Member Avatar for nnny

Hi I have a broken HP Laptop. I took it a part and I want to use the DVD+RW drive for my Mac Mini. I want to know How I can hook it up to my computer, Where I can get a enclosure for the drive, and If need any drivers to complete the task at hand.


Please Respond
Thanks

  • 2 Contributors
  • 6 Replies
  • 114 Views
  • 3 Days Discussion Span
  • Latest Post Latest Post by nnny

Dani AI

Generated

As suggested, the usual and simplest route is a slim external USB enclosure or a USB-to-slimline adapter so the laptop DVD+RW becomes a USB optical drive. Mac OS X generally recognizes USB optical drives natively (Disc Utility, Finder and DVD Player work without extra drivers), so no special drivers are normally required for basic reading/burning.

Two checks before buying an enclosure: the drive interface and the drive thickness. Laptop optical drives come mainly as slimline PATA (44‑pin IDE) or slimline SATA — the connector on the rear will show which it is — and they commonly come in 9.5 mm or 12.7 mm thicknesses. Note the drive model printed on the label, measure the height, and match those specs to the enclosure description (look for terms like “slimline SATA 9.5mm” or “slim 44‑pin IDE enclosure”).

Power and boot behavior deserve attention. Some slim USB enclosures are bus‑powered, others need a Y‑USB cable or external DC. If the drive won’t spin or isn’t detected, try a powered hub or the Y‑cable. Also, booting a Mac from an external USB optical drive can be hit‑or‑miss on some models; test by holding Option at startup. If a bootable installer is required and the Mac won’t boot from USB DVD, create a USB flash installer or use FireWire/target‑disk methods instead.

Where to source an enclosure: local electronics shops or major online retailers — verify the enclosure explicitly lists the correct slimline interface and thickness and read reviews for Mac compatibility. If the converted drive doesn’t work, rule out drive failure by testing the bare drive or trying a different enclosure; confirm the enclosure matches the drive’s connector before returning it.

Recommended Answers

All 6 Replies

Member Avatar for dcc

Are you wanting to use this as a second drive?

Member Avatar for nnny

Yes I want to use it as an external drive for my mac mini

Member Avatar for dcc

Use an external enclosure that connects via USB.

Member Avatar for nnny

Where do I get an external enclosure that fits the size of a laptop dvd drive and do I need any drivers for it because it's a mac

Member Avatar for nnny

Great ! Thank You!

Be a part of the DaniWeb community

We're a friendly, industry-focused community of developers, IT pros, digital marketers, and technology enthusiasts meeting, networking, learning, and sharing knowledge.