How hard is it to install new DVD-Rom drives?

[RiCeBo1]

I want to install an extra DVD-Rom drive to go along with my DVD-R(W) Burner. But how hard is it to install? What are the steps to installing one? It seems kind of complicated but is it? How hard from a scale of 1-10?

[R1V3R5]

Maybe like a "2" on the hard scale. My dog could do it if he had thumbs.

[SteveMcQ]

4 (?)
Remove faceplate on the computer.
Slide in drive (or install rails depending on what your case has).
Plug in a power cable from the power supply.
Attach an IDE drive cable (or whatever you call it).
Attach the sound cable to the sound card.

Or something like that.

The hard (?) part is messing with the jumble of wires if you're concerned with airflow.

And here...hope this helps. link (http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-6603_7-5118840-1.html)

[DT778]

Ez

[m6oo]

Also, you have to set the drive master/slave configuration via the jumper block on the rear of the drives.

Typically, you set your burner to master and put it on the end of the IDE cable and you set the other drive to slave and put it on the middle connector of the IDE cable.

The last thing that could bite you is in the BIOS. Sometimes, manufacturers set unused drive slot configs to "none" in order to speed booting. If this is the case, then the BIOS will not recognize the new drive. Then, you'll have to go into the BIOS and set the Secondary Slave slot to Auto.

I googled an article from smartcomputing that had pics and everything, but when I try to put the link here, you only get a subset of the article and a message that you have to be a paid subscriber to see the full article.

If you google for "installing a second cd" and hit the link from smartcomputing.com you should be able to see the whole article. It worked for me.

Good luck

[RiCeBo1]

Thanks guys for all the input

[Vegan]

Yeah, you don't even need drivers, you literally just plug it in.

[U2K Tha Greate$t]

On windows 98 se, all you do is remove the tower, remove the cable thing, unscrew the default driver and replace that one with the new one, slide it in, screw everything back in, put the tower back on, and there you go.

I put in my dvd combo drive not to long ago, easy as apple pie.

[Frogger]

It's been said before - painfully easy. 2 out of 10.

The hardest thing might be hooking up the audio... Just take a look at how the existing one is configured and, basically, do the same thing.

Hopefully there are extra power and ide cables in your case - once it's hooked up, power on and you'll be good to go. I highly doubt you are going to get into BIOS issues...