The only item that you will need is the DVD drive software. A different driver is probably needed to recognize the new drive. For the driver software, see if Dell provided a "Resource CD" with the other computer.
In order to play DVD's, you'll need DVD player software such as Intervideo's WinDVD, which DOES have a cost, or you could try the FreeDVD player at the link below. (There are also other software versions which will do the job.)
http://www.pcworld.dk/download.asp?Mode=2&ProgramID=198
Hope this helps.
Grif
My CD ROM (player) has evidently become faulty. It plays, but there are popping noises, not loud, but enough to spoil music and I am on the verge of replacing this drive. I have inherited my son's computer, a Dell like mine but which he discarded due to hard drive problems which he could never get corrected. It just occurred to me that I could simply replace my CD drive with his...but then I noticed his is not a CD drive but rather a DVD one, not a burner, but a player. My question is, can I simply transfer this? What problems might I encounter? And, will it play CDs?
Thanks for any input.

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