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External USB CD/DVD Drive for OS Install?
Posted: Wed Sep 17, 2014 3:14 pm
by 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.
Re: External USB CD/DVD Drive for OS Install?
Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2014 1:06 am
by 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.
Re: External USB CD/DVD Drive for OS Install?
Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2014 4:03 am
by ZaZ
axur-delmeria wrote: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.
Re: External USB CD/DVD Drive for OS Install?
Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2014 6:40 am
by 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.
Re: External USB CD/DVD Drive for OS Install?
Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2014 2:21 pm
by 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.