Member Avatar for pmheslop

Hi,

I have an older dell (the ) and have been wanting to upgrade to a DVD/RW for some time now. I would really like to upgrade to an internal burner and take out my CD Drive, but I do not know if this is possible due to the shape, layout, and configuration of my box (it is a mini tower and the current CD Drive is "recessed" into the case, also the eject button seems like it is part of the case as well).

Is there any way to find out if this is possble? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!!

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Dani AI

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Building on the thread and the experience shared by , here is a concise, practical checklist and step-by-step guide for replacing an optical drive in an older Dell mini-tower like the Dimension 4500S, plus the common gotchas to watch for.

Before you buy

  • Open the side panel with the PC powered off and unplugged. Identify the existing drive's data cable: a wide, flat 40-pin ribbon is PATA/IDE; a thin, L-shaped cable is SATA. Power connectors are either a 4-pin Molex (PATA) or a flat 15-pin SATA power plug.
  • Confirm the bay: standard 5.25" half-height internal tray drives fit most older towers.
  • If your motherboard only has IDE and you buy a SATA burner (or vice versa), either pick the matching interface or plan to use a reliable adapter/controller.

Quick install checklist

  1. Unplug and ground yourself.
  2. Remove the front bezel or any plastic covers (they usually unclip) so the drive bay is accessible.
  3. Unscrew or release the drive from its bracket/rail and slide it out.
  4. Disconnect power and data cables from the back of the drive.
  5. Transfer the OEM faceplate to the new drive if it fits (most aftermarket drives have removable bezels).
  6. If the drive is PATA, set jumpers to match the original device (master/slave/cable select) and connect the cable to the proper end/middle position. If SATA, just plug in the single data and power cable.
  7. Mount the new drive, replace cables, close the case, boot to BIOS to confirm detection, then check the OS.

Troubleshooting and cautions

  • If the drive is not detected: recheck power, cable seating, jumper settings (PATA), and BIOS IDE/SATA channel enablement. Swap cables/ports to isolate faults.
  • If the case button or bezel alignment seems off, try swapping the removable bezel from the old drive; many OEM front plates clip onto the new drive. If not, a blank adapter panel is an option.
  • Use basic ESD precautions, keep screws handy, and allow 15-30 minutes for the swap if prepared.

This approach avoids case modifications in most situations and covers the usual compatibility gotchas for older Dell systems.

Recommended Answers

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Member Avatar for dcc

Double posting is a bad idea.

Member Avatar for bondi007

I think you can get this CD drive out because my friend has the same tower and he has took his out the CD drive is normal there will still be a button there just replace the CD drive and the button will work normally

hope this helps:confused:

Member Avatar for dcc

This is the problem with double post, this person has already had a reply in the other post.

Member Avatar for pmheslop

thanks so much bondi007. have yet to try, but your comment has given me confidence

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