DVD ROM ADVICE NEEDED

try

I have a 2004 Dell Dimension. It has a CDRW. I've just done a full reinstall. Took of Office 2003 and have lost the CDs so got myself Office 2007. Only realised then the 2007 version comes on DVD and my drive wont read it.

Obviously I don't want to spend much on this. Any advice on how I can install the Office on DVD on this machine

Unregistered.

try wrote: »

I have a 2004 Dell Dimension. It has a CDRW. I've just done a full reinstall. Took of Office 2003 and have lost the CDs so got myself Office 2007. Only realised then the 2007 version comes on DVD and my drive wont read it.

Obviously I don't want to spend much on this. Any advice on how I can install the Office on DVD on this machine

Are you sure it doesn't have a DVD drive? You've never watched a DVD on it? Are you running XP or vista?

try

No it's only a 48X CDRW Drive purchased on 27/01/2004

Running XP

Effluo

yeah you prob should have just got open office instead but since you already bought office 2007....

I'm not sure if this works or not but you could download one of these office trials and they might allow you to enter your registration key...
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/downloads/FX101321101033.aspx?pid=CL100570421033
You should give Windows a Call to see what they think


If they say you're stuck then you could also download a non cracked edition from a torrent and then use your key...
Which isn't as illegal as just downloading it for free. And you don't feel so bad about spending 60-80 yoyo's on it!


You could also ask a mate who's into IT to get him to put it on it. They'll prob have some sata to usb connection or indeed just an external dvd drive

Unregistered.

try wrote: »

No it's only a 48X CDRW Drive purchased on 27/01/2004

Running XP

hmm, you good buy/lend a cheap usb DVD Drive, though spenedin ~25yoyos for a new internal DVD drive would be a worthwhile upgrade, IMO.

Effluo

Unregistered. wrote: »

hmm, you good buy/lend a cheap usb DVD Drive, though spenedin ~25yoyos for a new internal DVD drive would be a worthwhile upgrade, IMO.

This would be delivered tomorrow for 22euro

http://www.onestoppcshop.ie/products.asp?recnumber=24542804

not a bad option but i'd still give microsoft a call

try

Effluo wrote: »

This would be delivered tomorrow for 22euro

http://www.onestoppcshop.ie/products.asp?recnumber=24542804

not a bad option but i'd still give microsoft a call

that crowd are charging the UK VAT even though I'm giving them my IE VAT number!

Unregistered.

try wrote: »

that crowd are charging the UK VAT even though I'm giving them my IE VAT number!

I think they are based in N.I.

Effluo

Unregistered. wrote: »

I think they are based in N.I.

yeah they're in NI

try

There's a big ribbon going to the existing CDRW and there's a kind of junction where I could probably plug a ribbon into from a DVD drive.

Does the above mean I'm looking for a SATA drive or are they all the same and have both a round loom or ribbon going to them

Unregistered.

try wrote: »

There's a big ribbon going to the existing CDRW and there's a kind of junction where I could probably plug a ribbon into from a DVD drive.

Does the above mean I'm looking for a SATA drive or are they all the same and have both a round loom or ribbon going to them

I think Ribbon would imply it's IDE... BUT If you could find an image on google images you'll be able to identify it no prob

Effluo

It'd be an ide drive.

Being only a cd-rw too is itself a pretty good indication!

The drive i linked to is compatible.
You could keep both drives if you wished but it's handier and a bit cleaner if you were to outright replace it.(this depends on the case and mobo)

Just take the cables out of the existing cd-rw, take out the cd-rw, put in the dvd rw, plug cables into dvd-rw...

That's it

Solitaire

Being so cheap nowadays a cheap little IDE DVD-RW drive is a worthwhile investment for the Dell. You could get a lend of an external from a mate but what happens when (not if) you need it again? Most things are distributed on DVDs nowadays, regardless of size.