How to Install a CD Burner

Level of difficulty: Intermediate

Replacing an old CD burner or installing a new one does not require the services of a professional. Manufacturers of CD’s and desktop PC’s have made it so that even someone with a working knowledge of computers may do this once-complicated task.

Materials Needed:
- An available CD bay in your system
- a CD recorder compatible with your system
- securing screws (should be provided with CD recorder to be installed)
- a Philips screwdriver
Step 1
Make sure that the unit is unplugged from the socket before attempting to do anything. Remove the computer case.
Step 2
If installing a new CD recorder, remove the blank faceplate, which is roughly the size of the burner, from the front of the computer by using your fingers. If it proves to be a bit stubborn, use a flathead screwdriver to open it with force.
Step 3
If doing a replacement, remove the old drive first by taking out the screws securing it in place. Unplug the power and ribbon cable and completely remove the old drive.
Step 4
Insert the new CD burner into the vacant bay. If you are doing this process with the computer right side up, make sure the CD burner is actually supported. Otherwise, it may fall down and harm the motherboard. Make sure you secure the new burner with the screws that came with it as CD drives tend to shake a lot as they go through their processes.
Step 5
It is now time to attach the cables. Here you will be presented with three possible choices: Slave, Master, and Cable Select. This is the part that shows what role the drive will play in the IDE configuration and is most often determined by the system setup. If the installed burner is the only equipment on one IDE cable or if there is another device and that one is set to Slave; choose the Master option. Cable Select is used when the equipment’s position is dictated upon by the cable. Also, check the manufacturer’s guide since some devices work better as slaves than masters and vice versa. The power connector can only be fixed one way so find the appropriate slot.
Step 6
Test if the new drive is recognized by restarting the system and then going to My Computer to see if the new CD drive appears. If not, recheck your connections and make sure everything is attached properly. When everything checks out okay, place the casing back on the CPU and install the software that came in with the drive.


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