True...
I find that most external DVD/Hard Drives do NOT fail, it is the 'board' that adapts them. Generally, the kind with a multi-pronged power adapter plug will die first. The drives themselves generally do not fail. What I would have liked to see was a detailed explanation on how to tell WHAT failed, and HOW exactly to put back to work that part that didn't... If any. (In my experience, if the power supply took a crap, it may take the rest with it when it goes) Explaining how this is simply a packaged up IDE to USB converter would help... And the newer SATA to USB versions starting to show up. And most importantly, given the title of this article, HOW to use them! On the plus side, the photos were really good, clear, and descriptions of where screws are, etc, were flawless. THAT part is often sorely lacking in most 'tutorials' of this kind. Better yet, tell me how to make, or adapt, one to do something more. Other posters correctly pointed out, if the drive is all that failed, it's a simple thing to replace the drive with almost any other drive. (electronically, if not mechanically. And,WHY all the wasted time on the 'failed' optical assembly?) Or go to the likes of Evertek.com, and buy a simple multi-adapt-any-drive gadget for a few bucks.
What this article lacks is technical details on How To... For a How-To, that's a fatal flaw.
