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Broken CD drive

Broken CD drive

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The CD drive in my laptop is bust, and it really isn't feasible for me to buy a new one or have this one repaired at the moment. Does anyone know if it is possible to run games or install new programs by using a combination of a USB stick and another computer? Is is possible to copy the entire CD onto a USB stick? Or does anyone know of any other way of running a CD without a CD drive?

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Originally posted by genius
Or does anyone know of any other way of running a CD without a CD drive?
You can get a special laser stylus for your record turntable, which when used with a USB turntable (such as this one http://www.djkit.co.uk/acatalog/Ion_iTT_USB_Turntable.html?gclid=CKyExrOmr44CFQ9CEAodQ0EyKQ) means you'll be able to read CD's on your vinyl deck, straight into your PC. Not very portable, but a fantastic solution to your dilema.

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Originally posted by genius
The CD drive in my laptop is bust, and it really isn't feasible for me to buy a new one or have this one repaired at the moment. Does anyone know if it is possible to run games or install new programs by using a combination of a USB stick and another computer? Is is possible to copy the entire CD onto a USB stick? Or does anyone know of any other way of running a CD without a CD drive?
If you have XP you can use Virtual CD (I have v5.0 on one of my computers). You can copy the image files (.iso) to your hard drive and read them like if there was a CD in your drive.

If you have Vista, BE CAREFUL! With Vista, all Virtual Drives I've tried crashed my computer. Some of them System Restore type of crashes. I gave up on having virtual drives with Vista, but on XP they work like a charm.

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Originally posted by Palynka
If you have XP you can use Virtual CD (I have v5.0 on one of my computers). You can copy the image files (.iso) to your hard drive and read them like if there was a CD in your drive.

If you have Vista, BE CAREFUL! With Vista, all Virtual Drives I've tried crashed my computer. Some of them System Restore type of crashes. I gave up on having virtual drives with Vista, but on XP they work like a charm.
my answer is sooooo much more helpful.

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Originally posted by rhb
my answer is sooooo much more helpful.
Have you been drinking gin, jerk?

P-

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Originally posted by rhb
my answer is sooooo much more helpful.
Are you insane? If you have a turntable you DON'T want to use it to read data. It should be playing classy choons ALL THE TIME.

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Originally posted by Palynka
If you have XP you can use Virtual CD (I have v5.0 on one of my computers). You can copy the image files (.iso) to your hard drive and read them like if there was a CD in your drive.

If you have Vista, BE CAREFUL! With Vista, all Virtual Drives I've tried crashed my computer. Some of them System Restore type of crashes. I gave up on having virtual drives with Vista, but on XP they work like a charm.
So, his CD-player is broken, and you suggest he gets a program which will
require him to insert his CD into his CD-player in order to make a copy that
can then be used in a virtual drive, is that about right?

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Originally posted by stocken
So, his CD-player is broken, and you suggest he gets a program which will
require him to insert his CD into his CD-player in order to make a copy that
can then be used in a virtual drive, is that about right?
Nope.

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Originally posted by Palynka
Are you insane? If you have a turntable you DON'T want to use it to read data. It should be playing classy choons ALL THE TIME.
Any turntablist has at least two. I have three. And a Microphone.

However, my CD player isn't broken, so that's pumping out the tunes right now... 😛

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Originally posted by Palynka
Nope.
Very well.

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Originally posted by genius
The CD drive in my laptop is bust, and it really isn't feasible for me to buy a new one or have this one repaired at the moment. Does anyone know if it is possible to run games or install new programs by using a combination of a USB stick and another computer? Is is possible to copy the entire CD onto a USB stick? Or does anyone know of any other way of running a CD without a CD drive?
Depends how much info is on the CD. If have a GB thumb drive or a 8GB one you could get a friend to copy the cd to their PC and then copy it to the thumb drive and then you could copy it to your laptop. Problem with alot of games is that when you start the game, it expects to find the CD in the CD reader or DVD reader.

My advice is that you get a cheap external CD reader and connect that to your laptop via USB. I'm sure you can find one somewhere on the InterWeb for a price you can afford. Well, maybe

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Originally posted by SMSBear716
Depends how much info is on the CD. If have a GB thumb drive or a 8GB one you could get a friend to copy the cd to their PC and then copy it to the thumb drive and then you could copy it to your laptop. Problem with alot of games is that when you start the game, it expects to find the CD in the CD reader or DVD reader.

My advice is that you get a chea ...[text shortened]... B. I'm sure you can find one somewhere on the InterWeb for a price you can afford. Well, maybe
my answer is sooooo much more helpful.

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Originally posted by SMSBear716
Depends how much info is on the CD. If have a GB thumb drive or a 8GB one you could get a friend to copy the cd to their PC and then copy it to the thumb drive and then you could copy it to your laptop. Problem with alot of games is that when you start the game, it expects to find the CD in the CD reader or DVD reader.

My advice is that you get a chea ...[text shortened]... B. I'm sure you can find one somewhere on the InterWeb for a price you can afford. Well, maybe
A lot of the cheap external CD drives are, well, cheap and slow. When playing a game is the CD actually used, or is it meerly loaded from? Does the speed of the CD drive directly affect gaming performance? Also, i can lay my hands quite easily on a "normal" CD drive-does anyone know if there is a device on the go that will allow one to be plugged into a USB connection?

For the moment, however, i shall look more into Palynka's suggestion...it looks like it is exactly what I'm looking for.

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check tigerdirect.com for an external cd drive, you can use it through the usb port/ They are not generally expensive

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Originally posted by genius
For the moment, however, i shall look more into rhb's suggestion...it looks like it is exactly what I'm looking for.
Ahem.... FIXED!