External USB CD/DVD Drive for OS Install?

[Pete B]

Just bought an X61s and would like to have a CD drive for loading the OS
and running Acronis backup. Will just about any cheap USB drive work or
are there any special requirements?

Thinking also about doing it from a share on another computer on the home
network. Is the X61s capable of loading an OS over the network?

I'll probably use a USB stick if I don't buy an external drive in time, but it
would be nice to be able to use the CDs that I already have.

[axur-delmeria]

From my experience with USB CD/DVD drives, most of them have issues when powered from a single USB port, so get one that can draw power from two USB ports, or has an external AC/DC adapter.

[ZaZ]

From my experience with USB CD/DVD drives, most of them have issues when powered from a single USB port, so get one that can draw power from two USB ports, or has an external AC/DC adapter.

I've yet to have an external drive fail when installing the OS.

[geka3250]

You can look at IDE/SATA to USB converter with external power supply for using any CD/DVD/HDD drive from desktop PC. It is the cheapest way.

[axur-delmeria]

I've yet to have an external drive fail when installing the OS.

In my case it will boot just fine, but once it starts copying files, after a time it will complain about not being able to access some file and the drive stops spinning.

If you plug in an AC adapter (mine works with a Sony PSP charger) or draw power from a 2nd USB port, the installation finishes without a hitch using the same disc.

The obvious cause of the problem is that the DVD drive power requirements exceed the USB port's 500mA max output current.