Toshiba was one of the original authors of DVD technology, and many business desktops and laptops come from the factory with Toshiba DVD-ROMs pre-installed. Although Toshiba drives are by and large quite reliable, all hardware components are susceptible to problems and failure. Internal laptop drives can be adversely affected by overheating. Older drives that are still working fine often can't read or write to the newest media.

No matter what problem you are facing, the following tips will assist you in making the most of your Toshiba DVD-ROM drive:

1. Add functionality to your Toshiba DVD-ROM with a firmware update.
2. Download the Toshiba DVD-ROM drivers you need to get your drive up and running.
3. Replace a failing drive through one of many Toshiba DVD-ROM suppliers.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Find the best price when replacing a dead or dying Toshiba DVD-ROM drive

While there are countless third-party Toshiba DVD-ROM distributors, the most common Toshiba DVD-ROM providers are actually the manufacturer of your computer. Toshiba drives come preinstalled in a large number of desktops or laptops sold today. This gives you a great range of options for replacing a dying or dead drive. Find the best price by comparing eBay, your computer manufacturer and discount online retailers. You can even search the Google shopping section for a good idea of the online range in price for your specific drive model.

I recommend: First, find out how to look up the model of your DVD-ROM drive at Tech Target. Compare prices and read reviews of all different Toshiba drive models at Ciao. This will help you decide whether you want to buy the exact same drive, or move up a model to improve performance or functionality.

Update your internal or external DVD-ROM drive with the latest firmware

Firmware is the programmable content of a hardware device such as your DVD drive. Firmware updates can add additional functionality to your drive, like allowing an older Toshiba DVD-ROM to read and write the newer DVD-R format. Often there are firmware updates that address physical problems with the drive as well.

I recommend: There is an excellent guide on why you should update your firmware, and on how to identify the firmware version of your particular drive, at Pearson Education, Informit. Backfire has downloads of common Toshiba DVD-ROM firmware updates. If the DVD-ROM came preinstalled in a desktop or laptop you purchased, you can often find firmware updates on the manufacturer site, like HP, or Dell.

Get your Toshiba DVD-ROM functioning with the right device driver

All Windows systems are supposed to natively support all Toshiba DVD-ROM drives, meaning that you aren't supposed to have to download and install drivers. Every now and then, your device driver can get corrupted or become nonfunctional. In this case, you may need to download the right Toshiba DVD-ROM driver to get the drive working again.

I recommend: Driver Detective from Driver-fix.com will automatically scan your system and make sure you have the correct drivers installed. It doesn't just look at your DVD-ROM drive, it will also scan the drivers for pretty much everything else on your system. You can manually download the driver you need at CDROM-Drivers.com.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  There have been reports that Service Pack 3 for Windows XP caused a number of Toshiba DVD-ROM drives to stop working or disappear from the Device Manager. The only reliable solution being reported is to allow Windows Update tech support to remote in to your computer and dink around in the registry. If you are running Windows XP with a Toshiba DVD-ROM drive, hold off on updating to Service Pack 3 until they work out some of the kinks.

Toshiba DVD-ROM technology has been out for some time. It is proven, reliable and inexpensive. Plenty of Toshiba DVD-ROM distributors are available to meet your needs, so there is no reason for businesses to buy expensive new laptops when a quick call to Toshiba DVD-ROM providers will resolve broken DVD-ROM drive issues.

Toshiba DVD-ROM suppliers offer a wide variety of DVD-ROM options for PC-based and notebook solutions. An external DVD-ROM drive is a must for professionals on the road; many notebooks are heavy and loaded with unnecessary features that add weight without increasing usability. Use external DVD-ROM drives with any manufacturer's notebook via the standard USB 2.0 port.

1. Economic Toshiba DVD-ROM drive combos offer the best solution for business people on the go.

2. The best deals for Toshiba DVD-ROM drives are typically online.

3. Special software takes advantage of Toshiba DVD-ROM functionality.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Choose Toshiba DVD-ROM drive combos to turn and burn

Keep your DVD movies turning on those long business flights with a Toshiba DVD-ROM drive combined with CD/RW functionality. After the film, burn copies of your killer presentation using built-in CD burner technology.

I recommend: Read and write CD media and watch first-run movies with an ultra slim USB 2.0 Toshiba DVD-ROM drive combo from PC Connection. Take your PC or Notebook model number to Toshiba DVD-ROM provider GetPartsOnline.com and choose from an impressive array of combo drive models and styles.

Buy a Toshiba DVD-ROM online

Whether you're looking for an internal or external DVD-ROM drive, a combo drive or just a plain and simple DVD-ROM, Toshiba DVD-ROM providers online are the place to go for all your business DVD-ROM needs.

I recommend: Purchase an external USB Toshiba DVD-ROM drive at Digital Universe. PriceGrabber.com is one of many Toshiba DVD-ROM suppliers that offers great deals and has a wide variety of Toshiba DVD-ROM models for sale.

Complete your DVD-ROM upgrade or repair with the right CD burning and DVD viewing software

Your new drive is installed and working great; the boss is calling for his copy of that contract winning proposal. The file is too big for email so you've got to burn the chief a copy pronto. Without a good CD burning application to pair with your new drive, it's not happening. Ditto if you want to watch that movie on the flight.

