3 Using an optical drive

Identifying the installed optical drive

Select Start > Computer.

Using optical discs (CDs and DVDs)

An optical drive, such as a DVD-ROM drive, supports optical discs (CDs and DVDs). These discs store or transport information and play music and movies. DVDs have a higher storage capacity than CDs.

All optical drives can read from optical discs and some drives can also write to optical discs, as described in the following table.

Optical drive type

Read from CD-ROM

Write to CD-R/RW

Write to DVD-ROM

Write label to

 

and DVD-ROM media

media

media (includes DVD

LightScribe CD-ROM

 

 

 

+R DL, DVD+/-RW/R,

and DVD-ROM media

 

 

 

and DVD-RAM)

 

 

 

 

 

 

DVD-ROM Drive

Yes

No

No

No

 

 

 

 

 

DVD/CD-RW Combo

Yes

Yes

No

No

Drive

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DVD+/-RW SuperMulti

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

DL* LightScribe† Drive

 

 

 

 

*Double-layer (DL) discs can store more data than single-layer discs. However, double-layer discs burned with this drive may not be compatible with many single-layer DVD drives and players.

†LightScribe discs must be purchased separately. LightScribe creates a grayscale image similar to black-and-white photography.

NOTE: Some of the optical drives listed may not be supported by your computer. The listed drives are not necessarily all of the supported optical drives.

Identifying the installed optical drive

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