thinkpad a21p dvd drive options

[energizer]

Hello,

I have a thinkpad a21p (2629-h2u). I currently have a CDRW-DVD ROM drive in the ultrabay 2000. Can I upgrade to a slimline DVD burner? I have a older thinkpad 8X DVD drive that has failed. Can I use the ultrabay housing from the failed drive and put it on a slimline DVD burner? Has anyone used a DVD burner on an a21p (if so, what kind). Thanks.

[schen]

I've used burners (both CD and DVD) in several of the A and T series. You should be in good shape as long as it's an "Ultrabay" drive whereas the "Ultrabay Slim" are for the later T4x series machines. In fact, you can actually use a variety of aftermarket drives by putting the IBM Ultrabay caddy (which amounts to some side rails and a rear connector). Both our daily laptops use NEC DVD burners which were not even original to IBMs, which made them a lot cheaper to buy!

[energizer]

Thanks for the reply Schen. Which model NEC DVD did you use? Can I take the faceplate off my old drive and put it on the new one or do I need to cut the faceplate? Thanks.

[schen]

We have a 6500 and a 6550 in our two different machines. In most cases, faceplates are specific to drives or at least to manufacturers. So if you are replacing a Panasonic with a different Panasonic,(for example) there may be some posibility that the faceplates could swap, but in general, no. So you'll have to cut the little corner off if the drive you are looking at doesn't have that already. My NEC had to have this little modification done as well as to remove some dust-seal foam around the drive. Hope this helps.

[cbcb3]

All you need for a slim drive to work on ultrabay 2000 bay is an thinkpad slim drive adapter for Ultrabay 2000. The FRU for the adapter is 62p4557. The adapter was designed for use of slim drive in ultrabay 2000. It also works with enhenced drive (mostly used on R and Z series thinkpads), but there's a ejection problem with the enhenced drives.

[energizer]

All you need for a slim drive to work on ultrabay 2000 bay is an thinkpad slim drive adapter for Ultrabay 2000. The FRU for the adapter is 62p4557. The adapter was designed for use of slim drive in ultrabay 2000. It also works with enhenced drive (mostly used on R and Z series thinkpads), but there's a ejection problem with the enhenced drives.

Thanks. When I get my system running again, I will check it out.