Single or Dual drive ?

Does he mean a CD-ROM and then the burner as a separate drive?? Tough to even find new CD-ROM drives.

Maybe he meant get a separate burner for the - R/RW's and another for the + R/RW's. [even tough to get them now]

With the present low prices methinks that he is out of touch, or the statement was made years ago. But yes, the new drives may not last much more than a year with heavy use.

Very odd statement. Here's the deal. To drop drive prices to some 100 or less dollars the drives have short lifespans.

Proof? Look at those warranties.

As such I just pick up a new drive when they fail and that's not a bad deal today.

Bob

Single Drive: 16X DVD-ROM Drive
Single Drive: 48x CD-RW Drive [ Add $20.00 ]
Single Drive: 48X CD-RW/ DVD Combo Drive [ Add $40.00 ]
Single Drive: 16X CD/DVD burner (DVD+/-RW) w/double layer write capability [ Add $70.00 ]
Dual Drives: 48x CD-ROM Drive + 48x CD-RW Drive [ Add $29.00 ]
Dual Drives: 48x CD-ROM Drive + 48x CD-RW/ DVD Combo Drive [ Add $49.00 ]
Dual Drives: 48x CD-ROM Drive + 16x DVD+/-RW w/dbl layer write capability [ Add $89.00 ]
Dual Drives: 16x DVD-ROM Drive + 48x CD-RW Drive [ Add $59.00 ]
Dual Drives: 16x DVD-ROM Drive + 16x DVD+/-RW w/dbl layer write capability [ Add $119.00 ]
Dual Drives: 48x CD-RW Drive + 16x DVD+/-RW w/dbl layer write capability [ Add $139.00 ]

I think what the guy advising you meant was to get two seperated drives for two seperate bays.
Like a CD/ROM or DVD/ROM for 1st bay, and a burner for the 2nd bay.
That is how I have mine on 2 computers. For another computer I have:

DVD/ROM - 1st Bay
CD-RW 52X x 32x x 52x - 2nd Bay
DVD+/-R+-RW - 3rd Bay

IMO.

Reader units are fairly cheap.
Writer units can be expensive.

So I have one reader unit and one writer unit.

The only time the writer unit is used is if I'm writing.

The reader unit is my work horse and when it croaks I spend 20 bucks and buy a new one.