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This is probably a silly question but I have finally decided its worth upgrading to a CD-RW, I already have a 52x Cd-ROM, when the new CDRW comes through the door and I am ready to install it would it be an advantage to KEEP the CD-ROM installed along side the new CD-RW or completely remove the CD-ROM for the CD-RW?
I have a 300 watt power supply
Thanks
if you can keep them both, will be a lot easier when it comes ot backing up cd's. Just as long as you set them up correctly (one as master and one as slave) you should have no problems
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On my system I have a DVD-ROM, that came with the PC ,and then I installed a CD-RW. One of the features I use the most is making a copy of music CD's , with Easy CD Creators CD copier. This way I can store the original CD away ,and use the copy ! On my system , ihave it configured with the CD-RW as the secondary master and the DVD-ROM as the secondary slave ! Works great !
Good Luck Nick
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"ihave it configured with the CD-RW as the secondary master and the DVD-ROM as the secondary slave ! Works great !"
You may think it works great & I'm sure you don't have any probs with it that way, but it really should be configured differently:
primary master - HDD w/ OS
primary slave - CD or DVD drive
2ndary master - CDRW drive
2ndary slave - 2nd HDD (if you have one)Always use master/slave jumpers...NOT cable select
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I forgot to mention I have a floppy drive too. Would this setup be effective?
Primary master - Hardrive+OS
Primary slave - CD-RW
Secondary master - CDROM
Secondary slave - floppy drive?
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I was also wondering if I would get driver conflicts?
Heres my bios report
Primary master : WDCxxxxxxxx (main HD+OS)
Primary Slave : Empty
Secondary master : LTN526 (CDROM)
Secondary slave : Empty
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the floppy drive does not fit on the same cable as a hard drive or cd drive, it is completely independent of these. If you set up like nick above u'll have no probs
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No problems, that is, unless you want to copy from CD to CDRW direct (on-the-fly). Jam has given you the best setup, existing CDROM moved to slave on primary, new CDRW as master on secondary. Forget the floppy!
This way both channels can be in use simultaneously if you're either burning from HD to CDRW, or copying CD to CDRW, to get maximum burn speed.
One last point, don't try to economise by buying cheap unbranded CDR or CDRW disks. Better to shop around and get a good deal on branded disks. Find a brand your CDRW likes and stick with it. We don't want to see you back here (in the nicest possible way!) with burning problems.
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The CD-RW I have ordered looks real decent, well worth the choice to upgrade right now. check it out guys, tell me what you think.
Model: Lite-On LTR-52246S 52/24/52 CD-RW
Manufacturer: Lite-On IT
Has Mt.Rainer support*Very good reviews
http://www.cdrlabs.com/reviews/index.php?reviewid=173
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No sorry thats not it. The one I am getting really is a LTR-52327S, honest! :)
Heres what it can do (I hope!)
The LTR-52327S provides 52X maximum CD-R recording speed (CAV); 32X maximum Ultra-Speed CD-RW rewriting speed (Partial CAV); and an industry-leading 52X CD-ROM reading speed. LTR-52327S incorporates Buffer Underrun protection utility that is must-have among Ultra-Speed CD-RW drives, and the drive is shipped with Buffer Underrun protection function always enabled that could provide automatic writing strategy and OPC. LTR-52327S also includes the "redefined" SMART-BURN (Smart Monitoring and Adapting Recording Technology for BURNing) feature with this fastest CD-RW drive. The new SMART-BURN would automatically check media quality and set limit to burning speed that is best suited for that media to ensure successful writing sessions. LTR-52327S continues to feature LITE-ON's SMART-X (Smart Monitoring and Adjusting Read-speed Technology for eXtraction) function that provides the fastest and smart DAE speed among current CD-RW drives during duplication or playback. The VAS (Vibration Absorber System) is used to reduce the vibration and noise to minimum during normal operation. LTR-52327S supports Mt. Rainier standard and uses flash ROM for convenience in the field upgrades.
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CDRW drives are cheap ($10-$20 after rebate)...to be honest, I consider them "disposable" & pay no attention to brand name. OfficeMax runs rebate sales constantly...brands like Mad Dog, Micro Advantage, Cendyne, Khypermedia, etc. These companies are basically "repackagers"...they don't manufacture the drives, they take brand name drives, slap a new label on them, & put them in their own box. Sometimes they don't even bother slapping a new label on them...I've gotten several LiteOn's this way.
They're having another sale starting tomorrow (Sunday)...52x24x52 for $10 after rebate. If you're from the US, go here & select your state:
http://www.officemax.com/max/solutions/product/prePrintSelect.jsp?bvc=yes
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$10??! Wow, thats like £5.50 for us in the U.K! I would take your advice and get one of those ones, but the lite-on is comming straight from the OEM, it should be a top quality product. The LTR-52327S cost 40 bucks or £22 depending on which side of the atlantic your from which isnt too bad a price as the LTR did very well in a review.
My conclusion is that the LTR-52327S seems to be packed with technology + high preformance + error correction and is from any point of view a BIG upgrade from a 52x CD-ROM (which is also happens lite-on)
CDRW's used to be very expensive indeed even for slow speed so any purchase now adays is to my eyes a bargin. Nows the time to buy!
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Good choice of a CD-RW drive. I also have a Lite-On LTR-52327S in my main box and haven't made a single coaster yet...(well, I lied, I have made only one, but that's from user error :P).
For the price, this CD-RW is highly reliable and not to metion speedy.
One thing though, don't expect to get 52x burn speeds throughout the whole burning process. I don't know how well it works in Windoze, but when I burn a data, audio or copy CDs with k3b, the burn speed is progressive. Meaning that it will start out spining the disc at 52x, start burning approx 24x and work it's way up to 52x. But over all, can't beat burning a 700MB CD in 2.5 mins!
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It's NOT so much the drives themselfs. The difference in the price is in the software packaged with the drive. You see Nero in the drive and it seems to be alittle more. WHat I have seen all the time. Can't be brand loyal anymore, Not me anyway. They are all made to fail in time.Burn Baby Burn.
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Jam mentions to put the CD-ROM on the same channel as the O/S hard drive, but I always thought this slows the machine down? I currently have my single HDD as the primary master and the CD-ROM as the secondary master with my CD-RW as the secondary slave. Is this ok or would it be better to change it?
Cheers (PS - sorry for hijacking somebody elses post with my own question!)
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Alex2002,
The days of one device slowing another when attached to the same IDE cable/channel ended a LONG time ago when "independent timing" was introduced. We're talking backing in the days of the Pentium 1. The important thing to consider when configuring devices is that only one device can use the channel at a time, but when on separate channels, the can both do their thing similtaneously. So if you copy a lot of CDs, you'd want the CD drive as the primary slave & the CDRW as the 2ndary master....
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