What External DVD/CD drive works with older Toughbooks?

I have 2 external DVD drives, both will not work with my CF- M34's.
One is a Tosiba PA3761U-1DV2. This is with out it's own power supply and trips the USB outlet.
2nd is a LG GE20LU11. This has it's own power supply but does not show up or will not allow me to install an OS (XP or 2000).

Any one Know a DVD/CD drive that does work, I hear they can be finicky.

 

Panasonic Toughbook CF-VDRRT3U

 

Thanks Geraout, just got a "new" one boxed on ebay. $35 + $10

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Panasonic-CF-VDRRT3U-DVD-ROM-CD-R-RW-Drive/233525697752?ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

 

All the panasonic ones are set up from the factory as master, you can pin mod them the work.

Also getting a cheap usb case and putting one from a 28,29,30,73,74,51,52 will work as well. TEAC is the brand they used from the factory.

 

Thanks ADOR, what do you mean by pin mod, is that like a link you have to change over. I have a 29 DVD I think I'll try that just to see how it works. I think I have a connector that fits the drive to a usb some where. My Panasonic one should be here in a couple of days, but in the mean time I will have a go.

Well the adapter was for a CF-25 floppy drive to a parallel port. Looks like it may fit a CF-27 CD drive. AnyWho back to the drawing board.

 

That pin mod is for using a NON panasonic dvd drive in a panasonic case like the CF-28 and CF-29. In the dvd caddy it's self there are two pins that have to be touching for it to reconize the non panasonic dvd drive as a master.

That mod came out as the early caddy's were holding only CD reader and out of other old laptops we were dropping DVD readers into it.

 

I seem to remember that now, trying to get a CF-25 going and with a desktop with 2 hard drives on Win95, you had to say which drive had the OS. We are spoilt with Win10, it does it all for you.

 

Also I think it's a 8gb or 6gb limit the CF-25 can physically see. I think the trick you can use is if the hard drive is bigger than that is to partition it to a size no larger than that and just have multi able partitions.

 

My 1st computer was a Sincler not sure if thats the right spelling. The Hard drive was measured in MB and the Ram in KB. The printer was a single color 2 inch calculator roll. Had to press 2 or 3 keys to get a figure. It attached to your Black/White TV.

 

The Hard drive was measured in MB and the Ram in KB.

Yup. 8086 here. 30mb MHM hard drive. 640kb ram. I had an amber monochrome display. EGA I think. Sears display model.
About a billion years ago.

 

The rich kids had a BBC computer, it was also found in schools, but only the teachers got to use them, some education!!

 

My Panasonic DVD drive arrived, what a thing of beauty . Brand new in a box with all the rapping untouched. Even if it was made in January 2007. Now I know what it would be like to get a new CF-31 from the factory and it only cost me $35+$10, Heaven.

 

I still have this nice shiny CF 31 waiting.

 

Once a salesman always a salesman My last job in England was managing the maintenance and sales of big Sewage pumps, now that was a Sh1tty job . Actually it was a great job, nothing like eating your sandwiches down near sewage. Okay thats it!

 

i got the cheapest ebay lg dvd drive with usb no power brick and it works on anything i put it in. even vintage thinkpads.

 

Good for you, hope it serves you well.

 

So I'm guessing it worked perfectly for you

 

Well not at the moment, it has become a back burner issue at this time so may be in a week or three I hope.