760 - 20X Cdrom reads burned CD's

[phool@round]

I was having a difficult time loading a burned Linux Cd on my 760ED with a 6X Cdrom. No matter how slow (1X) I burned a Cd the laser would just search and not load the software either at all or partly and then fail. I'm on Ebay often both selling and buying (one of my hobbies) I came across a new listing for 20X cdrom drives that would work in the 760's/765's. The seller addressed the issue perfectly, "the laser is stonger to read at a faster speeds...which fixes the problem of not being able to read burned cd's....." I paid $17 dollars US plus shipping ($23 and change total) and thought it was worth a try. Lo and behold it wasn't just a used drive, this was a brand new drive! FRU P/N 02K0490, not sure which model Thinkpad these where installed in originally, some sites say 760XD, some say 765's. I'm not posting the lister, I'm not advocating Ebay, just that there is a fix for reading burned Cd's available. I did a quick search today using the FRU number and these drives are available beginning at $48 dollars US from various parts vendors on the web.

[CYBERYOGI =CO=Windler]

My 4x drive in the 760EL has no problems with reading burned CDRs. It only refuses multi-session CDs. (So far I remember, all files of the 2nd session were unreadable.)

But initially the CD drive of my used laptop didn't reliably work at all, thus I had to dismantle, thoroughly clean and carefully oil the mechanism to make it work. Now it makes no problem anymore. The 8x CD drive in my 760XD also reads CDRs without problems.

(I burned the CDs in my 6x speed SCSI drive Ricoh RW7060S.)

[phool@round]

CYBERYOGI =CO =Windler,
I attempted to do the same with my 6x original drive i.e., clean and oil. I didn't have the same experience as you. It changed nothing. I think my drive was on the way out. My most pleasant experience with the new drive was that it was "new". I didn't think I'd be so lucky to see one that was brand new! The 20x doesn't read multi session either, shucks.

[CYBERYOGI =CO=Windler]

CYBERYOGI =CO =Windler,
I attempted to do the same with my 6x original drive i.e., clean and oil. I didn't have the same experience as you. It changed nothing. I think my drive was on the way out. My most pleasant experience with the new drive was that it was "new". I didn't think I'd be so lucky to see one that was brand new! The 20x doesn't read multi session either, shucks.

Also don't forget to clean the lense. IBM released firmware flash upgrade files for Thinkpad CD drives. It may be these could fix multi-session trouble, but I also yet never installed one.

Has anybody ever made a homemade adapter (e.g. from an old original 760 series CD drive) to install a modified modern notebook DVD drive or -writer into a Thinkpad 760?

[unrortit]

yep,running a 8x24x24x24 nu tech dvd/cd burner on an aftermarket cdrom jae50pin adapter specifically designed for the 76x thinkpads in the original position with modded face bezel,looks 100% factory too.
burns cds fast,reads dvd media ok,though dvd movies abit too choppy for comfort at this stage,but i'm working on it.