Get rid of desktop DVD-R/W drive?

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cyclone3d

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So.... I am thinking about getting rid of the internal DVD-R/W drive in my desktop computers, or at least not replacing them when they die, since I hardly ever use them anymore.

I already have some laptop DVD-R/W drives and can get a USB 2.0 enclosure for $6-$9 depending on if I use an ide or sata based drive.

And if I wanted a Blueray drive eventually, even 6x burners can be had for $40-$50.

Are you still using internal optical drives in your desktop computer(s). If so, why?
 
My son has a cheap CD player in his room and I burn music CDs for him, he is too young to trust with a MP3 player and besides why spend a ton on MP3 players plus some kind of speaker system to play it through when I can just burn a cheap CD.

There might also be the occasional piece of software that is on a DVD, but honestly I am at the edge of getting rid of mine too.
 
I thought I was going to get rid of mine but I just couldn't do it. There's nothing like installing Windows from a DVD.
 
I bought BD-R burner for the expressed purpose of having a back up medium that doesn't require both the reader and the media to remain intact to extra the data. EG if the BD-R drive is broken, I can replace it, can't really do that on a banjaxed HDD/SSD controller.
 
I keep trying to get rid of them in builds I do for other people, but every time I do it they later come to me and tell me they need to use a disc.

I'm tempted to get rid of my own, but every once in a blue moon I find myself needing to use it. It's frustrating, but it just won't die. Kinda like VGA and PS/2.
 
I already have a really old full size external DVD-R/W drive that I use when one of my internal drives die. I am just thinking that I could get rid of the internal ones once they die and also replace the old external one with a slimline one since all I would need is a case.
 
Recently realized when we had family over recently I didn't have a single working optical drive anywhere in the house anymore. It has been that way for well over a year now, and we hadn't even noticed.
 
I just keep a USB BD burner in a plastic zip lock bag in one of the drawers/shelves. For some reason, my version of Office requires the CD to install after a format. Other than that, the most I use it is for ripping new movies purchased to my plex server and that is about it.
 
M-disc for long term backup and new game installation. The latter is getting rarer since all the good game sales are for download copies only (unfortunately).
 
zaniix said:
installing from a USB is much faster.
Click to expand...

Only advantage is you can burn 2-3 DVDs for for cheap. Don't have to worry about downloading/clearing a USB drive when you need to install or repair.

I still have a few games on CD only. SWAT 4, GRAW 1/2 and ArmA. Only games I care about are the first three. SWAT was on Direct to Drive then got removed and Ubisoft stopped selling all of their games if they used Gamespy. Which sucks because 99% of my time in GRAW 1/2 was in SP. I have a few other games but most I now own digitally. Homeworld, if I recall Raven Shield, STALKER and more.
 
I have a blu ray burner and a older dvd writer. A good advantage to having a bluray burner is backing up the games you have downloaded from steam or origin. They can easily span multiple dvd's. I can't say other than loading windows 7 and office from dvd that I use them much. I also use my bluray to watch redbox movies. In all honesty I have cable with Comcast and while they have gotten rid of the data caps in my area, they may come back eventually. Saving a gignormous game on a blu ray saves you the hassle from the data cap. It is also way faster pulling a game from a backup than having to download it again.
 
I have a BD burner and archive game ISO's. BD-R have become quite cheap in bulk. Even RE in case you screw up you can just erase and start again.
I don't use it often but it's nice to have when I do want to use it.
 
I built 2 systems this year and I kept optical drives. For my HTPC it was essential to have an optical drive. For my gaming rig, I wanted it bc it's just so easy to install windows that way and the drives are so darn cheap.
 
I'm planning to use one in my upcoming build (putting it together next week) for a few reasons:

1.) It'll be a recycled part from an old PC, so no cost there
2.) Easier to install a fresh OS with
3.) I still have some old files scattered throughout the house on CDs somewhere (i.e. old family vacation photos and stuff like that) that I would like to access
 
On my Linux machine I don't have one, but on my windows machine I do (to install windows, mobo drivers etc and that's pretty much it). I have a portable one but last time I tried it would not work in Linux. USB devices tend to be hit and miss for booting as well, some computers it will work, some it won't. Internal will always work. They're so cheap it's probably worth having anyway. There's a few times where I wish I had one in my Linux machine. I should get one just so I know it's there for next time I need it. It's one of those things that's nice to have when you need it.
 
After setting up USB install media for Windows, I can't recall the last time I used an optical drive. I'd rather just have a portable/usb slim drive for the few times I might need to use it.
 
Never! I have ton of games on optical disk still. I also can boot to diagnostics disks and burn MP3 disks for my car.
 
I Think it's good to have. I too make backups on m-disk blu-rays. A lot of games that I buy is on CD-DVD, espacially older ones. Nice to have on the shelf. Impresses the ladies. We all know Girls get off on DVDs. And steering wheels. Yup.
 
Actually just this month I ditched my internal dvd burner for an external one instead. Now I can use the same drive on multiple computers whenever I happen to need it, and I don't have to hear beep booooop bip *click* every time I start up my computer due to the optical drive powering on.
 
I seldom power down/up my main computer, so that's not a consideration. I still use an optical drive to rip audio CDs, so I can't yet see the day where I wouldn't have one in my desktop system. I also have an external one for servers and other systems with no optical drive, but I can't remember the last time I used it. I can install just about anything these days from a USB key or from the network.
 
Necro time huh :)
I grabbed a usb-sata adapter for the very seldom times I need disc access (got a couple internal drives sitting around).
It's nice to have the extra space inside my case.
 
I still have a stack of them for ripping movies (5 full size units + 2 slim style). I will say that those little laptop style ones are slower then the full size 5.25 units. And the big ones seem quitter then the little guys too.
 
I consider optical drives to be absolutely essential. I am still using internal optical drives in my desktop computers. However, I can not think of a reason for internal rather than external. In my case, it seems to mostly be habit.
 
The ASUS Bluray drive in my system broke about a year ago....I never used it except to rip CDs. Now I just use my laptop for that. I still live buying my music and ripping it to my preferred format.
 
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