# CDRW drive reading DVD-ROM?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cdrw-drive-reading-dvd-rom/347104>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 5, 2006, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cdrw-drive-reading-dvd-rom/347104 "2006-03-05T03:28:39Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![duffer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duffer/32/1026_2.png) [@duffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duffer)\
**Post date:** [March 5, 2006, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cdrw-drive-reading-dvd-rom/347104/1 "2006-03-05T03:28:39Z")

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I have a DVD with some program files I want to install on my MIL’s computer. She only has CD drives. Is there a workaround for this? Or do I need to burn them to CD-R’s to install?

Thanks

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**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\
**Post date:** [March 5, 2006, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cdrw-drive-reading-dvd-rom/347104/2 "2006-03-05T03:52:02Z")

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You’ll need to put them on CD-ROMs for her drive to read them. There’s no workaround, the laser is calibrated to a different wavelength than the one DVDs are written with.

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**Author:** ![duffer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duffer/32/1026_2.png) [@duffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duffer)\
**Post date:** [March 5, 2006, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cdrw-drive-reading-dvd-rom/347104/3 "2006-03-05T04:06:09Z")

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That’s what I thought. Thanks.

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**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\
**Post date:** [March 5, 2006, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cdrw-drive-reading-dvd-rom/347104/4 "2006-03-05T04:45:01Z")

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If you want to avoid the copy re-burn hassle you can get her a [DVD/CD drive for $ 15 or do.](http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=DHM-G48-DO&cat=DVD)

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**Author:** ![Rucksinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/898d66/32.png) [@Rucksinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rucksinator)\
**Post date:** [March 5, 2006, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cdrw-drive-reading-dvd-rom/347104/5 "2006-03-05T15:42:19Z")

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> [@astro](#):
>
> If you want to avoid the copy re-burn hassle you can get her a [DVD/CD drive for $ 15 or do.](http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=DHM-G48-DO&cat=DVD)

Yeah, DVD drives are pretty cheap these days. I suggest you get in your MIL’s good graces by throwing one in her PC.