Using optical drive for another computer?

[Dk975]

I've decided to sell my Mini 9 and have no USB optical drive. Is there a way I can link my desktop PC with optical drive through USB port to the Dell Mini? If not, could I buy one of those SATA to USB adapters on Newegg like

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812270239 or
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812186036

and use it? They say they support windows, but would they work on booting the Dell OS CD?

 

[paperwastage]

i think you can make your USB drive bootable, then copy ALL of the Dell OS CD files over(including hidden ones)

what do you need to reinstall? Vista/W7 CDs can do the able i've mentioned, be bootable over USB easily

 

[Dk975]

I figured out a way. I took my SATA DVD drive out of my desktop, disassembled my external enclosure and plugged in the circuit board to the DVD drive and hooked it to the netbook with USB and it works.