Hardware repair guide suggestion/ comment thread

[medstudent]

I have a Dell laptop with a Matshita UJ-875S ATA device. When I insert a DVD it makes a terrible clunking noise and won't play. It will eject the disc after a while. Do I need to replace the drive and if so, does anyone know how I go about finding one? I tried looking on ebay and with various manufacturers, but no luck. Is there a comparable product made by a different manufacturer? Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[buwish]

Does it make the clunking noises and such with any disc that you put in, i.e. CD's, etc...? If so, it is probably on its way out. Take a look at this site to see if you can find a replacement.

http://www.sparepartswarehouse.com/

If not, contact the manufacturer and they can tell you what drives will work. If the laptop is under warranty, they should send you another for free.

 

[jsc]

I am guessing that you want to repair the laptop yourself if you can find the part.

I googled the drive part number and found all kinds of hits for the drivers, but none for the drive.

If you cannot find the drive, an inexpensive alternative is a small external drive.

If you can find the drive, take a look at this:
http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/53660-20-notebook-laptop-disassembly-hardware-repair-guide

It's for a Toshiba, but the general principles still apply.

 

[buzznut]

My wife has a slim external drive for her netbook that works great, it was $40 from newegg. I love it, its USB powered.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827190020

If you want a replacement, there are several at newegg for around $40. Here's one:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106340

Not sure how difficult it is to install, but I imagine a few screws would do it. Some folks have difficulty with the bezel so I would research a bit.