Replacing Laptop DVD/CDROM drives

[trikster2]

Hi Everyone

CDROM on my wifes antique Presario 1800 has finally died.

Genuine replacement part will be around $300 if I want DVD/CDRW, $160 from a third party just for DVDROM.

Looking around I see I can buy slim DVD ROM/CDRW's for around $80 (liteon from zip zoomfly)

Are laptop DVD/CD drives as interchangeble as their desktop brethern?

One concern is the unique bezel on the presario. However it clips on, is there any chance I could remove the bezel from the existing drive and use it on a new drive?

Thanks for any help.

 

[ShellGuy]

I would have to say they aren't as interchangeable as desktops are. I would have 2 guess that it wouldn't work but u never know.



Will G.

 

[ActuaryTm]

Originally posted by: trikster2
Are laptop DVD/CD drives as interchangeble as their desktop brethern?

Often very close. Depends greatly on the manufacturer, however, and also the individual drive itself - obviously modular type drives (a number of manufacturers implemented these in the early generations of notebooks) are proprietary by nature. Typically (as it appears you have guessed already) the most difficult facet of the replacement drive is the bezel - whether it is interchangable on your specific machine, and whether it is compatible with the replacement drive.

Would suggest posting and/or researching the specifications of the original drive (the manufacturer of the drive itself, and the model number), just to ensure that the proposed replacement would not encounter a size/general compatibility issue.

Good luck.