Replacement of obsolete CD/DVD drives for additional HDD or SSD is one of the most effective ways to upgrade your laptop without buying a new device. For this purpose, a special CD→HDD adapter (or caddy), which allows you to install a second drive in the optical drive bay. This solution is relevant for owners of laptops with one hard drive slot, but a free compartment for DVD-ROM.

In this article we will look at how to choose the right adapter for a specific laptop model, avoid mistakes when purchasing, install it yourself and configure the system to work with two disks. You will also find out which adapters support NVMe- drives, and which ones - only SATA, and how to bypass BIOS restrictions on booting from a second drive.

Why do you need a CD→HDD adapter and who is it suitable for?

The main reason for installing an adapter is storage expansion without loss of portability. Instead of a rarely used DVD drive, you get:

  • 🔹 Second HDD/SSD - for games, media library or backups.
  • 🔹 System acceleration - if installed SSD into the adapter, and the main one HDD leave for files.
  • 🔹 Backup storage — for automatic backups or partition with recovery.
  • 🔹 Saving money - cheaper than buying a laptop with two disk slots.

However, the solution is not suitable for everyone. For example, if you often work with physical disks (installing an OS from a DVD, playing movies), then losing the drive can be a problem. Also, the adapter is useless in ultrabooks without a DVD-ROM bay (for example, MacBook Air or Dell XPS 13).

⚠️ Attention: Some laptops (especially Lenovo ThinkPad series T/X And HP EliteBook) the DVD drive bay is connected via USB 2.0, not SATA. In this case, the speed of the second drive will be limited to ~35 MB/s - check the specifications of your model!

Types of adapters: which one to choose for your laptop

All adapters are divided into two categories based on connection type:

  1. SATA-adapters - the most common, suitable for most laptops (for example, Acer Aspire, Asus N-series, MSI GE). Support HDD And SSD thick 7 mm or 9.5 mm.
  2. USB-adapters - used in laptops where the DVD drive is connected via USB (most often in business lines). Speed is limited by the port version (e.g. USB 3.0 gives up to ~400 MB/s).

Adapters also differ in:

  • 📏 Thickness: 9.5 mm (standard), 12.7 mm (for old laptops), 7 mm (for ultra-thin models).
  • 🔌 Connector type: SATA, mSATA (rarely), M.2 NVMe (requires additional controller).
  • 🔧 Case material: plastic (cheap, but fragile) or metal (more reliable, removes heat better).
Adapter type Speed Suitable laptops Price (RUB)
SATA 9.5 mm up to 6 Gbit/s HP Pavilion, Dell Inspiron, Lenovo IdeaPad 500–1200
USB 3.0 up to 400 MB/s Lenovo ThinkPad T480, HP EliteBook 840 800–1500
M.2 NVMe (with controller) up to 3.5 GB/s MSI GS65, Asus ROG Zephyrus 1800–3500
📊 Which adapter do you need?
  • SATA for HDD/SSD
  • USB for second disk
  • M.2 NVMe with controller
  • I haven't decided yet

How to choose an adapter for a specific laptop model

An error in choosing an adapter may result in it simply not fitting into the compartment or not being recognized by the system. To avoid this, follow the algorithm:

  1. Check the thickness of the DVD drive:

    Measure it with a caliper or look at the laptop specifications. For example, in Dell Latitude E6440 drive is used 9.5 mm, and in Lenovo Yoga 720 — 7 mm.

  2. Find out your connection type:

    Open the compartment cover and look at the connector: if you see SATA ports (7 contacts), then you need SATA adapter. If only USB connector - take it USB adapter.

  3. Check BIOS compatibility:

    Some laptops (eg. HP ProBook) block booting from the second disk. In this case you will need disable Secure Boot or update BIOS.

☑️ Check before purchasing an adapter

Done: 0 / 4
⚠️ Attention: In laptops Acer and some Asus the adapter may not be detected if the BIOS mode is not enabled AHCI for the second disk. Before purchasing, check this in the documentation!

Step-by-step instructions for installing the adapter

Installing the adapter takes 15–30 minutes and does not require special skills. You will need:

  • 🔧 Phillips screwdriver (usually PH0 or PH1).
  • 📦 Plastic spatula (for carefully opening the latches).
  • 🖥️ External USB drive (for data backup).

Step 1: Removing the DVD Drive

Disconnect the laptop from the network, remove the battery (if it is removable). On the bottom cover, find the DVD drive compartment - it is usually secured with one screw. Gently pull the drive towards you until it comes out of the connector.

Step 2: Install the drive into the adapter

Remove the adapter cover, insert HDD/SSD into the slide and secure with screws (usually included). Make sure the connector SATA matches the connector on the adapter.

