Asus CRW-5232A User manual

CRW-5232A
52x/32x/52x CD-RW Drive
User Manual

2ASUS CRW-5232A User Manual
Copyright © 2003 ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. All Rights Reserved.
No part of this manual, including the products and software described in it, may be
reproduced, transmitted, transcribed, stored in a retrieval system, or translated into any
language in any form or by any means, except documentation kept by the purchaser for
backup purposes, without the express written permission of ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC.
(“ASUS”).
ASUS PROVIDES THIS MANUAL “AS IS” WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER
EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES
OR CONDITIONS OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FORAPARTICULAR PURPOSE.
IN NO EVENT SHALLASUS, ITS DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES OR AGENTS BE
LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES
(INCLUDING DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF PROFITS, LOSS OF BUSINESS, LOSS OF USE
OR DATA, INTERRUPTION OF BUSINESS AND THE LIKE), EVEN IF ASUS HAS BEEN
ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES ARISING FROM ANY DEFECT OR
ERROR IN THIS MANUAL OR PRODUCT.
Product warranty or service will not be extended if: (1) the product is repaired, modified or
altered, unless such repair, modification of alteration is authorized in writing by ASUS; or (2)
the serial number of the product is defaced or missing.
The product name and revision number are both printed on the product itself. Manual
revisions are released for each product design represented by the digit before and after the
period of the manual revision number. Manual updates are represented by the third digit in
the manual revision number.
SPECIFICATIONS AND INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS MANUALARE FURNISHED
FOR INFORMATIONAL USE ONLY, AND ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE ATANY TIME
WITHOUT NOTICE,AND SHOULD NOT BE CONSTRUED AS A COMMITMENT BYASUS.
ASUS ASSUMES NO RESPONSIBILITY OR LIABILITY FOR ANY ERRORS OR
INACCURACIES THAT MAY APPEAR IN THIS MANUAL, INCLUDING THE PRODUCTS
AND SOFTWARE DESCRIBED IN IT.
Products and corporate names appearing in this manual may or may not be registered
trademarks or copyrights of their respective companies, and are used only for identification or
explanation and to the owners’ benefit, without intent to infringe.
Product Name: ASUS CRW-5232A
Manual Revision: First Edition V1 E1365
Release Date: July 2003

ASUS CRW-5232A User Manual 3
Contents
Notices ................................................................................ 4
ASUS Contact Information ................................................ 5
Safety Information ............................................................. 6
Installation Notices....................................................... 6
Using the Device.......................................................... 7
Conventions used in this guide.................................... 7
Package Contents.............................................................. 8
Welcome! ............................................................................ 9
Product Introduction ......................................................... 9
Specifications............................................................... 9
Features..................................................................... 10
Front Panel ................................................................ 14
Rear Panel................................................................. 16
Installation ........................................................................ 17
System Requirements ............................................... 17
Setting the Jumper Terminals .................................... 18
Installing the CRW-5232A Drive ............................... 19
Connecting the Drive Cables ..................................... 21
CRW-5232A Drive Basics ................................................ 22
Placing a Disc into the Drive...................................... 22
Ejecting a Disc from the Drive ................................... 23
Using the Emergency Eject Pinhole .......................... 24
Using Compact Discs ...................................................... 25
Cleaning a Disc.......................................................... 25
Handling a Disc.......................................................... 25
Technical Information ...................................................... 26
Environmental Specifications..................................... 26
Electrical and Audio Specifications ............................ 26

4ASUS CRW-5232A User Manual
Notices
Federal Communications Commission Statement
This device complies with FCC Rules Part 15. Operation is subject to the following
two conditions:
• This device may not cause harmful interference, and
• This device must accept any interference received including interference that
may cause undesired operation.
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B
digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to
provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential
installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency
energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with manufacturer’s
instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However,
there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If
this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception,
which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is
encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following
measures:
• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
• Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
• Connect the equipment to an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the
receiver is connected.
• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
WARNING! The use of shielded cables for connection of the monitor to the
graphics card is required to assure compliance with FCC regulations. Changes
or modifications to this unit not expressly approved by the party responsible for
compliance could void the user’s authority to operate this equipment.
Canadian Department of Communications Statement
This digital apparatus does not exceed the Class B limits for radio noise emissions
from digital apparatus set out in the Radio Interference Regulations of the
Canadian Department of Communications.
This class B digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES-003.

ASUS CRW-5232A User Manual 5
ASUS Contact Information
ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. (Asia-Pacific)
Address: 150 Li-Te Road, Peitou, Taipei, Taiwan 112
General Tel: [phone]
General Fax: [phone]
General Email: [email protected]
Technical Support
MB/Optical Drives (Tel):[phone] (English)
Notebook (Tel): [phone] (English)
Desktop/Server (Tel): [phone] (English)
Support Fax: [phone]
Web Site: www.asus.com.tw
ASUS COMPUTER INTERNATIONAL (America)
Address: 44370 Nobel Drive, Fremont, CA 94538, USA
General Fax: [phone]
General Email: [email protected]
Web Site: usa.asus.com
Technical Support
Support Fax: [phone]
General Support: [phone]
Notebook Support: +1-877-918-ASUS (2787)
Support Email: [email protected]
ASUS COMPUTER GmbH (Germany and Austria)
Address: Harkort Str. 25, D-40880 Ratingen, Germany
Website Address www.asuscom.de
Online Contact: www.asuscom.de/sales
Telephone: [phone]
General Fax: [phone]
Technical Support
Component Support: [phone]
Notebook Support: [phone]
Support Fax: [phone]
Online Support: www.asuscom.de/support

6ASUS CRW-5232A User Manual
Safety Information
Observe the following precautions before installing and using the ASUS
CRW-5232A Drive!
Installation Notices
Do not attempt to disassemble or
repair the drive. Opening the drive
may result to exposure to laser
radiation.
Do not use or place this device
near magnetic fields, televisions,
or radios to avoid electronic
interference that affects drive
performance.
Do not place this device under
direct sunlight, or in humid or
damp places.
Do not place this device in an
unstable position, or on vibrating
surfaces.

