Thinkpads Forum

I recently bought a used ThinkPad 380ED from a local eBay seller, for only $20 CDN. The 2GB HDD is okay, but the CD-ROM drive will not read any disks, although it certainly sounds like it is trying. The ThinkPad's test routine for the CD-ROM say it is okay, but that test doesn't appear to involve reading an actual disk. I tried reading pressed CD-ROMs as well as CD-R's. No dice.

This computer has the dual-drive setup, with CD-ROM over top of the floppy. I've used the repair manual, got the computer open, rechecked the connections, and the CD-ROM problem still exists. I think I need to replace the CD-ROM drive.

The FRU of this 20X CD-ROM is 12J0115. On the rear end of this drive, there is a 50-pin connector (vertical pins), then there is a space, then a 4-pin connector. How likely is it that CD-ROMs from other ThinkPads (or other laptops, for that matter) will work in my ThinkPad? Is there some kind of standard mechanical mounting, I/O connector, and interface, just like IDE drives in the desktop world?

To my knowledge, the 380 CD drive is proprietary to that model but forutnatley, these things seem to pop up on eBay every now and then. While another 20x would be ideal, you can use any CD drive as long as it came from something in the 380 series of laptop computers.

However, before even trying that, try using a very fine cloth that is lightly damp with alcohol or streak free windex and carefully clean the lens and then using a dry part of the same cloth carefully dry it. After that, see if the CD works any better. You're issue could very well be nothing more than a dirty lens.