How to get a DVD-RW drive for T61p? (+ bonus rant)

Hello, I can't get my T61p with a DVD-RW drive from Lenovo, because of the backorder. (SBB DVD REC.8XMAXDUAL LAY UB-S) Can anyone please explain to me what my options are? Is this the only drive compatible, or can I use some other? What similar drives can I use and where to buy them as cheaply and safely as possible? Is it Ultrabay compatibility I need to look for? :-/ Thanks for any advice.



And now, for those interested, comes a little rant about what made me feel bitter about getting my new ThinkPad:

I got screwed by Lenovo. A week ago, I've placed an order on T61p with a decent config, a 9-cell battery and a DVD-RW drive. At that time I called them to make sure all the components were available and that the notebook would arrive on time.

Today, I have decided to check on my order, and ask them whether it was possible to modify it slightly. "No, it's not possible to modify anything," they said. "The order is halfway through." I agreed.

Before I finished the call, however, the representative changed their mind. "I'm sorry, sir, but you need to change your battery from 9 cell to 6 cell, if you want to avoid delaying your order for 50 days."

Wow. How can such a big company even consider an action like that? Well, I gave them an earfull about the battery having been available a week ago, and agreed to change it.

The catch comes now, though. Changing my order would obviously mean that I would have to get a new shipping date and forfeit my DVD-RW drive! So I either have to wait a month for a DVD-RW drive, or 50 days for a battery. Oh dear. I would say that shipment date for a notebook should be three days, worst case scenario in a week, in a decent company. Three months? You've got to be kidding.

So I had them cancel my order and created a new one. It's $150 cheaper, but I only have a 6-cell battery and no DVD-RW drive. As a blessing, they've promised to prioritize the shipment, so it "only" takes three weeks instead of 31 days. I wonder when I would learn about this, hadn't I called. Maybe in mid-november, when they'd change my shipment date for february...?

How can they have no batteries and DVD-RW drives, anyway? Hasn't a DVD-RW been standard in high-end notebooks since three years ago? I just wonder when they tell me that they ran out of graphic cards or chasis, and offer me to buy a Lenovo 3000 Family notebook.

Hm. This is not how I imagine to do my business. If I didn't consider ThinkPads to be superior to other models, I would go elsewhere immediately. And next time, I just might. :-(

 

They run out of parts, it happens. They only keep a few days worth of them at a time. If they can't more, you wait. It doesn't happen only to Lenovo. I've seen people wait six months for a particular machine type.

The T series use the super slim 9.5mm height drives. You can't just buy one at NewEgg cause they won't fit. Ebay is an option.

 

Thanks for the advice. (For what it's worth, I've added to your reputation. ) So it seems from ebay offers, that it is going to cost me triple the price it would from Lenovo. Bummer.

Hm. Run out of parts for 50 (!) days? That, my friend, just should not happen. And definitely not with confirmed, "halfway through" orders. :-(

And uh, six months is just unimaginable. If I need a computer, I need it soon. In six months, a whole development cycle passes.

 

Here's the thing, they only order so many parts. If they get more orders than they have parts for and the supplier is running at capacity so they can't produce any more or get some from another source, they have to wait. The alternative is to warehouse a six month supply of parts which is more expensive and will cause you to have to pay more for your notebook.

If you need one right away get a pre-configured one, some of which will have the DVD burner and larger battery, but those tend to be more expensive.

 

Why won't Lenovo get smart and just drop ship the item(s) that are backordered? They should give you an option. I'd take the notebook right away and wait for the DVD drive for a few months. At least your up and running and at worst case, you just plug in a standalone drive. Same with the battery, get a samller one and get a discount on the larger. Why won't they understand their demanding customers?!?!

 

Just cancel and order your T61 off newegg or something.. Thats what I'd do.

 

I think Newegg has ultra-slim DVD-RWs. Just check their site.

 

I ordered a dell and had had to wiat 2 1/2 months because a part was missing

 

ZaZ, I can imagine that they run out of parts. That's why they take a few weeks to ship, generally. However, if they run out of essential components for two months, that's just not alright.

Fade to Black: The slimmest I found at newegg are these:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...&N=2010100005+1036508673&name=Slim+DVD+Burner

Unfortunately, I don't think any of them will work in T61p, do you?