External cd drive

jtbleek · 08-16-2007, 02:01 AM

Hello all,

Recently my gf bought a new computer for school. A Lenovo X61 tablet. It's got all the goodies she needs, but I told her not to get Office because she can get it cheaper through school. Anyway, she gets the computer, I attempt to load Office on it for her and come to the realization that it has no cd drive. My question is what are her options. I assume they make external drives that can be connected usb or something. We're looking for something simple, small and not too pricey (have no idea what range to expect). All input is appreciated. Thank you.

**TheMatt** · 08-16-2007, 12:46 PM

Hi,

To my knowledge, the X60 series has an optical drive via the X6 docking station. If you get one of those, you will have a bunch of extra goodies including the optical drive.

If you do not want to purchase the docking station however, you can simply get an external USB optical drive. Pretty much any USB optical drive will be compatible.

jtbleek · 08-16-2007, 01:15 PM

Do you have any recommendations

Tech specs not a huge deal, needs to DVD, but not have to write DVD's. Must write CD's. Relatively small and want to be able to use without it having to be plugged into a power outlet. 75 to 150 price range. Thanks

**TheMatt** · 08-16-2007, 01:50 PM

Unfortunately you won't find any external drives that don't have a power adapter because all drives require +12v for the spindle motor and USB only provides +5v.

**Snoopdogie187** · 10-07-2007, 05:01 PM

I think if you get the X6 dock with a cd-rw/DVD it can be ran off the laptop battery itself.
My friend had an X60s and has the dock but it was never used a lot so i am not sure and i have been looking into getting a X61, but i want the dock with a dvd burner
I do know the X6 dock is about $200 and then it only accepts a slim drive that you might be able to only get from IBM/lenovo but check newegg.com, i have been looking at the cheapest way to get this computer and thier dock is slightly cheaper then from IBM site, and they also have the cd-rw/dvd drive just not cd-rw/dvd+/-rw

looking at the dock again i have no idea if it will run off the laptop battery or not, but call IBM/lenovo and they maybe able to help you more with that

**Snoopdogie187** · 10-13-2007, 06:37 PM

Sorry for the late reply, but on lenovo.com i was looking at there cd-rom drives and they do have one that uses USB to power it. It does take two USB 2.0 ports though, but the option is there if you want to get it.
It is called Targus Slimline DVD/CD-RW External USB 2.0
but on that site it is about $200 for any of them and I know the base and cd-rom drive for the X61 is not much more than that, and i did ask my friend and she never tried the base without power supply so i am still not sure on that.

08-16-2007, 02:01 AM	#1 (permalink)
jtbleek Registered User Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 51 OS: Vista Home Premium	External cd drive Hello all, Recently my gf bought a new computer for school. A Lenovo X61 tablet. It's got all the goodies she needs, but I told her not to get Office because she can get it cheaper through school. Anyway, she gets the computer, I attempt to load Office on it for her and come to the realization that it has no cd drive. My question is what are her options. I assume they make external drives that can be connected usb or something. We're looking for something simple, small and not too pricey (have no idea what range to expect). All input is appreciated. Thank you.

08-16-2007, 12:46 PM	#2 (permalink)
TheMatt TSF Enthusiast Join Date: May 2006 Location: Boston Posts: 13,701 OS: Win 3.1, 98, NT 4.0, XP Debian 4.0, Kubuntu 6.06 My System Blog Entries: 3	Re: External cd drive Hi, To my knowledge, the X60 series has an optical drive via the X6 docking station. If you get one of those, you will have a bunch of extra goodies including the optical drive. If you do not want to purchase the docking station however, you can simply get an external USB optical drive. Pretty much any USB optical drive will be compatible. __________________ - Matt M - KB1OSC - Folding@Home 85015 [url="http://www.techsupportforum.com/hardware-support/"] If TSF has helped you, please consider donating. If I have stopped responding to a thread, feel free to send me a PM with a link to the thread. It is advisable to subscribe to threads so you will receive updates when replies are posted. You can subscribe to threads from the "Thread Tools" Menu. »Memtest86 »Prime95 »UBCD »SpeedFan »NHC Personal »Everest »Sandra »PC Wizard »RivaTuner »ATi Tool Click here for Useful Articles and Guides

08-16-2007, 01:15 PM	#3 (permalink)
jtbleek Registered User Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 51 OS: Vista Home Premium	Re: External cd drive Do you have any recommendations Tech specs not a huge deal, needs to DVD, but not have to write DVD's. Must write CD's. Relatively small and want to be able to use without it having to be plugged into a power outlet. 75 to 150 price range. Thanks

08-16-2007, 01:50 PM	#4 (permalink)
TheMatt TSF Enthusiast Join Date: May 2006 Location: Boston Posts: 13,701 OS: Win 3.1, 98, NT 4.0, XP Debian 4.0, Kubuntu 6.06 My System Blog Entries: 3	Re: External cd drive Unfortunately you won't find any external drives that don't have a power adapter because all drives require +12v for the spindle motor and USB only provides +5v. __________________ - Matt M - KB1OSC - Folding@Home 85015 [url="http://www.techsupportforum.com/hardware-support/"] If TSF has helped you, please consider donating. If I have stopped responding to a thread, feel free to send me a PM with a link to the thread. It is advisable to subscribe to threads so you will receive updates when replies are posted. You can subscribe to threads from the "Thread Tools" Menu. »Memtest86 »Prime95 »UBCD »SpeedFan »NHC Personal »Everest »Sandra »PC Wizard »RivaTuner »ATi Tool Click here for Useful Articles and Guides

10-07-2007, 05:01 PM	#5 (permalink)
Snoopdogie187 Oh! What shall I be? Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 2,546 OS: Vista Home Premium SP1, mom: XP Pro SP2 My System	Re: External cd drive I think if you get the X6 dock with a cd-rw/DVD it can be ran off the laptop battery itself. My friend had an X60s and has the dock but it was never used a lot so i am not sure and i have been looking into getting a X61, but i want the dock with a dvd burner I do know the X6 dock is about $200 and then it only accepts a slim drive that you might be able to only get from IBM/lenovo but check newegg.com, i have been looking at the cheapest way to get this computer and thier dock is slightly cheaper then from IBM site, and they also have the cd-rw/dvd drive just not cd-rw/dvd+/-rw looking at the dock again i have no idea if it will run off the laptop battery or not, but call IBM/lenovo and they maybe able to help you more with that Last edited by Snoopdogie187; 10-07-2007 at 05:06 PM.

10-13-2007, 06:37 PM	#6 (permalink)
Snoopdogie187 Oh! What shall I be? Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 2,546 OS: Vista Home Premium SP1, mom: XP Pro SP2 My System	Re: External cd drive Sorry for the late reply, but on lenovo.com i was looking at there cd-rom drives and they do have one that uses USB to power it. It does take two USB 2.0 ports though, but the option is there if you want to get it. It is called Targus Slimline DVD/CD-RW External USB 2.0 but on that site it is about $200 for any of them and I know the base and cd-rom drive for the X61 is not much more than that, and i did ask my friend and she never tried the base without power supply so i am still not sure on that.