5 Optical drive

Your computer includes an optical drive that expands the functionality of the computer. Identify what kind of device is installed in your computer to see its capabilities. The optical drive allows you to read data discs, play music, and watch movies. If your computer includes a Blu-ray Disc ROM Drive, then you can also watch high-definition video from disc.

Identifying the installed optical drive

▲Select Start > Computer.

You will see a list of all the devices installed in your computer, including your optical drive. You may have one of the following types of drives:

●SuperMulti DVD±RW and CD-RW Combo Drive with DL support

●SuperMulti LightScribe DVD±RW and CD-RW Combo Drive with DL support

●Blu-ray ROM DVD±R/RW SuperMulti DL Drive

●Blu-ray ROM with LightScribe DVD±R/RW SuperMulti DL Drive

Using optical discs

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

Your optical drive can read standard CD and DVD discs. If your optical drive is a Blu-ray Disc ROM Drive, it can also read Blu-ray discs.

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.

Some optical drives can also write to optical discs as described in the following table.

Optical drive type

Write to CD-RW

Write to DVD±RW/R

Write to DVD+RW DL

Write label to

 

 

 

 

LightScribe CD or DVD

 

 

 

 

±RW/R

 

 

 

 

 

SuperMulti DVD±RW

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

and CD-RW Combo

 

 

 

 

Drive with DL support

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SuperMulti

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

LightScribe DVD±RW

 

 

 

 

and CD-RW Combo

 

 

 

 

Drive with DL support

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

12 Chapter 5 Optical drive