Isn't it possible to have a CD "player" but NOT a CD "burner"?

Question

I have a remanufactured computer (Gateway, with Pentium III), somebody said it's 56K (?)  It's running Windows 2000, Svce Pack 4.

It has a tray for CDs and a slot for floppy disks (3 1/2").  I have been saving files to the floppy disks (Drive A) when I want to gain space on the hard-drive (Drive C ?).

I tried once to "save" to a CD (Drive D) because they hold more stuff than the floppy.  The salesman said I wouldn't be able to do it unless I had a "CD burner."  I didn't know whether I did or not; but when I tried to save, nothing happened. (That's what the salesman said would happen if I did NOT have the burner.)  I got a refund on the CD's.

Now, a friend of mine is trying to tell me that if I have the tray there, and can "play" a CD (I used that tray once to reinstall my printer after a glitch), then I MUST be able to "save" to a CD.

I still believe I do not have the CD-burner, but cannot convince my friend that they are two separate things.

Who is right?

StanleyB51 · Accepted Answer

Your friend is wrong. If your computer has floppy drive, it is most likely very old. not to long ago CD Rom drive (Read Only) was the standard in many computers. CD writer was consider a luxury.

s j · Answer

Old computers only came with Cd-Roms. Then they started coming out with CD-RWs. Some CD-Rom drives are so old they won't even read a burned CD let alone burn one. A CD burner usually says RW on the front of it. You could get the model of your drive out of the device manager and google it where you would see what actual type of drive it is. Regardless of what drive you have your friend is wrong--just because you can read off a drive it doesn't mean you can write to it.

skwonripken · Answer

If the letters R/W don't appear on the cd drive, then it is a read only drive.  You can replace it with a cd-burner for not too much money.
I'd suggest you just pop in a DVD burner, as they are only a couple bucks more.  A pentium three should be able to run any of them.
Look at www.pricewatch.com for prices.

honibear35 · Answer

You can have a CD burner installed on your computer. Just have the CD player replaced with the R/W CD burner. Then you can play cd's and burn music and files on the drive.

Peter · Answer

You are.  I have an old Dell that only has a CD player.  However, for not much money you can replace your CD player with a CD/RW-DVD drive that will play DVDs, CDs, and burn disks for you.  By not much, I mean, $30 or so.

pdc5200 · Answer

Yea you dont have a cd burner a cd burner is a completely different thing

? · Answer

I even have been in Angels Stadium, Dodger Stadium, Yankee Stadium, Petco Park and regardless of the call is of that sauna in Miami in pink Sox equipment. everybody treats you with comprehend/ignores you, different than the american followers. there is purely too lots history there. It makes it relaxing. As on your journey, i ought to in no way understand why a Yankee fan would ensue at Fenway for a pink Sox--Tigers game in Yankee equipment. positioned on Tiger equipment for Heaven's sake. of course you would be the main loathed man or woman in the park. actual donning a Yankee hat in the city of Boston isn't the brightest of strikes as a familiar count.

Anonymous · Answer

no your freinds wrong its called a cd-rom drive

Anonymous · Answer

You have to have writable drive to be able to save to a CD.
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Isn't it possible to have a CD "player" but NOT a CD "burner"?

9 Answers