CD-ROM drive for old Laptop?

[MusicallyInspired]

I was wondering if anyone has one of those plug-in CD-ROM drives for the Dell Latitude CPi series laptops that they might have just lying around and if they'd be willing to give (or sell) it? I've got an old Dell laptop in that series but the battery is toast and the only other thing it has is a disk drive. I won't be taking it anywhere so I won't need a battery but a CD drive really would come in handy so I could reformat the thing.

[Patrick Chang]

Hi MI,

Since the Dell Latitude CPi series laptops got 1 USB port... you may try the external USB CD-ROM drive.

PC

[MusicallyInspired]

I actually have one but it won't boot from it. And there aren't any boot disks that can detect it.

[Patrick Chang]

Hmm... What OS you plan to install on the old Laptop?

[jharris01]

I actually have one but it won't boot from it. And there aren't any boot disks that can detect it.

Did you check the BIOS settings? Maybe you need to activate the option to boot from CD (or change the boot priority settings). Now would be a good time to check if DELL's website has an updated BIOS for your model.

[MusicallyInspired]

Hmm... What OS you plan to install on the old Laptop?

Just Win98SE.

Did you check the BIOS settings? Maybe you need to activate the option to boot from CD (or change the boot priority settings). Now would be a good time to check if DELL's website has an updated BIOS for your model.

Yes, I checked the BIOS settings. The only options are: PCI Slot NIC, DockII/PortII NIC, Diskette Drive, Internal HDD, CDROM/DVDROM Drive, and Modular Bay HDD. But the CDROM/DVDROM drive only works for internal drives not USB.

[jharris01]

That's why I suggested to check DELL's support website to see if there is a BIOS update for your machine. Maybe there's a chance an update exists that allows your laptop to boot from USB devices.

[Patrick Chang]

Hi MI,

Then you need to do it the hardway. Take out the HD from the notebook, using USB to notebook HD ATA adapter to access the HD using another computer. Format the notebook HD into 2 partition of equal size. (i.e., your notebook HD size is 5GB, then 2.5GB each)

C: Primary partition with FAT32
D: Extended partition with FAT32

While you are accessing the notebook HD using another computer, it might appear as G: & H:  accordingly.

Copy the whole Win98SE CD into D:
Make the C: bootable. (i.e., sys c:)

once done, take out the notebook HD and put it back into the notebook and boot up the HD. When you see the C: prompt, u may go to D: and u may install from there.

PC.

[Great Hierophant]

What happens if the Win 98SE install files check that they are actually running from a CD-ROM?  Or has this been successfully tested?

[MusicallyInspired]

Hi MI,

Then you need to do it the hardway. Take out the HD from the notebook, using USB to notebook HD ATA adapter to access the HD using another computer. Format the notebook HD into 2 partition of equal size. (i.e., your notebook HD size is 5GB, then 2.5GB each)

C: Primary partition with FAT32
D: Extended partition with FAT32

While you are accessing the notebook HD using another computer, it might appear as G: & H:  accordingly.

Copy the whole Win98SE CD into D:
Make the C: bootable. (i.e., sys c:)

once done, take out the notebook HD and put it back into the notebook and boot up the HD. When you see the C: prompt, u may go to D: and u may install from there.

PC.

Interesting. But I don't actually have one of those adapters. Sounds like it'd be a lot of work just to get Windows installed. I don't just want Windows reinstalled and the HD formatted, I want an actual usable CD-ROM drive that'll work in DOS on the laptop without the need for a USB anything. (I should also mention that the external USB CD-ROM drive I have also has a PCMCIA interface card but the PCMCIA slots on the laptop don't work anymore)

[Patrick Chang]

What happens if the Win 98SE install files check that they are actually running from a CD-ROM?  Or has this been successfully tested?

Why don't you give it a try?   

PC

[Patrick Chang]

Hi MI,

Then you need to do it the hardway. Take out the HD from the notebook, using USB to notebook HD ATA adapter to access the HD using another computer. Format the notebook HD into 2 partition of equal size. (i.e., your notebook HD size is 5GB, then 2.5GB each)

C: Primary partition with FAT32
D: Extended partition with FAT32

While you are accessing the notebook HD using another computer, it might appear as G: & H:  accordingly.

Copy the whole Win98SE CD into D:
Make the C: bootable. (i.e., sys c:)

once done, take out the notebook HD and put it back into the notebook and boot up the HD. When you see the C: prompt, u may go to D: and u may install from there.

PC.

Interesting. But I don't actually have one of those adapters. Sounds like it'd be a lot of work just to get Windows installed. I don't just want Windows reinstalled and the HD formatted, I want an actual usable CD-ROM drive that'll work in DOS on the laptop without the need for a USB anything. (I should also mention that the external USB CD-ROM drive I have also has a PCMCIA interface card but the PCMCIA slots on the laptop don't work anymore)

If it's the hardware compatibility that's you need, you will need the original plug-in CD-ROM drives for the Dell Latitute CPi. Or any notebook slim CD-ROM drives will do. (the shape and color on the bezel might be diff from your Latitude's Color)

PC

[MusicallyInspired]

If it's the hardware compatibility that's you need, you will need the original plug-in CD-ROM drives for the Dell Latitute CPi. Or any notebook slim CD-ROM drives will do. (the shape and color on the bezel might be diff from your Latitude's Color)

PC

And that's exactly what I was asking for in my very first post.

[Patrick Chang]

If it's the hardware compatibility that's you need, you will need the original plug-in CD-ROM drives for the Dell Latitute CPi. Or any notebook slim CD-ROM drives will do. (the shape and color on the bezel might be diff from your Latitude's Color)

PC

And that's exactly what I was asking for in my very first post.

Chances are very low if you want the original parts. Unless you wouldn't mind waiting for it. 

[MusicallyInspired]

I don't mind waiting. I intended to leave this message here as a notice in case anyone ever came by one they didn't need. I didn't even fully expect a reply.

[gortmertl0]

I was wondering if anyone has one of those plug-in CD-ROM drives for the Dell Latitude CPi series laptops that they might have just lying around and if they'd be willing to give (or sell) it? I've got an old Dell laptop in that series but the battery is toast and the only other thing it has is a disk drive. I won't be taking it anywhere so I won't need a battery but a CD drive really would come in handy so I could reformat the thing.

Bump.

MI, I have a Dell C610 I bought off eBay a year-and-a-half ago, so I can feel your pain; while I can't give/sell you my CD drive, here is a refurbished CD-ROM drive for ~$11 (add $9 for shipping):

http://cgi.ebay.com/DELL-LATITUDE-C610-C640-CD-ROM-5044D-A02-F3_W0QQitemZ230384950745QQcmdZViewItemQQptZPCC_Drives_Storage_Internal?hash=item35a4035dd9

Here's one for $15 (free shipping):

http://cgi.ebay.com/DELL-Latitude-C600-C610-C640-Inspiron-24X-CD-ROM-Drive_W0QQitemZ200392830667QQcmdZViewItemQQptZPCC_Drives_Storage_Internal?hash=item2ea857eecb

Otherwise, "Dell C610 CD" keywords yield a pretty good selection at the moment on eBay.

[bzyphk]

I can't give you a CD-ROM but I've got a similar-classed laptop that I don't need.  Fujitsu Lifebook C340.  I have all the peripherials and the battery works fine.

[bzyphk]

Since I didn't hear back in the last month...the laptop went through a lobotomy.  CD-ROM is dead, laptop is in pieces and longer functional.

[MusicallyInspired]

Sorry I didn't get your message in time. Been busy these past months. Thanks for your offer, though. I think I've got enough laptops anyway .