Does an optical drive CONTAIN an HDD?

kv1204 · 12 Mar 2018

I can't find the answer anywhere. I ask this because if I unplugged my TSSTcorp DVD-ROM ts-h353b drive, the computer wouldn't work at all, and there's no other drives attached in the computer. Just the motherboard and other hardware. When I open up the desktop tower, the label on the drive doesn't even mention it has a hard drive in it. So is the C:/hard drive part of an optical drive? I need to know because I'm considering a purchase of a backup drive, but the ones under optical don't state they have a HDD in them. I'm confused.

For example,

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0033Z2BAQ..._t1_B00PJ1RXUA

And this is specifically listed as a hard drive, yet no mention of CD/DVD capability.

WD (WD5000AADS) 500GB 32MB Cache 3.5 SATA 3Gb/s Hard Drive - PC, Mac, CCTV DVR 5051964467830 | eBay

Snick · 12 Mar 2018

Hi kv1204,

No, an optical disk drive (ODD) uses a laser light to read data from or write data to an optical disc. These include CDs, DVDs, and Blu-ray discs. This allows you to play music or watch movies using pre-recorded discs.

C: is hard drive, not optical drive. Your boot order may be to boot from DVD/CD ROM 1st. To check it, power on desktop, immediately start pressing F12, (I believe that is the Boot Menu for Dell Desktop) and select your hard drive. If your computer boots you will need to enter BIOS and change boot order to your hard drive first. I believe that is the F2 key. Power up computer and immediately repetitively press F2, this should help:
How To Change Boot Order In Computer BIOS

If you're not sure the type of hard drive you have in your computer click Start ORB, type msinfo32.exe click on it. Then you need to expand to Components –> Storage –> Disks from the left hand menu tree. The right hand pane will give you detailed information about each hard drive attached to the system.

kv1204 · 13 Mar 2018

Snick said:

Hi kv1204,

No, an optical disk drive (ODD) uses a laser light to read data from or write data to an optical disc. These include CDs, DVDs, and Blu-ray discs. This allows you to play music or watch movies using pre-recorded discs.

C: is hard drive, not optical drive. Your boot order may be to boot from DVD/CD ROM 1st. To check it, power on desktop, immediately start pressing F12, (I believe that is the Boot Menu for Dell Desktop) and select your hard drive. If your computer boots you will need to enter BIOS and change boot order to your hard drive first. I believe that is the F2 key. Power up computer and immediately repetitively press F2, this should help:
How To Change Boot Order In Computer BIOS

If you're not sure the type of hard drive you have in your computer click Start ORB, type msinfo32.exe click on it. Then you need to expand to Components –> Storage –> Disks from the left hand menu tree. The right hand pane will give you detailed information about each hard drive attached to the system.

It does list the disk drive separately from the DVDROM drive, but my main concern is its location in the unit/tower, if I have to replace it. The CD/DVD drive I listed earlier is the only "drive" physically hooked up, so where is the HDD? That's why I'm confused. The only one I have looks like the one in the first link:

Barman58 · 13 Mar 2018

You will need to check the inside of the case -- Take care to check access points, (screws), for labels about Warranty being "Void if opened", only if the system is still under warranty, obviously.

Most regular cases will have one or two Media drive bays at the top of the case that are open to the front of the case, (may have a clip in cover if not used), and below these there will be a number of 3½" Drive bays which are only accessible from the inside of the case

This image may help ...

Also these days you may have an SSD, (solid state Drive), fitted rather than the traditional drive - These are quite small and can be found anywhere in the case often fixed using Velcro strips, there are also types, that consist of a set of chips that fit into a special socket on the motherboard, (Like memory modules but with connection at one end rather than along one edge )

Snick · 15 Mar 2018

Here's a video that may help too!
How To Identify The Components Inside Your Computer