I've moved this discussion from:
http://www.applefritter.com/node/view/4219
dan k
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I've been looking to upgrade the original CD-ROM drives in my iBooks to combo or DVD-R drives. I can replace the mechanisms with most any laptop optical drive, but I'd like to avoid having an ugly hole where used to be the original drive bezel. I did swap a Matshita SR-8174 into my 500 where it works fine but looks ugly with its generic PC bezel.
The original drives' (500 = Matshita CR-177D, 700 opaque 16vram = LG CRN-8245B) bezels won't fit on any of the more recent drives I have on hand (Toshiba SD-R6012, Matshita SR-817x, UJDA730 + UJ-812, Teac RW8040.) I've put together a page detailing as far as I can Apple's OE drives and various bezels, with an eye toward using that info to find 3rd party upgrade drives with which an original iBook bezel will work.
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/macdan/opti_upgrades.html
I'm here asking for anyone with an iBook to provide specific details of their iBook's original drive mechanism/model. Even better, if you've upgraded, which mechanism did you use and did it work with your original faceplate? Details, details, details, will help make the upgrade process easier for others.
I'm specifically looking for the optical's OE manufacturer, their model number, and your 'Book's model, speed, etc. I've got some holes, see the above page for which models I'm missing from my list.
If you can contribute any useful info, please email me at
macdan at comcast dot net
Thanks!
dan k
I've not taken it apart, but a cursory examination of my 12" iBook 600 (16VRAM) with an LG CRN-8245B 24x CD-ROM show that it has two screw points on the bottom. One in the center, and one on the left side (toward the front of the iBook) and only a snap clip on the right (rear) side.
yep, that's the same drive 'n' bezel as on my 700 opaque 16 vram, 'cept of course your bezel's a slightly different color.
Thanks Jon, another pinned-down data point! (LG CRN-8245B in a 16 vram iBook)
BTW, if anyone needs pointers identifying which model iBook they've got:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=88039
dan k
I recently bought the Apple repair manuals on ebay for around 5 bucks. It has exploded views and photos on how to remove and replace drives & bezels on ibooks. I also just got a Toshiba SD-R2102 on ebay and will be attempting to install it this weekend. The instructions make it clear that you can remove/replace the bezels if you use patience instead of a crowbar. I could probably forward the instructions if anyone needs them. I'll post how it goes.
Bezels are easy to remove, usually just a couple of screws and a clip or two. Not hard, just need to take a bit of care.
I never located a pukka Apple bezel for the DVD-R/W I put into my Opaque 700. I left the generic face on it and it looked pretty crappy. So I cut and shaped a bit of flat white Lexan as a face and stuck it onto the generic face with some double-sided tape. It looks pretty nice now, not perfect but at least it ain't the eyesore it was before.
This was easy to do on a flat-sided dual-USB machine, but it'd be lots harder to do on - say - a clamshell what with it's odd shape and all.
dan k