Inspiron 2650 DVD Module to Latitude L400?

Hello:
I have got a Latitude L400 with an external 24X CD-Rom Module and would
like to update it to get DVD Rom reading. On the other side I have got
the internal DVD module of my broken Inspiron 2650 and am wondering if
there are chances that I could connect it to the L400 with the adequate
cable? Are such cables available? If not what is the cheapest way to
get DVD Rom (R is enough, RW not necessary) to my L400?
Thanks a lot,
Chr

Your L400 should have a cable that goes to the CD drive (connecting on the
back). It unplugs. Odds are reasonable that it would fit the 2650 drive.
I'd pull it out and try it. They're similar vintage.

Any "C" drive for a Latitude will work with that cable.

This assumes it is the 'real' drive for the L400 -- not a PCMCIA/PCCard or
USB drive.

"Christophe" <> wrote in message
news: ups.com...
> Hello:
> I have got a Latitude L400 with an external 24X CD-Rom Module and would
> like to update it to get DVD Rom reading. On the other side I have got
> the internal DVD module of my broken Inspiron 2650 and am wondering if
> there are chances that I could connect it to the L400 with the adequate
> cable? Are such cables available? If not what is the cheapest way to
> get DVD Rom (R is enough, RW not necessary) to my L400?
> Thanks a lot,
> Chr
>

Thanks Tom but no, the Inspiron 2650 internal DVD Module is a GDR-8081N
and has a short connector, hollow in the middle whereas the CD-Rom
module of my L400 has a twice larger connector, male in the middle.
That is why I was asking if there were some adapter cables or cables
designed for this usage,
Thanks again,
Christophe


Tom Scales a écrit :

> Your L400 should have a cable that goes to the CD drive (connecting on the
> back). It unplugs. Odds are reasonable that it would fit the 2650 drive.
> I'd pull it out and try it. They're similar vintage.
>
> Any "C" drive for a Latitude will work with that cable.
>
> This assumes it is the 'real' drive for the L400 -- not a PCMCIA/PCCard or
> USB drive.
>
> "Christophe" <> wrote in message
> news: ups.com...
> > Hello:
> > I have got a Latitude L400 with an external 24X CD-Rom Module and would
> > like to update it to get DVD Rom reading. On the other side I have got
> > the internal DVD module of my broken Inspiron 2650 and am wondering if
> > there are chances that I could connect it to the L400 with the adequate
> > cable? Are such cables available? If not what is the cheapest way to
> > get DVD Rom (R is enough, RW not necessary) to my L400?
> > Thanks a lot,
> > Chr
> >

Hmm, interesting. I don't know of any adapter.
"Christophe" <> wrote in message
news: oups.com...
Thanks Tom but no, the Inspiron 2650 internal DVD Module is a GDR-8081N
and has a short connector, hollow in the middle whereas the CD-Rom
module of my L400 has a twice larger connector, male in the middle.
That is why I was asking if there were some adapter cables or cables
designed for this usage,
Thanks again,
Christophe


Tom Scales a écrit :

> Your L400 should have a cable that goes to the CD drive (connecting on the
> back). It unplugs. Odds are reasonable that it would fit the 2650 drive.
> I'd pull it out and try it. They're similar vintage.
>
> Any "C" drive for a Latitude will work with that cable.
>
> This assumes it is the 'real' drive for the L400 -- not a PCMCIA/PCCard or
> USB drive.
>
> "Christophe" <> wrote in message
> news: ups.com...
> > Hello:
> > I have got a Latitude L400 with an external 24X CD-Rom Module and would
> > like to update it to get DVD Rom reading. On the other side I have got
> > the internal DVD module of my broken Inspiron 2650 and am wondering if
> > there are chances that I could connect it to the L400 with the adequate
> > cable? Are such cables available? If not what is the cheapest way to
> > get DVD Rom (R is enough, RW not necessary) to my L400?
> > Thanks a lot,
> > Chr
> >

the l400 external cd connects externally with a cable to the popular dell
latitude c series modular cd drive. these same modular drives were used in
the inspiron 4000, 41000, and others. they are prolific on ebay where you
can find a cdrw/dvd (plays/records cds, plays dvds) for about $30 and work
with your current external cd cable. the drive from your inspiron 2650 has
a different connector. alternatively you could of course connect an
external usb type deivce to this laptop, but that would cost more and be
slower than the 'eternal media connector' port since this machine only has
usb type 1. search ebay for "dell l400 dvd".

"Christophe" <> wrote in message
news: ups.com...
> Hello:
> I have got a Latitude L400 with an external 24X CD-Rom Module and would
> like to update it to get DVD Rom reading. On the other side I have got
> the internal DVD module of my broken Inspiron 2650 and am wondering if
> there are chances that I could connect it to the L400 with the adequate
> cable? Are such cables available? If not what is the cheapest way to
> get DVD Rom (R is enough, RW not necessary) to my L400?
> Thanks a lot,
> Chr
>

The biggest issue to moving a CD/DVD drive from one notebook computer to another
is the plastic front bezel. If the bezels have EXACTLY the same shape and
size, the rest is easy. If not, forget it.

If the bezels match, it may be necessary to disassemble whatever other hardware
is used by the manufacturer to adapt an otherwise standard form factor to work
inside the notebook computer chassis.

Knowing just a little bit about the L400, I doubt that the DVD drive from an
Inspiron 2650 would work. But I'm simply not sure.

