I'm currently using an IBM T23 Thinkpad running Windows XP Pro.
It has a swappable CD/DVD Ultrabay drive. The CD/DVD drive is a
Toshiba SD-C2512, which I believe is read-only (if I'm wrong, please
correct me), so I need an external CD/DVD drive that can read and
write to CDs and DVDs, and plugs into the USB port.
I could technically get an Ultrabay CD/DVD writable drive but (a) it
would probably be more expensive, (b) it would be less widely
available and (c) I wouldn't be able to use it on any other computer.
So that's why I'd prefer USB (or possibly PCMCIA) interface.
Is there any compelling reason why I should get an Ultrabay drive?
By the way, are there any external CD/DVD drives that plug into the
PCMCIA slot instead of USB? Are those better than USB?
Also, my computer presently has USB 1, but I don't think that'll be a
problem since I presume that any peripherals that work with USB 2 will
also work via USB 1, although a bit slower.
So, can anyone recommend external CD/DVD drives that have worked well
with a T23, and which ones they had a problem with?
Thanks for your help.

wylbur37 wrote:
I'm currently using an IBM T23 Thinkpad running Windows XP Pro.
It has a swappable CD/DVD Ultrabay drive. The CD/DVD drive is a
Toshiba SD-C2512, which I believe is read-only (if I'm wrong, please
correct me), so I need an external CD/DVD drive that can read and
write to CDs and DVDs, and plugs into the USB port.

I could technically get an Ultrabay CD/DVD writable drive but (a) it
would probably be more expensive, (b) it would be less widely
available and (c) I wouldn't be able to use it on any other computer.
So that's why I'd prefer USB (or possibly PCMCIA) interface.
Is there any compelling reason why I should get an Ultrabay drive?

By the way, are there any external CD/DVD drives that plug into the
PCMCIA slot instead of USB? Are those better than USB?

Also, my computer presently has USB 1, but I don't think that'll be a
problem since I presume that any peripherals that work with USB 2 will
also work via USB 1, although a bit slower.

So, can anyone recommend external CD/DVD drives that have worked well
with a T23, and which ones they had a problem with?

Thanks for your help.

Hi,
You can buy an enclosure of your choice( chip is good) and install
maybe dual layer burner but it won't be speedy. I do this with my T21.

wylbur37 wrote:
I'm currently using an IBM T23 Thinkpad running Windows XP Pro.
It has a swappable CD/DVD Ultrabay drive. The CD/DVD drive is a
Toshiba SD-C2512, which I believe is read-only (if I'm wrong, please
correct me), so I need an external CD/DVD drive that can read and
write to CDs and DVDs, and plugs into the USB port.

I could technically get an Ultrabay CD/DVD writable drive but (a) it
would probably be more expensive, (b) it would be less widely
available and (c) I wouldn't be able to use it on any other computer.
So that's why I'd prefer USB (or possibly PCMCIA) interface.
Is there any compelling reason why I should get an Ultrabay drive?

Yes. The fact that it will work.

By the way, are there any external CD/DVD drives that plug into the
PCMCIA slot instead of USB? Are those better than USB?

Pretty much anything is better than USB. USB devices very often claim to
work from USB bus power, but they lie (for marketing reasons). The USB
devices are dependant on several layers of device drivers - _plenty_ of
scope for flakiness etc.

USB 1 will be unacceptable for use with a DVD, and slow but useable for
use with a CD.

wylbur37 wrote:

I'm currently using an IBM T23 Thinkpad running Windows XP Pro.
It has a swappable CD/DVD Ultrabay drive. The CD/DVD drive is a
Toshiba SD-C2512, which I believe is read-only (if I'm wrong, please
correct me), so I need an external CD/DVD drive that can read and
write to CDs and DVDs, and plugs into the USB port.

