How do I connect this drive? PICS Inside

**Austin** · 06-07-2006, 05:14 PM

Ok here is the deal. I received this DVD drive from a friend and need to figure out how to make it work.

It says ATAPI on the back but it looks like a different connector then normal. So I want to connect this via USB, how do I do that?

Here are the pictures:

**FelonyJake** · 06-07-2006, 05:29 PM

PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO

RIGHT in the MP3CAR STORE.

here:
http://www.mp3car.com/store/product_...products_id=92

**Austin** · 06-07-2006, 08:27 PM

I have already searched and seen it. No need to tell me to search. How am I suppose to know if this drive will work in that enclosure? Is what I showed what a normal ATAPI connection looks like??

**mach5** · 06-07-2006, 08:53 PM

That is a standard ATAPI slimline optical drive connector. If you're new to all this, I know there's a lot of information to digest, so I can understand if you missed that one.

Good luck in your project!

**WOT** · 06-07-2006, 08:54 PM

That is unless you have a IBM Ultra Bay 2000 drive that you can't find a way to make it work.

**Scouse Monkey** · 06-07-2006, 08:58 PM

Originally Posted by WOT

That is unless you have a IBM Ultra Bay 2000 drive that you can't find a way to make it work.

Uh Uh Uh, You didn't say the magic word !

jake and mach5 are right.

this is the linitx adapter for slim optical drives: http://www2.multithread.co.uk/images...ptor_large.jpg

same connector.

For information: The ibm drives are regualr drives with an ibm connector added onto the back. you can jsut unscrew the plate and you are left with a regualr drive with a connector just like that one.

**mach5** · 06-07-2006, 09:03 PM

Originally Posted by Scouse Monkey

For information: The ibm drives are regualr drives with an ibm connector added onto the back. you can jsut unscrew the plate and you are left with a regualr drive with a connector just like that one.

Dell uses a similar system in some of their laptops. I know I had to remove the power adapter PCB from the original drive and put it onto the DVD burner I was adding to my laptop, which was a pain in the *** for a while, because it took me forever to realize that there even WAS an adapter there. It was so slim I figured it was part of the Dell OEM drive. Durrrrrrr.

**Austin** · 06-07-2006, 09:06 PM

that drive above is out of a older dell system. Is it possible to convert the connection to a USB connection? I know I could probably find this via search but if someone else stumbles upon this post they might be wondering the same thing.

**mach5** · 06-07-2006, 09:18 PM

Originally Posted by Austin

that drive above is out of a older dell system. Is it possible to convert the connection to a USB connection? I know I could probably find this via search but if someone else stumbles upon this post they might be wondering the same thing.

The only way to "convert" it to a USB connection is to put it inside an enclosure, like the first person suggested. No offense to MP3car.com, but $75 is a little steep to pay for one of those, plus they're out of stock.

Try these:
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/Produc...uctCode=213500
http://www.meritline.com/ultra-slim-...cessories.html

These look like the same model, and neither look like they'll work powered solely off of USB. Ideally, you want to find one that is, so you don't need to hook it up to a power inverter.

**Jahntassa** · 06-07-2006, 11:27 PM

I'm not sure what the likelyhood of finding something like that which runs solely off USB is. The only enclosures like that i've seen that run 'only' off USB are ones that are on a newer version of Dell Ultralights, and those use a special 'double' connector that has standard USB on the bottom, and some funky proprietary power on top.

If the enclosures on zipzoomfly and Meritline run off 6-pin firewire, you could power it via firewire and just skip USB altogether.