Most new drives can write, though you can purchase budget drives that just read DVD discs. These are labeled as DVD-ROM drives.
Blu-Ray drives have come down in price significantly, and Blu-Ray burners are now much more affordable. Even if the Blu-Ray drive does not write (BD-ROM), there’s a good chance it will write DVDs.
Most new DVD drives will read at 16X, and write at up to 24X. These measurements indicate how much faster the drive is than a 1X drive, and is not a measurement of the actual read or write speed.
If you decide to purchase an external drive, you can skip down to Part 3 for details on installing the drivers.
LG Philips Plextor Lite-On BenQ Samsung
If you buy an OEM model, you can still find the drivers and documentation for the drive on the manufacturer’s website.
If you are installing an external drive, plug it into your computer via USB and skip down to the next section.
The SATA data cable can only be inserted one way on both the drive and the motherboard. Do not force the connection. Be careful not to disconnect any other components, such as your hard drive, or your computer will not boot up.
If you don’t have an available power connector, you can buy an adapter that can provide additional connectors.
