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Computers and Software => Computers and Software - General => Topic started by: Frog on November 28, 2015, 10:04:14 AM

Title: Laptops without DVD
Post by: Frog on November 28, 2015, 10:04:14 AM
I'm looking at laptops for my son, and noticed a review that gave a ding to one for not having a DVD drive so that he couldn't install another OS.
Can't that and other similar operations be done through the USB port?

In fact, with a 128 Meg usb3 flash drive now available very reasonably, couldn't one run applications and even boot from that if they wished?
Title: Re: Laptops without DVD
Post by: jvanick on November 28, 2015, 10:08:31 AM
I've been installing OS's from USB sticks for years.... works great.. but it does take a bit of work to get the os image loaded on one..

btw, I think you meant 128 Gig USB stick :)
Title: Re: Laptops without DVD
Post by: Frog on November 28, 2015, 10:20:57 AM
I've been installing OS's from USB sticks for years.... works great.. but it does take a bit of work to get the os image loaded on one..

btw, I think you meant 128 Gig USB stick :)

Is that long time with usb3?

Oh, and for the capacity, Yep, dumb mistake, that would have been a while ago that that was considered adequate. In fact I still remember a neighbor of mine going to a big sale at the Cow Palace years ago joking about whether we'd need a hard drive as large as a gig! LOL!

Title: Re: Laptops without DVD
Post by: jvanick on November 28, 2015, 10:23:54 AM

Is that long time with usb3?


No.. I used USB2, but the principles are the same...  in fact a USB2 stick was still faster than a dvd reader.

-J
Title: Re: Laptops without DVD
Post by: Frog on November 28, 2015, 10:26:20 AM
...but 3 screams!
Title: Re: Laptops without DVD
Post by: Gilligan on November 28, 2015, 12:56:53 PM
And it's gotten easier with ISO to USB stick tools that they have put out these days.

I run several tools, including a full linux system, off of a USB stick for troubleshooting and fixing systems every day.
Title: Re: Laptops without DVD
Post by: Shanarchy on November 28, 2015, 04:04:10 PM
Most laptops do not have them anymore. It makes the laptops a little thinner and lighter weight. Most programs are downloads now. I bought an external CD drive which connects via USB.
Title: Re: Laptops without DVD
Post by: Frog on November 28, 2015, 04:15:20 PM
the cd/dvd drawer used to provide the space replaced by an additional ssd drive as well
Title: Re: Laptops without DVD
Post by: jvieira on November 29, 2015, 03:27:49 AM
I've had my laptop for 2 years now and never used the CD drive. I actually had to look and see if it had one ahah.

Everything's downloadable nowadays. If it's not, you'll get it as a USB stick