What is a slim optical drive?

Optical drives for computers come in two main form factors: half-height (also known as desktop drive) and slim type (used in laptop computers and compact desktop computers). Half-height optical drives hold discs in place from both sides while slim type optical drives fasten the disc from the bottom.

Does a netbook have an optical drive?

Most netbooks have poor screens and have a plastic chassis, so that many users can afford such a device. Some netbooks pack optical drives, as enough users out there still need a DVD drive, especially for work.

Does my PC have an optical drive?

Check device manager. Open the Device Manager . In the Device Manager window, click the plus (+) next to DVD/CD ROM drives to expand the selection. If the computer has an internal Blu-ray Disc optical drive, BD will be listed in the optical drive description.

Which optical drive is best?

The 6 Best External Optical Drives of 2021

  • Best Overall: ASUS BW-16D1X-U at Amazon.
  • Best Budget: LG GP65NB60 at Amazon.
  • Runner-Up, Best Budget: Dell DW316 External USB Slim DVD R/W at Amazon.
  • Most Compact: Verbatim External Slimline Blu-ray Writer (70102) at Amazon.
  • Runner-Up, Most Compact:
  • Best Ultra-HD Ready:

Are optical drives obsolete?

Well, the short answer is – yes, optical drives are being phased out, but not necessarily for the reasons you’re probably thinking of. Since all of these tasks can be performed without the aid of an optical drive, many manufacturers have decided that they are best left out of the mix.

What cable do DVD drives use?

Your drive either uses a SATA power cable (left) or a Molex power cable (right). SATA power connectors are almost always black; Molex connectors are almost always white. Both of them only fit one way — the right way.

What do I do if my computer doesn’t have a CD drive?

The easiest way to play or burn CD/DVD discs is to buy an external optical drive. Most optical drive peripheral devices connect via USB and are plug-and-play. That means you can simply connect the drive and use it the same you would use an internal CD/DVD player.

How do I play a CD on my computer without a CD drive?

These tips work for desktop PCs, too.

  1. Use an external DVD drive. Shop HP External Drives Now.
  2. Create ISO files for virtual disks.
  3. Rip files from CD, DVD, or Blu-ray.
  4. Share CD and DVD drives over Windows network.

What does the UltraBay do on a ThinkPad?

Ultrabay is IBM’s, now Lenovo’s, name for the swappable drive slot. With IBM’s words: “The ThinkPad UltraBay, also standard with the system, is an intelligent bay that switches its pinout signals to allow the installation of standard and optional features in what would normally be just the FDD bay.”.

Is the UltraBay Slim a dual bay model?

This definition is no longer valid as of the Ultrabay Slim and newer Ultrabay types, as it is nothing more than a IDE/SATA connector. This model lacks the battery terminals which are required to support an Ultrabay battery. For dual-bay models, this bay doesn’t have the battery terminals.

When did Lenovo stop using the UltraBay adapter?

Starting in 2014, Lenovo changed the design of the ThinkPad bay adapter and dropped the “UltraBay” terminology from use. What remained (in the Thinkpad W540 product) was an option for a removable Serial ATA (SATA) “Caddy” accessory which, with a screw driver, allowed the optical drive to be replaced with a second 2.5 inch SATA storage device.

What kind of hard disk do I need for UltraBay?

IDE hard disks and optical drives are supported by the ata_piix or older ide-disk driver in the linux kernel. Batteries are automatically handled by the hardware, but can be controlled further by using tp_smapi. Ultrabay Plus devices should be handled by the USB subsystem, but if the actual devices are is not known.