A CD-ROM is a type of media that is played in a CD Drive. The different types of CD drives are CD-R, CD-RW and CD-RW/DVD Drive Combo. CD-R drives can only read from CDs, while CD-RW can both read and write from/to CDs. On the other hand, CD-RW/DVD drives can read and write from/to CDs as well as read from DVDs. The speed of the CD will determine how fast the data can be read or written on the CD. It is independent of the type of drive. The drive form factor attribute determines the chassis type that it is compatible with. A CD Drive for small form factor will not work with a full size or an ultra small form factor chassis. Similarly, it is important that the interface type of the drive be compatible with that of your computer. When a CD-Drive is listed to be compatible with a system, it is assured that the interface type and the form factor are compatible. We recommend the System Drill Down or the Service Tag look up feature in Parts For Your Dell tool to choose correct CD drives for your system. Please note that some of our replacement products are provided as kits or assemblies. These kits may contain additional parts required for installation; these parts will be listed separately as 'Component Parts' in the Highlights section of this page. In case a product is not sold as a kit or assembly, it may require complementary parts for ease of installation. Please note that this replacement product is refurbished. Dell provides a warranty of 90 days on all refurbished products.