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    External DVDRW use with laptop

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by Babyboy, Dec 3, 2006.

  1. Babyboy

    Babyboy Notebook Guru

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    Hello all,

    I just got fed up with my DVDRW for my Z70VA that it won't read some of my cds. Can I just go ahead and get the external dvdrw drive? Anybody here have any ideas on what make or brand should I go for? Will it read all of my cds? Are they all use USB connection? If so how fast compare to internal dvd rom?

    thank you
     
    Babyboy, Dec 3, 2006
    #1
  2. Gautam

    Gautam election 2008 NBR Reviewer

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    All external optical drives today will read cds. If you get a DVD+R/-R drive, then you can burn both DVDs and CDs. External drives come in USB (and probably Firewire). Firewire is going to be faster, but USB is fine as well. If you are under warranty (and it looks like you might be, by the look of your notebook specs) you can get a replacement internal drive by calling customer support.
     
    Gautam, Dec 3, 2006
    #2
  3. Greg

    Greg Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    LG DVD+/-RW w/ Lightscribe support...$125.99 @ Best Buy. It shouldn't cost more than that, and other models (some without lightscribe or only DVD reader/CD burner) cost less.
     
    Greg, Dec 3, 2006
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  4. Babyboy

    Babyboy Notebook Guru

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    Thanks guys, I already email asus just waiting for reply. Should I call customer support? What is Lightscribe support means?

    thanks again
     
    Babyboy, Dec 3, 2006
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  5. Lil Mayz

    Lil Mayz Notebook Deity

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    Lighscribe simply means that the Drive etches a design on to the CD. Also, you need special Lightscribe discs to take advantage of feature.

    [​IMG]

    You dont need to go out and buy a new Optical Drive. It may be that some of your discs are scratched? Do the discs work in other PCs? It may be that your Optical Drive needs a firmware update, (avaliable from Asus Support.)
     
    Lil Mayz, Dec 3, 2006
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  6. Babyboy

    Babyboy Notebook Guru

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    All of my discs works with my old Z71V and when I got my Z70VA, the DVDRW drive seems to be picky. It's only a month old. Yeah seems like the firmware is old, driver date: 7/1/2001
     
    Babyboy, Dec 3, 2006
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  7. Greg

    Greg Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    That isn't too surprising on the date...some of that stuff is so (relatively) simple that it never needs a fix. I've seen similar problems that were fixed with a part replacement rather than a software update.

    However, if you have lightscribe and don't have lightscribe discs you can still use it to burn data. Lightscribe is label only.
     
    Greg, Dec 3, 2006
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  8. Babyboy

    Babyboy Notebook Guru

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    Thank you to everyone, I'll get my G/F to get me an external DVDRW with lightscribe since I didn't ask for anything this Christmas. :D
     
    Babyboy, Dec 3, 2006
    #8