Laptop dvd rom/writer

[blue-eye-boy]

Hi, a friend of mine want to buy a laptop, a fujitsu siemens, for R1000. It's a average laptop, about 4 years old. He will use it mainly to watch dvds, and maybe sometime learn to write dvds(its an old guy, and doesn't know pc's). But the laptop's dvd writer isn't working. He was told it would cost like R1800 for a new rom/writer, I dont know which one. Can that be true, and where can I help him search for that, a rom or a writer? Thanks in advance

 

[Messugga]

Yeah, it can be true. The labor's what's going to get you. Contact the manufacturer as they'll be able to sort you out.

 

[howardb]

The manufacturers replacement parts are always way over-inflated, and R1800 for a DVD-writer is a rip-off (doesn't matter what model/brand it is)

Most laptop optical drives use the same internal drive specs/layout, but have different plastic moulds/bays that the drive fits into - Dell wanted to charge me a fortune to replace my 8x DVD-writer, but I got a brand new replacement from the UK for about R350 + postage, removed the old broken DVD-writer from the plastic mould casing, put in the new one, plugged it back in the bay and booted up - XP found the hardware, installed the necessary generic drivers, and it works perfectly. If you have a few small screwdrivers and half an hour, it's child's play...

I did have to also swap the front bezel plate with the old one so it lined up with the Dell's case - looks and works like a brand new drive now.

I'm sure you can do something similar with the Fujitsu...

- what model is the laptop?
- can you remove/eject the drive unit from the laptop bay and upload some pics of the different sides, top, bottom, etc.
- what model it the DVD-writer - look under Device Manager->DVD/CD-Rom Drives

 

[proximiti99]

4 year old laptop? I say you look the other way and run! Don't look back You're better of paying 1k for an old but working laptop

 

[blue-eye-boy]

The manufacturers replacement parts are always way over-inflated, and R1800 for a DVD-writer is a rip-off (doesn't matter what model/brand it is)

Most laptop optical drives use the same internal drive specs/layout, but have different plastic moulds/bays that the drive fits into - Dell wanted to charge me a fortune to replace my 8x DVD-writer, but I got a brand new replacement from the UK for about R350 + postage, removed the old broken DVD-writer from the plastic mould casing, put in the new one, plugged it back in the bay and booted up - XP found the hardware, installed the necessary generic drivers, and it works perfectly. If you have a few small screwdrivers and half an hour, it's child's play...

I did have to also swap the front bezel plate with the old one so it lined up with the Dell's case - looks and works like a brand new drive now.

I'm sure you can do something similar with the Fujitsu...

- what model is the laptop?
- can you remove/eject the drive unit from the laptop bay and upload some pics of the different sides, top, bottom, etc.
- what model it the DVD-writer - look under Device Manager->DVD/CD-Rom Drives

I will see him Monday again, and check out the specs and so on. But isn't there any place here in SA where I can get a replacement drive? I will replace the drive for him, thats no problem.

4 year old laptop? I say you look the other way and run! Don't look back You're better of paying 1k for an old but working laptop

I know, I wouldn't buy something like that either if it was from a stranger, but I and my friend know the guy very good, and he's not someone who abuse his stuff, and wont sell you something that doesn't work. And to watch dvds on, you dont need a rolls.

 

[howardb]

But isn't there any place here in SA where I can get a replacement drive? I will replace the drive for him, thats no problem.

It depends on the model and type of drive that would be compatible.

And to watch dvds on, you dont need a rolls.

Does he only use it for watching DVD's, or does he really want to write DVD's too? If only for watching movies, then why not just replace it with a DVD-Rom instead of a writer?

You can pick up a new laptop DVD-rom from a brand name company for about R379 ex VAT. Again, it depends on the optical drive model that's compatible with the laptop model.

 

[HavocXphere]

External USB DVD driver is probable gonna be way cheaper.

 

[pierrehugo]

@Havoc +1

LG has one that I have used... quite quick...

 

[a3dm86]

yep, lg has a great external dvd-writer (bulky and requires external power).
but if you want portability, just get an 8GB flash drive (cheap nowadays) to cart the movies around and forget about the dvd-writer altogether.