[va3uxb]

I've got a slot-loading iMac DV, which has just a cd-rom in it. I want to put a CD-burner in it, and was looking at my new G4 ibook. It's using a slot-load Combo drive, which would suit all my requirements for the iMac. I've checked the model number and found that the drive is available from a couple places such as eBay.

Would or should this drive work if I bought it and put it in the iMac? My thinking is, since it's the same model as what's in the iBook, Panther 'should' recognize it and be happy. But then I don't know if apple puts special firmware or whatever in their drives. This would be an off-the-shelf drive from the manufacturer, not from apple.

I'm aware that the connector is different than the drive in the iMac now, but that's not a concern for me, I am confident I could modify the drive connector, or custom-make a cable, so that it would work properly.

My concern is if it would / should actually work or not with the OS.

Thanks!

[mactechie]

No no no, well yes. in theory it's possible. A note of caution, in order to do so you risk damaging the combo drive, and to repair that is expensive. Why?

You might be better off getting an external CD-RW.

If you try anyway. Good luck

[rjenkinson]

it should work, but messing around the imac's CRT is dangerous and opening the ibook can be difficult. unless it's a personal challenge, buying an external combo drive is the best way to go.

-r.