I could technically get an Ultrabay CD/DVD writable drive but (a) it
would probably be more expensive, (b) it would be less widely
available and (c) I wouldn't be able to use it on any other computer.
So that's why I'd prefer USB (or possibly PCMCIA) interface.
Is there any compelling reason why I should get an Ultrabay drive?

By the way, are there any external CD/DVD drives that plug into the
PCMCIA slot instead of USB? Are those better than USB?

Also, my computer presently has USB 1, but I don't think that'll be a
problem since I presume that any peripherals that work with USB 2 will
also work via USB 1, although a bit slower.

So, can anyone recommend external CD/DVD drives that have worked well
with a T23, and which ones they had a problem with?

Thanks for your help.

So, can anyone recommend external CD/DVD drives that have worked well
with a T23, and which ones they had a problem with?

I have a Sony dvd writer that plugs into USB. I used it a lot with my
T20 which only had USB1, but I got a pcmcia card for USB2 and it worked
well.

I think the USB will work will work with USB1 but I would not advise it.
I currently use it directly into my T42 USB2 port.

PCMCIA, for me, has more problems than USB.

The Sony-500A DVD writer is about 2 years old.

Portability requirements and how often you are planning
to burn should factor into your decision.

I'm currently using an IBM T23 Thinkpad running Windows XP Pro.
It has a swappable CD/DVD Ultrabay drive. The CD/DVD drive is a
Toshiba SD-C2512, which I believe is read-only (if I'm wrong, please
correct me), so I need an external CD/DVD drive that can read and
write to CDs and DVDs, and plugs into the USB port.

I could technically get an Ultrabay CD/DVD writable drive but (a) it
would probably be more expensive, (b) it would be less widely
available and (c) I wouldn't be able to use it on any other computer.
So that's why I'd prefer USB (or possibly PCMCIA) interface.
Is there any compelling reason why I should get an Ultrabay drive?

By the way, are there any external CD/DVD drives that plug into the
PCMCIA slot instead of USB? Are those better than USB?

Also, my computer presently has USB 1, but I don't think that'll be a
problem since I presume that any peripherals that work with USB 2 will
also work via USB 1, although a bit slower.

So, can anyone recommend external CD/DVD drives that have worked well
with a T23, and which ones they had a problem with?

Ian Singer wrote:
wylbur37 wrote:
I'm currently using an IBM T23 Thinkpad running Windows XP Pro.
It has a swappable CD/DVD Ultrabay drive.

You can pick up an internal slimline 8X DVD burner thats also a CD
burner for about US$80 and then just mount it in the original drive
mount and run it ultrabay.

What do you mean "just mount it in the original drive mount and run it
ultrabay" ?
Are you saying that you can take any generic CD/DVD drive and there's
some interface connector/adapter that slips into the Thinkpad's
Ultrabay compartment?

"wylbur37" <wylbur37nospam@yahoo.comwrites:
Are you saying that you can take any generic CD/DVD drive and there's
some interface connector/adapter that slips into the Thinkpad's
Ultrabay compartment?

Yes, it's some Ultrabay-specific pieces screwed onto the drive. If
you're simply upgrading and don't need to swap drives back and forth,
you can remove those pieces from the old CD/DVD drive and put it onto
your new generic drive.

"I'm currently using an IBM T23 Thinkpad running Windows XP Pro.
It has a swappable CD/DVD Ultrabay drive. The CD/DVD drive is a
Toshiba SD-C2512, which I believe is read-only (if I'm wrong, please

to further add to the confusion - there are PCMCIA to USB 2 adapters - with
this you could use external USB2 drive. I think they cost @$30.

"I'm currently using an IBM T23 Thinkpad running Windows XP Pro.
It has a swappable CD/DVD Ultrabay drive. The CD/DVD drive is a
Toshiba SD-C2512, which I believe is read-only (if I'm wrong, please

to further add to the confusion - there are PCMCIA to USB 2 adapters - with
this you could use external USB2 drive. I think they cost @$30.

Don't forget the external Ultrabay caddies with cardbus PC card
interface + USB : ).