What's wrong with the 2650? Wanna sell it for parts? ... Ben Myers

On 29 Dec 2006 07:35:23 -0800, "Christophe" <>
wrote:

>Hello:
>I have got a Latitude L400 with an external 24X CD-Rom Module and would
>like to update it to get DVD Rom reading. On the other side I have got
>the internal DVD module of my broken Inspiron 2650 and am wondering if
>there are chances that I could connect it to the L400 with the adequate
>cable? Are such cables available? If not what is the cheapest way to
>get DVD Rom (R is enough, RW not necessary) to my L400?
>Thanks a lot,
>Chr

the bezel is not the issue for the latitude l400 as the drive does not
install internally. the connector to the propitary 'external media
connector' port and cable is the issue. he should just get a latitude c
series modular drive of the type he wants (dvd only, cdrw/dvd, dvdrw) that
are prolific on ebay and compatible with his cable. since he has usb 1 and
external dvd drive connected to the usb port would be very slow and an awful
choice.

"Ben Myers" <> wrote in message
news:...
> The biggest issue to moving a CD/DVD drive from one notebook computer to
> another
> is the plastic front bezel. If the bezels have EXACTLY the same shape
> and
> size, the rest is easy. If not, forget it.
>
> If the bezels match, it may be necessary to disassemble whatever other
> hardware
> is used by the manufacturer to adapt an otherwise standard form factor to
> work
> inside the notebook computer chassis.
>
> Knowing just a little bit about the L400, I doubt that the DVD drive from
> an
> Inspiron 2650 would work. But I'm simply not sure.
>
> What's wrong with the 2650? Wanna sell it for parts? ... Ben Myers
>
> On 29 Dec 2006 07:35:23 -0800, "Christophe"
> <>
> wrote:
>
>>Hello:
>>I have got a Latitude L400 with an external 24X CD-Rom Module and would
>>like to update it to get DVD Rom reading. On the other side I have got
>>the internal DVD module of my broken Inspiron 2650 and am wondering if
>>there are chances that I could connect it to the L400 with the adequate
>>cable? Are such cables available? If not what is the cheapest way to
>>get DVD Rom (R is enough, RW not necessary) to my L400?
>>Thanks a lot,
>>Chr

Understood. Even with the C400 drive being in an external housing, the same
criterion applies. Careful disassembly of both units, if the bezels are
identical, followed by reassembly can end up with a workable solution, albeit
with a lot of grunt work. If the required drives are cheap and easy on eBay,
there is no sense in doing all the grunt work. Simply buy.

I've done the grunt work mounting a drive inside a proprietary enclosure or
mountings, and it is something which only should be done as a last resort.

.... Ben Myers

On Fri, 29 Dec 2006 20:27:28 GMT, "Christopher Muto" <>
wrote:

>the bezel is not the issue for the latitude l400 as the drive does not
>install internally. the connector to the propitary 'external media
>connector' port and cable is the issue. he should just get a latitude c
>series modular drive of the type he wants (dvd only, cdrw/dvd, dvdrw) that
>are prolific on ebay and compatible with his cable. since he has usb 1 and
>external dvd drive connected to the usb port would be very slow and an awful
>choice.
>
>"Ben Myers" <> wrote in message
>news:.. .
>> The biggest issue to moving a CD/DVD drive from one notebook computer to
>> another
>> is the plastic front bezel. If the bezels have EXACTLY the same shape
>> and
>> size, the rest is easy. If not, forget it.
>>
>> If the bezels match, it may be necessary to disassemble whatever other
>> hardware
>> is used by the manufacturer to adapt an otherwise standard form factor to
>> work
>> inside the notebook computer chassis.
>>
>> Knowing just a little bit about the L400, I doubt that the DVD drive from
>> an
>> Inspiron 2650 would work. But I'm simply not sure.
>>
>> What's wrong with the 2650? Wanna sell it for parts? ... Ben Myers
>>
>> On 29 Dec 2006 07:35:23 -0800, "Christophe"
>> <>
>> wrote:
>>
>>>Hello:
>>>I have got a Latitude L400 with an external 24X CD-Rom Module and would
>>>like to update it to get DVD Rom reading. On the other side I have got
>>>the internal DVD module of my broken Inspiron 2650 and am wondering if
>>>there are chances that I could connect it to the L400 with the adequate
>>>cable? Are such cables available? If not what is the cheapest way to
>>>get DVD Rom (R is enough, RW not necessary) to my L400?
>>>Thanks a lot,
>>>Chr
>

Ben Myers wrote:

> Understood. Even with the C400 drive being in an external housing, the
> same
> criterion applies. Careful disassembly of both units, if the bezels are
> identical, followed by reassembly can end up with a workable solution,
> albeit
> with a lot of grunt work. If the required drives are cheap and easy on
> eBay,
> there is no sense in doing all the grunt work. Simply buy.
>
> I've done the grunt work mounting a drive inside a proprietary enclosure
> or mountings, and it is something which only should be done as a last
> resort.
>
> ... Ben Myers

Usually the IDE connector on the drives is the same so you pull the drive
out of the inspiron and remove the IDE to Inspiron connector from the back
then swap the IDE to latitude connector on to it.
I found that the internal drives are slightly different from my wife's old
inspiron and my latitude. The inspiron didn't have an eject soloniod
rather the head would travel all the way to one end and push a lever to
release the drive where the latitude had the separate eject soloniod. Then
the front bezels attached differently.

Christophe wrote:

> Thanks Tom but no, the Inspiron 2650 internal DVD Module is a GDR-8081N
> and has a short connector, hollow in the middle whereas the CD-Rom
> module of my L400 has a twice larger connector, male in the middle.
> That is why I was asking if there were some adapter cables or cables
> designed for this usage,
> Thanks again,
> Christophe
>
The drive for the L400 has the same connector internally, there is a small
adapter added to the back of it to make the L/C series connector. Then the
Inspiron has a similar adapter on the back of its drive module. The actual
drive connector is standardized they just stick on a slim adapter to the
specific model line of laptop.