CD-ROM drive and connector

[smarch]

hi everyone !

I got an old a21m, it was missing the cd drive.
bought a optical drive to plug in my labtop but
It looks like a piece of hardware is missing.

the bus in the labtop is larger than the one
on the cd-drive. I was told the 'Connector'
was broken so missing.

I don't know what to look for to repair

please help !

thanks

[Harryc]

Well, an A21M takes an Ultrabay 2000 drive. The connector looks like this;

http://www.rkawakami.net/ibm_600x/image ... ails_1.jpg

Is that what the connector on your drive looks like?

[smarch]

picture from top, I don't know but
ultrabay 2000 sounds like a solution.
But is there like an adaptor between the
two buses ?
the vendor said to me 'it's borken and not there'
As I said, the interface on the cd/dvd is smaller
then the one on the labtop ! more : it looks like
female/female connectors ! there's some piece of
hardware missing I would say.

Uninstall the bay in there and replace
should solve the problem, I'm not sure about that.

I really don't know where to start

Thanks !

[Harryc]

We still don't know what you have without seeing it. Can you post a picture or email me one?

[rkawakami]

There is no need to take the laptop apart. If you look here:

http://www.kawakami-ca.com/ultrabay_200 ... _checkout/

at pictures 5 through 8, you can check if the connector on the back of the optical drive you have looks like what is in the 6th picture. That is pretty much a standard IDE connector for 12.7mm high drives. You need to install an Ultrabay 2000 adapter (picture 7) on the back of the optical drive in order to properly connect it to the Ultrabay. For some reason IBM designed the Ultrabay 2000 to use this type of connector.

You can buy a drive that already has the proper Ultrabay adapter (and the side rails) and it will simply slide into the bay. Or, since you have a (working?) drive, you can transfer the connector and side rails from a broken Ultrabay 2000 drive to drive you have.

[smarch]

Hi again !

I just received my 256mb ram! now I'm 512 !!!
I just ordered a new battery for 35$
and a new 80gb hd 43$+shp, cannot wait !!!
I will receive it next week probably.
I need to replace the hd because it's playing
jazz music, drum solo. end of life looks like.

My wireless netcard is a dwl-650+ and works ok.

I still need that cdrom thing fixe
As I said it's 2 female connector, looks like I'm missing
something between...

I think I found a store nearby that could help...
will see.

Linux Ubuntu 10.04 runs great on my A21M thinkpad.
Bye guys !

[smarch]

here's some pictures of my problem

http://smarchpc.yolasite.com/thinkpad-repair.php

[jronald]

It is missing the 3 UltraBay shims, go up a few posts and look at the pictures.

Ron