Overview

The requirements for disc swap modifications are:

• A small straight-blade screwdriver

• A #1 Phillips head screwdriver

• A tray-opening tool or an unbent paperclip

• A Compact Disc - ReWritable (CD-RW) or Digital Versatile Disc (DVD writer to be modified; the drive should have an Advanced Technology Attachment Packet Interface (ATAPI) interface.

• A Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2.0 or FireWire enclosure to use with the drive after modification

It is possible to use a Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) drive and a SCSI enclosure; however, this can increase the hazards of operating the drive, because most SCSI enclosures have larger, more exposed power supplies that increase the risk of coming into contact with 120 240 voltage.

Figure A.1: Drive and Tools

It is recommended that the drive be dedicated for this purpose and disassembled fully to remove the tray. This makes reassembling the drive nearly impossible, but is more convenient. If you cannot dedicate a drive for this purpose, do not remove the tray, because it will be easy to reassemble the drive into its original form with all of the original safety features.

Start by opening the tray on the drive; pull it about halfway out of the drive. If there is a disc in the drive, remove it. With the tray open, push in the tabs that hold the front cover on the drive and pry the tray out. Note that the tabs are usually on the sides and bottom of the drive. Be gentle.

Figure A.2: