Thread: How do I connect a sata dvd drive to my 3 year old computer?

I have a Dell Inspiron computer that I bought about 3 or so years ago. I just bought a Sony internal DVD drive so I have 2. The data connector fits into the drive, but the power cable does not. I bought a molex to sata adapter, but the molex end is way bigger than the one in my machine. They are both 4 prong, but the size is different. Does anyone exactly what type of adapter I need?

I can see all sorts of adapter listed on Amazon, but I can tell for sure from the pictures.
The extra connecter in my machine is not a floppy connector. It fits into the DVD drive that came with the computer, but will not fit into the new drive.

OK, let's see if I can explain better.

The computer came with one DVD drive and room for a second. There are also connecters for another drive. I bought a new DVD drive which fits perfectly into the slot and is physically identical to the original. The data connecter fits OK, but the power connecter does not. I bought an adapter, a molex to sata adapter, but the molex end is way too big and the connecter in the computer wont accept it. The other end will plug into the drive OK.

I wonder if it would be OK to cut the female end off the adapter and the male connecter from the computer, and spice and solder and shrink wrap them color for color. The colors on the adapter match the colors in the computer.

If you have an extra power connector like this:
http://www.playtool.com/pages/psuconnectors/peripheralindex.jpg
you need something like this:
http://www.playtool.com/pages/psuconnectors/satano3.jpg

There are lots of them on amazon for only $2.