Compatible DVD drives for Ultrabase Series 3

[Tetsuo1981]

Hi all

New to the forum and about to receive my first ever ThinkPad, an old X230 with i5 3380m 2.9ghz. Excited to get it up and running and customizer and thought this looked like a useful forum.

Anyway, onto my actual question. I quite like the idea of the Ultrabase Series 3 for added functionality but am stumped as to which dvd drive I should get to put in it. Can anyone point me in the direction of a compatibility list? Also does it HAVE to be a Lenovo drive or can I put any 9.5mm sata disc drive in the slot?

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks for having me

[dr_st]

Welcome to the forum.

Just get an Ultrabase that comes with the DVD drive installed already; on the second-hand market most of them do.

[Tetsuo1981]

Welcome to the forum.

Just get an Ultrabase that comes with the DVD drive installed already; on the second-hand market most of them do.

Cheers for the quick reply.

I've not had much joy on that front, ebay UK has a few but they're either really expensive or coming from Germany. Loads on there without drives which got me to thinking of just grabbing a 2nd hand Lenovo one or a generic one to stick in it. I'll have to keep my eyes peeled.

[jdhurst]

I have an X230 and Ultrabase in the basement here. You need the base with DVD to install an OS on that machine with a CD/DVD. The DVD drive is a UJ8C2 FRU P/N 45N7457.

The X230 is not that old. Mine is running an advanced Insider version of Windows 10. Nice machine

[dr_st]

I've not had much joy on that front, ebay UK has a few but they're either really expensive or coming from Germany.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/IBM-Lenovo-T ... 3177805928
This is literally the first result when I search "Ultrabase Series 3" on Ebay UK...

[Tetsuo1981]

I've not had much joy on that front, ebay UK has a few but they're either really expensive or coming from Germany.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/IBM-Lenovo-T ... 3177805928
This is literally the first result when I search "Ultrabase Series 3" on Ebay UK...

Stone me, I must have gone ebay blind!! How did I miss that?? Cheers for the reply. Time for an eye test I think

[Tetsuo1981]

I have an X230 and Ultrabase in the basement here. You need the base with DVD to install an OS on that machine with a CD/DVD. The DVD drive is a UJ8C2 FRU P/N 45N7457.

The X230 is not that old. Mine is running an advanced Insider version of Windows 10. Nice machine

Thanks for that. I'm really looking forward to using it when it comes, planning the usual upgrades (IPS screen, ssd and msata and max ram). Considering my desktop is an old dell core 2 duo I'm excited for something a bit more modern!!

[onespeedbiker]

Something to keep in mind. When you install the DVD player, you will notice it until does not show up in the device manager, as by default it is not enabled. In order to enable the DVD player, you must either change something in the power management, or press the DVD button twice (a popup window advise you of this). I understand power management is important to battery life, but the vast majority of people using a port replicator, aka docking station, will be using a power supply, so this always seemed quite pointless to me. Regardless, a docking station w/DVD is a great upgrade for an x230.

[Pareto Optimal]

Wont any Lenovo Slim Line DVD drive fit and any other one that is as slim? There's no bezel required for it to fit. I have an old IBM and a Lenovo one and a Dell, I think or no brand slot load that looks like it could fit.

Alternatively, couldn't you use a USB to SATA 7+6 pin cable to connect an internal DVD drive externally to any of the laptop's USB ports?