
Rather than make fun of a somewhat ridiculous topic, I have opted to use this space to help people who would like to learn how to install a CD device in their computer. This may seem like a simple task for some but for those people attempting this for the first time it could be a little tricky. For those who already know how to install a CD device, thank you for visiting and please have some coffee and doughnuts in the comments section.
Step one: Check for space
Make sure you have an open 5¼" drive bay to install the drive into. Also check to make sure you have a free power cable from the power supply to plug into the drive. If you don't have a free power cable you can buy a splitter from a local computer shop to attach to an existing cable to give you a free power plug. Last for this step, make sure you have room on the controller. The IDE controllers on the motherboard can support two drives each. Two drives on the primary IDE controller and two on the secondary. If you already have four IDE device drives installed (including hard drives) you may have to buy a controller card to install a new IDE device.
Step two: Check your jumpers
On the back of all IDE devices (on the bottom of some hard drives) there is a set of pins that usually have one or more jumpers set on them. Check the jumper setting for the drives. If you plan to put the new CD device on the same cable as an existing drive, you must make sure the jumpers do not conflict. One drive must be Master and the other must be set to Slave. If the drives are set to the same setting neither drive will be detected by the computer. If the existing drive is set to Cable select you may set the new drive to Cable select also but this setting is only supported by a few computer manufacturers. If your computer does not detect the new drive you will have to change the jumper settings to "Slave" and "Master".
Step three: Physical installation
This is the easiest part. After making sure the power is turned off and the power cable is unplugged from the back of the computer, open the case of your computer. Each case is somewhat different but generally the same. There should be a plastic cover across the empty bay you will be installing the CD device into. You will have to pop this cover out. Some computers require you do this from the inside of the case. Most new computers also have a metal brace across the front of the new bay also that must be removed. If there is a metal brace, you must literally "break it off". This part can be a little difficult but take your time and it will come out. You do not have to save the metal brace but you should save the plastic cover in case you remove the drive at a later date.
After removing the items blocking access to the bay, slide the drive into the bay until the screw holes in the drive align with the screw holes in the drive bay and the face of the drive is flush with the front of the computer. Now, screw it into place. Plug in the IDE device cable and make sure the red colored edge is on the side closest to the power plug. Now plug in the power cable and if you have a place on your sound card for a CD audio cable or an Auxiliary plug, you can plug the audio cable into the CD device and plug the other end into the sound card. This cable is for CD audio only and will have no other purpose so if you do not intend to play music CDs in the drive you don't have to plug this cable in.
If you are using Windows Media Player 7.x you do not have to have this cable installed to play music CDs. It will convert the CD audio information to a digital signal and the "Wav" device controls the volume.
Note: If you own a Compaq Presario 5000, 7000 or 9000 series purchased after January 2000, you may have drive rails which are necessary to install a CD device. If you have these rails you will not need to use screws to mount the CD device in the drive bay. Simply attach the rails to the sides of the CD device and slide it into the bay until it clicks into place. You will also need to remove the face cover from the computer to remove the drive rails and insert the CD device.
Step four: Finishing up
After closing the case and plugging the power back in, turn on the computer. The new drive should be detected in the BIOS unless you have a really old computer. If you are running Windows 95, 98, 98SE, ME, NT or 2000 the new CD device will automatically be detected and drivers will load on boot. You will not have to install software drivers for the new CD device. However, if this device is a CD-R, CDRW or DVD drive you will have to install the software for it to perform it's specific application. If the software is not loaded for these types of devices they will show as a CDROM only and only be capable of reading CD media. DVD drives can read the files on the DVD but without the DVD playback software they can not play DVD movies or run most multimedia DVD content.
Conclusion
I hope this helps you if upgrading or installing a CD device in your computer. This simple procedure could save you $30 or more in installation or labor fees at your local computer shop. Thanks for reading.
Gr8ful :-)
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