I recommend: Buy Nero, a full featured CD burning package that delivers everything you need to burn files with your new Toshiba DVD-ROM drive combo. Download a free trial of Orion Studios DirectDVD. If you like it, purchase it online after the free trial expires.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Download and install the right drivers for your Toshiba DVD-ROM before installing software to burn CDs or watch DVDs. Toshiba DVD-ROM distributors may not supply software drivers with your purchase.

Although Toshiba has admitted defeat and pulled out of the development of next generation HD Toshiba DVD-ROM players, they are still manufacturing several different types of DVD drives. They have a joint venture with Samsung called Toshiba Samsung Storage Technologies (TSST) that will allow them to manufacture Blu-Ray DVD players. Meanwhile, you can still purchase external DVD-ROM drives, DVD-ROM players and internal DVD-ROM drives for notebooks and desktops from Toshiba DVD-ROM distributors.

Consult the latest Toshiba DVD-ROM advice and ratings to decide which Toshiba DVD-ROMs are the best fit for your business:

1. Find information on Toshiba DVD-ROMS by consulting product review sites.
2. Check out how consumers have rated the latest DVD drives on the websites of Toshiba DVD-ROM suppliers.
3. Learn about the most common problems Toshiba DVD-ROM drives experience before deciding which model to purchase.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Consult product reviews of Toshiba DVD-ROMs before deciding what to buy

There are numerous consumer review sites that can help you get an idea of the products available. See how Toshiba DVD-ROMs stack up against other products on the market.

I recommend: Read reviews and easily compare prices of all the most recent Toshiba DVD burners at Epinions.com. ConsumerSearch has an in-depth evaluation of the most current DVD burners on the market. They discuss which is the best internal and external DVD-ROM drive, and offer general advice on choosing a DVD burner.

Visit Toshiba DVD-ROM providers to find out which drives consumers like best

Some of the best advice on the net is available from consumers such as yourself. Most online distributors now show user ratings for each product sold. You can garner much useful information by comparing different Toshiba DVD-ROMs, helping you decide which one you want for your business.

I recommend: You can view Toshiba DVD drives and laptops on Buy.com, with price and user rating clearly posted. PC Connection lists Toshiba DVD burners, and allows you to compare two different drives to see the differences between them.

Visit troubleshooting sites and forums for Toshiba DVD-ROM drives so you know what not to buy

Never underestimate the usefulness of troubleshooting and technical support websites. It's always in your best interest to find out if a particular product is plagued by difficulties BEFORE you purchase it. Troubleshooting resources will warn you ahead of time if the Toshiba DVD-ROM drivers for your product cause problems, or if the drive you are looking at commonly experiences mechanical difficulties.

I recommend: Scan FixYa for problems commonly experienced by owners of Toshiba DVD-ROM drives. RankOne Media Group has a robust user support forum, as well as current optical storage news and reviews. Search the user support forum by the model of the Toshiba DVD-ROM you are looking to buy to find out what problems others have experienced.

Toshiba deals exclusively in the laptop market, so if you're interested in purchasing a Toshiba DVD-ROM drive, chances are you'll be looking at either internal notebook drives or external USB drives. The internal notebook drives are meant for use in Toshiba brand notebooks. The external USB drives can be used on any model desktop or notebook.

The following online resources will help you figure out general Toshiba DVD-ROM pricing and costs:

1. Purchase replacement internal laptop drives from online Toshiba DVD-ROM distributors.
2. Hook up an external DVD-ROM drive to your Toshiba laptop.
3. Read reviews for important information about Toshiba DVD-ROMS before deciding which model to purchase.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Find great prices internal notebook drives from Toshiba DVD-ROM providers

Laptop parts are notoriously fragile in comparison to their desktop counterparts. You can find a great deal on internal notebook drives from a variety of online Toshiba DVD-ROM suppliers.

I recommend: You can find internal notebook Toshiba DVD-ROM and DVD burners for between $40 and $150 at GetPartsOnline. By entering in your laptop type, series and model on the ToshibaDirect site, you can find replacement Toshiba DVD-ROMs for your exact model computer.

Increase the functionality of your Toshiba laptop with an external DVD-ROM drive

External DVD-ROM drives are a great way to expand the functionality of your existing Toshiba laptop. This is a nice option if you want the ease of copying between two drives, rather than swapping discs between a single drive. External drives are also portable, so you can plug them into any laptop or desktop in your office, saving you money on peripherals.

I recommend: Provantage offers in external Toshiba USB 2.0 DVD RW DL super slim drive for right around $100. The website eTech4sale offers several different models of external Toshiba DVD drives at prices between $40 and $90.

Consult with online review sites before committing to the purchase of any Toshiba DVD-ROMs

Always do your research before purchasing Toshiba DVD-ROMS. There are various online review sites that will tell you everything you need to know about the model you are looking to purchase. One you have found the drive at the price you want, read at least one or two reviews to make sure this is really the drive you are looking for.

I recommend: You can read reviews of the different internal and external Toshiba drives at Amazon. CDRLabs.com is a great site for reviews of all manner of drivers. Simply do a search for Toshiba on the site to get find out user comments in the forums, and past Toshiba drive reviews.