Where to buy a CD/DVD drive for a Dell Dimension 3100c?

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  1. Posts : 359
    Windows 7 Professional 64bit
       #1

    Where to buy a CD/DVD drive for a Dell Dimension 3100c?


    My DVD drive doesn't work anymore, I believe the lasers have gone so that is why it doesn't read the discs.

    However it does read CD's so I assume the laser has only gone for the DVD drive.

    Device manager says

    Hl-dt-st cdrw/dvd gcc4482 ata device

    Which bit is the important part when trying to buy the component?

    Ggc4482 ata device?

    Also could someone recommend any links?

    Live in the UK
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  2. Posts : 24,479
    Windows 7 Ultimate X64 SP1
       #2

    Laptop or tower?
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  3. Posts : 359
    Windows 7 Professional 64bit
    Thread Starter
       #3

    Britton30 said:
    Laptop or tower?
    Tower
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  4. Posts : 9,606
    Win7 Enterprise, Win7 x86 (Ult 7600), Win7 x64 Ult 7600, TechNet RTM on AMD x64 (2.8Ghz)
       #4

    I believe that is a typical IDE - ATA optical drive, so you should be able to replace it with a similar one not necessarily a Dell. Maybe eBay / UK ?
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Where to buy a CD/DVD drive for a Dell Dimension 3100c?-ide_connections.jpg  
    Last edited by DocBrown; 10 Mar 2013 at 18:29. Reason: added pic
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  5. Posts : 24,479
    Windows 7 Ultimate X64 SP1
       #5

    You'll need to look at it to see the connector type, this is SATA. It will have 2 cables each about 13mm wide.
    Where to buy a CD/DVD drive for a Dell Dimension 3100c?-sata.jpg

    If you have a wide, about 55mm, ribbon connector it is IDE and harder to find.

    For a SATA any of these will work. I don't know a UK vendor. any brand will work.

    Newegg.com - Computer Hardware, CD / DVD Burners & Media, CD / DVD Burners, DVD Burner
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  6. Posts : 359
    Windows 7 Professional 64bit
    Thread Starter
       #6

    The problem I have is as the computer has been passed down my family generation I can't actually see it. I'm going to my family's house this Saturday so if I could order it on Monday it would be great as then it might arrive before Saturday so I could install it.

    From recap what DocBrown shown in the image looks right so I'm willing to risk it, what exactly do I search?

    Ata-ide optical drive?

    P.S. Not bothered about brand, doesn't have to be Dell. I just need something compatible.
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  7. Posts : 9,606
    Win7 Enterprise, Win7 x86 (Ult 7600), Win7 x64 Ult 7600, TechNet RTM on AMD x64 (2.8Ghz)
       #7

    Do you have any Thrift second hand stores in UK? I have found used IDE drives for $3.99 to $7.99. Recently I found a HP CD/DVD LightScribe External drive in the plastic ext case for $4.99. It was missing the ext power supply. I just dis-assembled it and tossed the plastic ext case in the trash.
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  8. Posts : 359
    Windows 7 Professional 64bit
    Thread Starter
       #8

    DocBrown said:
    Do you have any Thrift second hand stores in UK? I have found used IDE drives for $3.99 to $7.99. Recently I found a HP CD/DVD LightScribe External drive in the plastic ext case for $4.99. It was missing the ext power supply. I just dis-assembled it and tossed the plastic ext case in the trash.
    No but we have Amazon UK

    On a serious note I'm still unsure on what to look for as my questions are still unanswered.
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  9. Posts : 4,161
    Windows 7 Pro-x64
       #9

    You'll be looking for an IDE interface drive (ATA). It will be called a CD-RW/DVD. Dell shows three different drives for that system. The basic was a CD/ROM with an IDE interface. This drive won't write anything and reads only CDs. The next option was a CD-RW with IDE interface. This drive will read and write CDs only. The top option was CD-RW/DVD with IDE interface. This drive will read and write CDs but only read DVDs. It never had a CD/DVD-RW and available drivers may not support CD/DVD-RW drives.
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  10. Posts : 2,606
    Windows 7 Pro X64 SP1
       #10

    You need an IDE (also called PATA) drive, of the 5.25" type, of the normal height (1/3 bay).

    The HL-DT-ST RW/DVD GCC-4482 is a combo drive; it's a burner for CDs, but it can only read DVDs.

    I wouldn't worry if all that you can find to replace it is a DVD burner. All of the drives that I've used since the Windows 95 days used the Microsoft drivers. The motherboard uses a 915 chipset, so it's not ancient.

    I looked up the specs on the 3100C. It has a single IDE header (which I presume will support the usual 2 devices), and one SATA connector. I suppose that the HD is SATA. If so, your replacement optical drive will have to be PATA.

    In the US, I'd get one from eBay.
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