Dell Inspiron 1525 Optical Drive SATA or IDE?

[RedFlow]

Is the Dell Inspiron 1525's optical drive SATA or IDE? My friend needs to know because he wants to replace it for one that burns DVD+R DL.

He tried Dell Support and they just said "It's screwed in" when he asked if it was SATA or IDE.

[+PeterUK MVC]

Since your friend is going to replace it anyway why doesn't he take a look?

[kylejn]

LOL at Dell Support.

I'd say it's IDE. Got the following from http://www.itcsales.co.uk/acatalog/Laptop_...cal_Drives.html (bold added)

Dell Inspiron 1525 1526 8x DVD+/-RW Slimline Drive Part N0 PT068

Item Ref: 4480

Stock Available To Ship This Hour = 1

Price:?21.95 (?25.24 Including VAT at 15%)

?uro27.22 (?uro31.30 Including VAT at 15%)

Dell DVD+/-RW SlimLine Drive

Inspiron1525/1526

Inspiron ASSY,DVD+/-IDEDE,SPSY,TSST

Dell Part PT068

[LiqHead]

It's neither. It's a proprietary connector.

[RedFlow]

It's neither. It's a proprietary connector.

So you wouldn't be able to replace it with one from NewEgg?

[shihchiun]

You could try looking on eBay for a Dell-specific model. Or, do the easy thing and just get a USB model.

[LiqHead]

So you wouldn't be able to replace it with one from NewEgg?

If they have the drive for that model then yes you would. The drive has neither a serial ATA or IDE connector. The bus on which it runs may be SATA or IDE though.

[portauthority]

The bus is IDE. Connector MAY be proprietary. At first glance on the optical drives on my Dell Latitude D630 looks like it has a proprietary connector, but the optical drive assembly comes apart and inside, it has the standard IDE connector many optical drives use (like the ones on the Mac Mini drives and so on).

[RedFlow]

Ok so that leaves me with the question... Can I upgrade the optical drive or not?

[LiqHead]

Yes but it will have to made for your model laptop.

[RedFlow]

Ok got it. So I wouldn't be able to buy a Sony optical drive from NewEgg and place it in the Dell. Thats what you're saying?

[Brandon]

it woudln't fit right. I'm not even thinking about the connector, but the 1525's height isnt straight across. Its thinner in the front then the back, thus the bazel would not fit correctly

[fix-this!]

Ok got it. So I wouldn't be able to buy a Sony optical drive from NewEgg and place it in the Dell. Thats what you're saying?

type up the model of his computer online and make sure it's ide or ata sata. i had to do the same for my new hp laptop when i upgraded to a larger hdd.

[RedFlow]

Ok thanks guys for your help. That about solves it.

[portauthority]

http://www.dellcommunity.com is a better place to ask