How to put a CD into a computer without a CD-ROM drive?

How to put a CD into a computer without a CD-ROM drive?

With the advancement of technology, many modern computers, especially thin and light notebooks and ultrabooks, are no longer equipped with optical drives. However, there are still some scenarios that require the use of discs, such as installing older versions of software, playing DVDs, or reading backup data. This article will introduce in detail several methods for reading optical discs when the computer does not have an optical drive, and attaches a comparison table of related tools and steps.

1. Use an external optical drive

An external optical drive is the most direct solution and can be used by connecting it to the computer via USB interface. The following is a comparison of several popular external optical drives:

2. Through virtual optical drive software

If the disc content has been backed up as an ISO or other image file, you can use virtual optical drive software to load it. The following is a comparison of common software:

3. Network shared optical drive

If there are other computers in the LAN equipped with optical drives, they can be accessed through sharing:

1. Right-click the optical drive icon on the computer with the optical drive and select "Share"
2. Set sharing permissions to "Read"
3. Find the shared optical drive in the "network" of other computers and map it as a local drive

4. Convert to digital files

Use a computer with an optical drive to convert the disc content to ISO or other formats, and then transfer it to a computer without an optical drive:

5. Cloud storage alternatives

If it's a software or data CD, try looking for alternative online sources:

• The software official website usually provides a download version
• Music/video available via streaming platforms
• It is recommended to use cloud disk backup for important data

Summary

The five methods for reading optical discs on computers without optical drives each have their own advantages and disadvantages: external optical drives are plug-and-play but require additional cost; virtual optical drives are suitable for existing image files; network sharing requires relying on other devices; converting digital files requires preparation in advance; and cloud storage completely gets rid of physical media. Users can choose the most suitable solution based on actual needs.

With the popularity of USB flash drives and network storage, the usage scenarios of optical discs are decreasing. However, for special needs (such as legal document archiving, old game discs, etc.), the above method can still effectively solve the problem.