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Disadvantages of an external DVD?
Si_Crewe
Posts: 40,202 Forum Member
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Maybe it's just me but it seems like CD/DVD drives seem to snuff it regularly, regardless of how much they're used.
Occurred to me that the external, USB, DVD for my sub-notebook is several years old and is still going strong and I am considering binning the DVD drive in my PC completely and replacing it with a laptop-style external unit, in the hope that it'll last longer.
So, the question is, can anybody think of any real show-stopping disadvantages with relying on an external DVD drive?
About the only thing that worries me is that it might not allow the PC to boot from the drive, to install a new OS etc.
I've had a look at my BIOS settings and there is a "boot from USB device" option so that would seem to be okay.
I was just wondering, however, whether there were any other major disadvantages which I haven't thought of.
I don't really mind that the data-rate through USB will be slower than with an internal SATA drive.
Okay, it'll be a bit slower burning CDs and installing stuff but, as long as it'll play DVDs smoothly, that's not a problem.
I was, however, wondering if there might be problems with software not recognising an external drive as a valid device.
For example, maybe a game wouldn't work with an external drive because it wouldn't accept it as a valid media source?
So, anybody got any suggestions for why this might not be a good idea?
Occurred to me that the external, USB, DVD for my sub-notebook is several years old and is still going strong and I am considering binning the DVD drive in my PC completely and replacing it with a laptop-style external unit, in the hope that it'll last longer.
So, the question is, can anybody think of any real show-stopping disadvantages with relying on an external DVD drive?
About the only thing that worries me is that it might not allow the PC to boot from the drive, to install a new OS etc.
I've had a look at my BIOS settings and there is a "boot from USB device" option so that would seem to be okay.
I was just wondering, however, whether there were any other major disadvantages which I haven't thought of.
I don't really mind that the data-rate through USB will be slower than with an internal SATA drive.
Okay, it'll be a bit slower burning CDs and installing stuff but, as long as it'll play DVDs smoothly, that's not a problem.
I was, however, wondering if there might be problems with software not recognising an external drive as a valid device.
For example, maybe a game wouldn't work with an external drive because it wouldn't accept it as a valid media source?
So, anybody got any suggestions for why this might not be a good idea?
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Comments
Games install ok and DVD writing all good.
Booting and loading apps etc will be much faster.