I want to install a cdrom for this machine. Do I have to buy a Compaq brand, or will other brands work?

Although Compaq will want you to think that, you should be able install any brand you want.

I dissagree with the first post. If this were a desktop system, then the answer would be yes. But since this is a laptop, it is proprietary and you will need to get one from Compaq.

This is an OEM product built by Toshiba! Don't bury yourself in a hole: the LTE is an old PC so why worry about BIG expense on a non-reusable item and one which will be a lot slower than 'current' units. You may find it cheaper to get an external CD-ROM or DVD-ROM which can plug into the Parallel Port: from memory this PC doesn't have a USB port - if it does then get an external USB CD-ROM. You can then use this with any laptop or desktop [either the Parallel or USB solution]. Only difference will be that it may not be 'bootable', a small price to pay. Use the money you saved to get some 3rd party EDO memory and upgrade yo 64 or 128Mb. You'll need a pair of EDO SODIMM modules, lots of companies have this available. Get a CD and Performance!!

Thanks so much to all of you for the help! Brian, your suggestions make great sense!! Your instructions are so clear, even I can understand them!! Thanks again, Susan

I purchased a Belkin USB bus port, slid it into the PC card slot and the win98 se did not recognise it. I then noticed that the OPTi 82C861 open host controller was not installed. Using 'add new hardware'to install it, message came back saying it was installed, but I could see it in my device manager. Have I miss something. The USB busport is still not detected. Please help.

I had the same problem like Tracey Ridley. The card bus slot is a 16-bit one. For usb-cards one need a 32-bit slot. Sorry, no usb for lte5280 ! My question: Why doesn´t boot the cd-rom ?