Also, you might want to think about having two drives - a reader and a
writer. It's useful for copying DVDs/CDs, and it's a habit I formed from
the days when writers were quite expensive.

I was contemplating this. The PC isn't mine, it is supplied by my
employer. I don't mind changing things, the CD drive, for example. One
solution that appealed to me was to put the original drive back in my PC
(replacing the ailing Plextor) and then get my R/W capabilities with an
external USB2 drive - there's no room in the PC - it's one of these
new-fangled "mini" desktops. I suspect the consumer reviews claiming
that the Sony AWG170A wouldn't play audio CD's were the result of some
other problem.

--
Steve Swift
http://www.swiftys.org.uk/swifty.html
http://www.ringers.org.uk