Cheap new DVD-writer for T30

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FragrantHead · #1 Post by **FragrantHead** » Mon May 19, 2008 7:23 am

I recently replaced my DVD drive with a new DVD-writer module for my T30. Bought a cheap, generic laptop drive for about €35 inc. VAT, rather than a branded IBM/Lenovo part. There weren't any major problems, so I thought I'd share the experience.

The new drive was a LiteON DS-8A1P DVD+-RW/RAM/dual layer. Other laptop drives will probably work as well, as long as you avoid SATA ones. You will need to unscrew the rear plastic connector part and two side rails from your old drive using a small Philips screw driver, then fit them to the new one. The only problem is the bezel. Bezel fittings including the locations of the eject button and LED basically all differ between drives and/or manufacturers. I ended up cutting out a small rectangular section at the bottom right of the bezel using metal shears so the drive would fit in the Ultrabay.

Once fitted IBM DLA recognized the drive and I was able to use it straight away. Quite remarkable. I run Win2k and an old version of DLA that came with the original 1x IBM DVD writer module 5 years ago. RecordNow MAX 4.5 did not recognize the drive however and I had to upgrade to a newer DVD burning software for DVD+-R. The only other drawback with this particular drive is that CD replay doesn't work (no sound), but other than that it's a big improvement!

#2 Post by **RealBlackStuff** » Mon May 19, 2008 8:53 am

Your no-sound problem can probably be solved by tinkering with the sound-settings. What happens if you play a DVD-movie, no sound either?

FragrantHead · #3 Post by **FragrantHead** » Mon May 19, 2008 2:07 pm

DVD movies are fine. I looked at the sound settings and CD volume is turned up and not muted. CDs play fine with my old drive.

I seem to recall from working with desktops that some if not all CD-ROM drives, at least in older machines, have a wire from the drive directly to the sound card. Perhaps this is the same arrangement in the T30, but this output is missing or wired to a different pin with this this drive?

Anyhow, I'm not personally concerned about missing this feature, just thought I should mention it for completeness.

#4 Post by **Harryc** » Mon May 19, 2008 2:35 pm

If DVD movie sound is fine and CD sound is not fine, it sounds like there is a problem with the CD player software that you are using. Try Winamp or similar.

Peter_Peril · #5 Post by **Peter_Peril** » Mon May 19, 2008 2:47 pm

Good Stuff! It would be great if you could give us an update after you gone further down the road with this mod. It is something that I am considering myself. How much time did you invest in the actual modfications. Finally would you be willing to give a detailed walk through for the technically challenged

richp · #6 Post by **richp** » Tue May 20, 2008 11:26 am

I replaced mine about 9 months ago, bought an NEC ND6500A from a guy in mendham NJ for $60 in a carrier too. Dropped right in.

Peter_Peril · #7 Post by **Peter_Peril** » Tue May 20, 2008 12:16 pm

Sweet! PnP devices that actually work as intended. Don't know why I think that optical drives for the T30 are so hard to come by.... I really have only started looking. I want to back up and restore to DVD media.

I'm assuming the carrier provided came from a previous Thinkpad installation or was it the OEM with the drive; is the drive fully operational with the Thinkpad?

#8 Post by **RealBlackStuff** » Tue May 20, 2008 6:22 pm

Not to dampen your spirit, but it may be faster and easier to take an image, using e.g. Acronis TrueImage, onto an external HD in a USB enclosure.

#9 Post by **rkawakami** » Tue May 20, 2008 6:35 pm

Peter_Peril wrote:Good Stuff! It would be great if you could give us an update after you gone further down the road with this mod. It is something that I am considering myself. How much time did you invest in the actual modfications. Finally would you be willing to give a detailed walk through for the technically challenged

There's plenty of information in the archives about this conversion. A sampling:

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=6672
http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=36226
http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=37065
http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=47853
http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=50098
http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=55002
http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=61465

(Search for "ultrabay 2000 caddy dvd*" and select the "search for all terms" option)

Basic operation is as outlined in FragrantHead's post at the top of this thread. Six screws are removed to loosen the back connector (the two screws near the corners) and two side rails (don't lose the metal spring on the "wide" side). Front bezel needs to be replaced or modified with the Ultrabay 2000 notch. Depending upon the design, it will either pull off from the notched end and swing out or it will have to be un-screwed. Assuming that you already have a loose Ultrabay 2000 caddy and a front bezel pre-cut with the notch and which fits the replacement drive, then it takes about 7-8 minutes to swap the caddy/bezel. If you have to remove the new bezel and trim it, then add in 5-10 minutes, depending upon how you cut the plastic (saw, Dremel, etc.). Several things to watch out for:

- replacement optical drive being a "slave" instead of a "master"; as of now I don't know how you would tell the difference except possibly by the model number
- replacement optical drive not having the proper connector; see here: http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=37741

Some drives that I've used for this conversion: UJ-820 / UJ-840 / UJ-850 / DVR-K16 / DVR-K17 / GWA-4082

which explains why I bought several of these: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0244124965

(refer to item #7 - the "G-Base" bezel for IBM Thinkpads fits the drives listed for item #1)

Peter_Peril · #10 Post by **Peter_Peril** » Tue May 20, 2008 9:35 pm

Ray again reminds me that there is nothing new under the sun.* I really should remember to search the archives first before posting or replying to a post. Thanks Ray and everyone else who contributed

* Ecclesiastes 1:9-14

richp · #11 Post by **richp** » Tue May 20, 2008 10:54 pm

Yea, I got mine off Ebay too, but the supplier was local to where I was staying with family while doing a job in NYC. The only software I added was a newer version of Nero. I wonder if anybody is going to make a blu-ray writer that will fit in that carrier, that would be sweet being able to image to that

Cheap new DVD-writer for T30

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