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Help, laptop optical drive died

Discussion in 'PC hardware help' started by HazelB, Apr 9, 2007.

  1. HazelB

    HazelB Member

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    How do I remove the optical drive on my Toshiba Satellite 2805-S402?

    The HHD is easy to find, but I can't figure the CD/DVD...
     
  2. HazelB

    HazelB Member

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    This should be in hardware, sorry
     
  3. Auslander

    Auslander Senior member

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    well, i found replacement optical drives online, so i'm sure it's an easy swap, but i'm unable to find any pictures of the bottom of the laptop or any further information about swapping drives anywhere.

    best advice i have at the moment is to turn the laptop over, and be real slow and careful as you start pulling screws to pull the bottom panel off. then again, if there's screws on the side panel surround the drive, that might be part of it, too.
     
  4. HazelB

    HazelB Member

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    Thanks for the fast reply...haven't the courage yet to pull the whole bottom off, but that seems the only option.

    Could give me the www for replacement drives, I obviously didn't search the right places...
     
  5. Auslander

    Auslander Senior member

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    here's a link to what you're lookin for: http://www.impactcomputers.com/toshiba-satellite-2805-s402-parts.html

    the drive is in there some under "storage." however, i haven't bought from them, so i don't know know how trustworthy they are. if you could find the same model drive on a more reliable site, or maybe go to the manufacturer, you might have a chance at a more reliable seller.

    *edit*
    it may seem scary, but as long as you go slow and take your time, paying attention to wear things come from and don't pry too hard, you should be all right, hazel. i do recommend searching more, though, to possibly find a better diagram of the internals of the machine. it will make pulling it apart easier.

    in all honesty, i've only opened up one laptop, and that was with a hammer, so i'm not sure how much help i really can be.
     
    Last edited: Apr 9, 2007
  6. HazelB

    HazelB Member

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    Too Cool (the hammer)...another alternative is to find a DOS driver for USB to boot from my external DVD/CD drive.

    Is there such? There is a 'boot from a USB FDD' option on the MoBo.

    Or, I could connect via cable thru my hub to another PC, but don't know how to do that from Dos yet.
     
  7. Auslander

    Auslander Senior member

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    are you trying to replace the drive because it's dying/dead or are you simply getting rid of it all together?

    i'm not sure if you have a boot-from-usb option; you'd have to check your own bios for that, listed under the boot options.
     
  8. HazelB

    HazelB Member

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    Drive is truly dead. I want to install Linux, need a way to boot from the CD drive, or is there another way?

    I have all the drivers and stuff for 2000 pro and copied the install files to the second partition of the HDD from my external USB DVD/CD drive. Worked fine.

    There is no boot option from USB external HDD, only from a floppy.

    Don't ask me to do internet - I am trapped by poverty to dial-up only.

    Checked out the site .. excellent, thanks
     
  9. Auslander

    Auslander Senior member

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    best option is replace the drive, then install linux from a bootable disc in the new drive. i don't think you have a floppy (correct me if i'm wrong), so that's pretty much out for linux.

    the linux problem is one that needs to go in the linux forums. without being able to boot from usb and without a usable removable-media drive, you're not installing anything. :-(
     
  10. HazelB

    HazelB Member

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    Pretty much what I thought.

    Have a working floppy, but I don't think I can install anything from just a floppy unless I can access the external drive.

    I understand DOS which is why I was looking for a DOS driver for an external HDD or DVD/CD drive.

    Thanks for your input, Auslander.
     
  11. Auslander

    Auslander Senior member

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    i *believe* you can install a few variants of linux by booting from a floppy and then running the actual installation off a usb drive, but don't hold me to that.

    but yeah, best situation is to replace that drive. you could ebay for your pc and find a dead one, and rip the drive out of that. it might save you some cash.

    you're welcome. which linux distro are you interested in, if i may ask?
     
  12. HazelB

    HazelB Member

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    Thinkin' Ubuntu or Fedora maybe. I'm a real nube for Linux. Did some Unix when the internet was on mainframes in the early 70s tho.

    I tried Ubuntu Live on my Gateway E-3200, but it didn't have the right driver for my replacement Creative CD drive.

    Always doing something...
     
  13. Auslander

    Auslander Senior member

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    around here, i've noticed the linux pro's tend to prescribe Mandriva to the linux newbies, as it's easy on the ol' gray matter and lacks some of the security issues Ubuntu's had in the past months.
     
  14. creaky

    creaky Moderator Staff Member

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    Mainframes - now there's a blast from the past. In my case it was the 80's but hey, a great blast from my past anyhow :)

    i swear by bog standard hard drives/optical drives in USB2.0 enclosures for varioius machines/various uses. If any of the optical drives go splat on any of my laptops i'll just hook up one of the USB2.0 enclosures as opposed to forking out for a replacement drive..

    and as to Mandriva - you called ? :)
     
  15. Auslander

    Auslander Senior member

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    this force is strong with the creaky one. ^.^
     
  16. HazelB

    HazelB Member

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    Creaky? Rank Linux amatur here. I went to the mandrake site and wanted to download their distro. Then went to BitTorrent and am downloading their agent.

    Since I am not joining their 'Club' there are workarounds, yes?

    Or should I consider a different distro?

    Some might say that Fedora is gonna be hot. I do pretty well with challenges, given enough hints...been thinking about this for a long time.

    Auslander? I still haven't given up on the lappy. Going to tear it apart sometime this week if I get the time.
     
  17. creaky

    creaky Moderator Staff Member

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    if you're not a 'Club' member you basically just wait a while for the latest versions like us other non-club members :)

    Basically once installed and in need of extra programs and program updates, you just need a webpage such as this - http://easyurpmi.zarb.org/

    ..to help you generate the relevant url's for installing whichever programs/updates you need.

    edit- i whole-heartedly recommend Mandriva. i've been using it for about 6years thru various versions and still use it on a few machines as my favourite distro. It is amazingly simple to use/maintain which is one reason i like it so much, you can concentrate on actually using it to do normal everyday things instead of spending too much time having to learn how to jump thru hoops to configure it. Granted other people like to fight with their OS, but i get paid to do that at work (i'm a Unix Admin), at home i like to just use computers :)
     
    Last edited: Apr 10, 2007
  18. HazelB

    HazelB Member

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    Finally got back to it. BitTorrent says downloading Mandriva will take 44 days. Can this be true? Must be doing something wrong...I know I have dial-up, no other choice for now, but 44 days?

    Creaky, any suggestions?
     
  19. creaky

    creaky Moderator Staff Member

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    i'll have a look see, hang on a tick...
     
  20. creaky

    creaky Moderator Staff Member

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    sorry, just noticed i hadn't provided this info further up the page..

    i don't ever get Linux distro's via torrent, can't be bothered to wait half a year for a couple of ISO's when i can get them at work via ftp in under an hour..

    loads of fast ftp links here - http://www.mandriva.com/en/download/free though you say you've got dialup?, trouble is Mandriva 2006 is 3 or so cd's, 2007 is 4. there's loads of alternative (ie smaller) distros though if you don't want to wait that long.... - http://www.distrowatch.com/
     

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