How to Install an External DVD Drive
External DVD drives can be purchased in specially-designed enclosures, intended to remain external drives for as long as they are used. However, it is also possible to purchase a universal enclosure which is used to convert an internal drive into an external one. An external DVD drive can be installed in 10 to 20 minutes, and will work with nearly any operating system.
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Things You'll Need
- External DVD drive or internal DVD drive and 5.25" enclosure
- Phillips-head screwdriver
Instructions
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Placing an Internal DVD Drive Into an Enclosure
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1
Examine the back of the DVD drive. You should see a group of six pins, with a plastic cover, called a "jumper," over two of them. Near the pins will be a diagram with the words "Master," "Slave" and "Cable Select," or abbreviations for these. Move the jumper so that it covers the two pins labeled "Master" in the diagram.
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2
Open the external drive enclosure by unscrewing the screws on the back of the unit and sliding the cover off. Remove the plastic cover from the front of the enclosure. The cover may snap out or you may have to remove screws.
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3
Locate the two cables inside the enclosure. One cable is for data and the other is for power. Push both of these cables into the back of the DVD drive. Both cables will only be able to go in one way.
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4
Place the DVD drive into the enclosure. Note that the drive tray and eject button should face the front of the enclosure, where you removed the plastic cover. Screw the drive in place using the holes on the sides or bottom of the enclosure.
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5
Replace the enclosure's top cover and screw it in place. Leave the front cover off so you can access the DVD drive, but do not throw it away; you may want to remove the DVD drive in the future and use the enclosure for a hard drive instead.
Installing an External DVD Drive or Enclosure
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6
Insert the power cable (if applicable) into the back of your external DVD drive or completed enclosure. Some external DVD drives do not require separate power cables. Plug the power cable into a wall outlet. If the unit has a power switch, turn it on.
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7
Plug the USB or FireWire cable into the back of the unit, and into the back of the computer. Most operating systems will detect the drive and install drivers for it automatically. If you are running an older operating system such as Windows 98, continue to the next step.
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8
Insert the driver CD included with the external DVD drive into your computer's internal CD/DVD drive. If your computer does not have an internal optical drive, visit the manufacturer's website to download the appropriate drivers. The installation software will walk you through the remainder of the process. Once the software is installed, the drive will be ready for use.
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Tips & Warnings
Although this article refers specifically to DVD drives, all of the procedures described apply to CD drives as well.
Many different types of external drive enclosures are available. General instructions are given here that apply to the majority of them. However, covering every existing drive enclosure is beyond the scope of this article. The installation process for some enclosures may differ slightly from what is described here.