Step 3. Connect the adapter

Insert the adapter with the disc into the bay instead of the DVD drive and secure it with a screw. Turn on the laptop and check if the new disk is detected in Disk Management (Win + X → Disk Management).

What to do if the disk is not detected?

1. Check whether the adapter is firmly inserted into the connector.

2. Update the SATA controller drivers in Device Manager.

3. In the BIOS, enable AHCI mode for the second disk (Settings → Advanced → SATA Mode).

4. If you are using M.2 NVMe, make sure that the adapter supports PCIe (not all cheap models can do this).

Setting up the system after installation

After physically installing the adapter, you need to configure the system to work correctly with two disks:

1. Disk initialization

If the disk is new, Disk Management it will be marked as "Not initialized". Right click and select Initialize disk (choose GPT for disks >2 TB).

2. Layout and formatting

Create a partition on the disk: right click → Create a simple volume. For SSD recommended file system NTFS (despite myths about exFAT, it is less reliable for system tasks).

3. Optimization for SSD

If installed SSD, disable defragmentation for it and enable TRIM (on the command line run: 

fsutil behavior set disabledeletenotify 0
).

💡

If the second drive will be used for games, install the folder SteamLibrary to it through the Steam settings. This will save space on the main drive.

Common problems and their solutions

Even with proper installation, difficulties may arise. Let's consider typical cases:

1. The disk is detected, but does not boot

The problem is typical for laptops with UEFI. Solution:

  • 🔧 Disable in BIOS Secure Boot.
  • 🔧 Switch download mode from UEFI on Legacy (if you need to boot from the second disk).
  • 🔧 Use EasyUEFI to manually add a boot entry.

2. The adapter gets hot or is noisy

This is typical for cheap plastic adapters. Solutions:

  • 🔥 Replace the adapter with a metal one (for example, ORICO 2599US3).
  • 🔥 Reduce disk load (disable indexing for the second disk).
  • 🔥 Use a thermal pad between the disk and the adapter body.

3. The speed of the second disk is lower than expected

If SSD in the adapter it works slower than it should:

  • 🚀 Check if the adapter is connected to SATA 3 (6 Gbit/s), and not to SATA 2 (3 Gbps).
  • 🚀 Update your controller drivers AHCI.
  • 🚀 For USB adapters connect to the port USB 3.0 (blue connector).
💡

If the laptop does not see the second drive, first check the physical connection of the adapter, then the BIOS settings, and only then update the drivers.

Top 5 CD→HDD adapters in 2026

Based on user reviews and tests, we have compiled a rating of reliable adapters:

  1. ORICO 2599US3 - universal SATA adapter with metal housing, supports disks 9.5 mm And 7 mm. Suitable for Dell, HP, Lenovo.
  2. Sabrent EC-UASP — USB 3.0 adapter with support UASP (acceleration up to 500 MB/s). Ideal for laptops with USB connection DVD drive.
  3. KingSpec M.2 NGFF - adapter for M.2 NVMe with controller PCIe. Suitable for gaming laptops (MSI, Asus ROG).
  4. Unitek Y-1043 - a budget option with a plastic case, but reliable fastening. Good for HDD on office laptops.
  5. StarTech SAT2510U3 — premium model with support SATA 3 And UASP, compatible with MacBook Pro (until 2015).

When choosing, focus on reviews for your laptop model — even the best adapters may not be suitable due to the design of the compartment.

FAQ: answers to frequently asked questions

Can it be installed in an adapter? SSD And HDD at the same time?

No, the adapter replaces a DVD drive and only has one drive slot. However you can use external box for a second drive, connected via USB.

Will the second drive run at maximum speed?

Speed depends on connection type:

  • 🔹 SATA adapter: up to 6 Gbps (same as the main drive).
  • 🔹 USB 3.0: up to 400–500 MB/s (protocol limitation).
  • 🔹 USB 2.0: up to 35–40 MB/s (not suitable for SSD).

Before purchasing, check the connection version of your DVD drive!

Do I need to move the system to a second drive?

Not necessarily. Optimal options for using the second disk:

  • 🔹 Game storage (Steam, Origin).
  • 🔹 Backups (Macrium Reflect, Acronis).
  • 🔹 Media library (movies, music).
  • 🔹Virtual machines (VirtualBox, VMware).

Transferring the system is only advisable if the main disk is too slow (HDD 5400 RPM).

Is it possible to return the DVD drive after installing the adapter?

Yes, the adapter does not make irreversible changes. Simply remove the adapter and insert the original drive back. However, if you format the drive in the adapter, the data on it will be deleted.

Is the adapter suitable for MacBook Pro?

For MacBook Pro up to 2015 (with DVD drive) adapters are suitable StarTech SAT2510U3 or ORICO 2599US3. Models 2016 and newer do not have a DVD drive - you will need external box.