Sorry I was getting to that, but replied to a PM first. First of all, I am dying because I didn't know what ROM stood for (or maybe I forgot). lMAO FYI: I truly am a n00b...just started learning about computers about 4 months ago (I know nothing about hardware) so please don't assume that I know too much in this thread. ![;)]()
So DVD-ROM replaces CD-ROM, and acts the same but with more features/functions?
Since I have 2 trays do I need to buy 2 DVD-ROMs? Maybe one -R, and the other -RW or both -RW for that matter.
Which DVD formats are the best in your opinion, and why? ![:P]()
Any DVD reader/writer on Earth is, thankfully, backwards compatible with CDs. So, if you have a DVD-ROM drive, it will not only read DVDs, but also read CDs as well. If you have a DVD-RW drive, it will not only read/write DVDs, but also read/write CDs as well.
Now, to make things a little more confusing (
), there are also "combo" drives, which can read/write CDs, but only read DVDs. So, a DVD-RW drive can always burn both CDs and DVDs, but a CD-RW drive can not necessarily burn or even read DVDs (although it can always read/burn CDs). If you have a combo drive, it will show up as CD-RW/DVD-ROM, which means it can read/write CDs, but only read DVDs.
You do not have to buy 2 DVD drives. You can if you want, but it isn't necessary. The only advantages of having multiple optical drives is:
1. Longer drive lives - you could have one drive that you use strictly for reading, and one that you use strictly for writing, and
2. You can burn disks faster - one drive can be used to buffer a disk's contents onto your HD, while the other drive burns the info from the HD to a new disk; if you only had one drive, you would have to put in the disk you want to copy, buffer the entire thing onto your HD, and then put in a blank disk, and burn the info from the HD to the blank disk
As far as DVD formats go, this article will probably explain it better than I can.
EDIT: The only thing you will have to worry about when it comes to getting a new drive for your new mobo is what interface it will use. Most new mobos support both Parallel ATA and Serial ATA interfaces, so you simply need to pick a drive that is either PATA or SATA. PATA is an older, slower, less expensive format, while SATA is a newer, faster, and more expensive interface. Since your mobo will support both, the only thing you will pay more for is the drive itself.
Also, you can have both PATA and SATA drives going at the same time, so if you want to keep your old PATA drives, and still install a shiny new SATA drive, you can do that. Although there is the possibility that your PATAs might get jealous and rebel...