ASUS CRW-5232A User Manual 7
Using the Device
•Use of any controls, adjustments, or procedures other than those
specified in this manual may result to hazardous radiation exposure.
•Do not attempt to disassemble the drive.
•Do not move the device from a cold to a warm or hot environment.
Drastic change of temperature is harmful to the device.
•Before moving or uninstalling the drive, remove disc from it, if any.
•Prevent liquids or any metal to get into the device. If this situation
occurs, contact your retailer for help.
•Do not use any evaporating solvents to clean the device. If you
accidentally sprayed any solvent on the device, use a clean cloth to
wipe it. You may also use a neutral cleaner to dilute the solvent to
easily wipe it from the device.
•Try not to interrupt the supply of power while the device is in reading or
writing mode.
•Do not place damaged or warped discs inside the device. A warped
disc may break while in use and damage the device.
•Do not place discs into the device immediately if they came from a cold
environment, specially during cold seasons. Wait until the discs have
reached room temperature.
Safety Information
Conventions used in this guide
To make sure that you perform certain tasks properly, take note of the
following symbols used throughout this manual.
WARNING/DANGER: Information to prevent injury to yourself
when trying to complete a task.
CAUTION: Information to prevent damage to the components
when trying to complete a task.
IMPORTANT: Information that you MUST follow to complete a
task.
NOTE: Tips and additional information to aid in completing a task.

8ASUS CRW-5232A User Manual
Package Contents
Upon opening your CRW-5232A drive package, check if all the following
items are present and in good condition. If any of the items is damaged or
missing, contact your retailer immediately.
•ASUS CRW-5232Ainternal IDE drive
•IDE cable
•Mounting screw set
•Wire cable
•Emergency eject pin and instruction slip
•ASUS High-Speed CD-R blank disc
•ASUS High-Speed CD-RW blank disc
•User Manual (English and Traditional Chinese)
•Multi-language quick installation guide
•Bundled software CD
The above items are available in retail boxes only.

ASUS CRW-5232A User Manual 9
Welcome!
Thank you for buying the ASUS CRW-5232A Drive!
Read the instructions and important information in this manual for proper
use and installation of this device.
Product Introduction
Specifications
The CRW-5232A has the following specifications.
Speeds 52X, 48X, 32X, 24X, 16X, 12X, 8X, 4X writes
32X, 24X, 16X, 12X, 8X, 4X rewrites
52X reads (maximum)
Interface ATAPI specification
Technologies FlextraSpeed™
FlextraLink™
Double Dynamic Suspension System II (DDSSII) ™
Constant Angular Velocity Recording
Data Buffer Size 2 MB
Application Discs 12 cm or 8 cm diameter, 1.2 mm thick
CD-Audio, CD-ROM, CD-ROM/XA, CD-I,
Mixed Mode CD-ROM, Photo CD, CD-Extra,
Video CD, CD-Text, DVCD, CD-G,
Karaoke CD, I-trax, Bootable CD
Recording Format Orange Book Part 2, 3
Disc-At-Once, Track-At-Once,
Session-At-Once, Packet write,
Overburn, DAO-Raw mode
OS Compatibility Windows
®
98SE/ME/2000/NT/XP
Power Supply DC 5 x (1±5%)V
DC 12 x (1±10%)V
Dimensions 149 (w) x 41.5 (h) x 197.5 (d) mm
Mass 997 g
Refer to the section “Technical Information” on page 26 for detailed
specifications.

10 ASUS CRW-5232A User Manual
Features
The ASUS CRW-5232A is a CD-RW drive with 52X-write, 32X-rewrite, and
52X-read capabilities. The drive complies with theAT Attachment Packet
Interface (ATAPI) specification and comes equipped with the latest
innovative technologies in CD recording.
The CRW-5232A employs the ASUS FlextraSpeed™and FlextraLink™
technologies to ensure efficient and reliable data transfer and storage.
FlextraSpeed™increases accuracy and reliability when rewriting across a
wide range of disc media, while FlextraLink™prevents buffer underrrun
problems for error-free recordings. The following sub-sections describe
these technologies in detail.
FlextraSpeed™ Technology
The ASUS FlextraSpeed™technology provides the optimum solution to
ensure quality recording when using discs that require flexible speeds. The
CRW-5232A drive employs this technology that allows automatic recording
speed adjustment based on the recording media.
In addition to the fact that there are low and high quality recording media,
various other factors such as dye layer, temperature, humidity, dust,
fingerprints, etc., affect the recording characteristics of CD-R and CD-RW
discs. Due to these factors, some discs may not be able to stand the high-
speed capabilities of the latest CD-RW drives. The FlextraSpeed™
technology solves this problem by automatic assessment of the disc
quality and recording capability. The recording speed is based on these
factors. If you use a high quality recording disc, you can maximize the
recording capability of the drive and get the best quality output. If you use
a low quality disc, the drive speed adjusts to the level that is most
appropriate for the disc, still optimizing the disc recording capability.
The FlextraSpeed™technology also helps maintain the CD-RW drive
because of the controlled motor rotation speeds and reduced noise
caused by spindle air, thus prolonging the drive motor’s life and ensuring
high-quality recording.

ASUS CRW-5232A User Manual 11
Data transfer
slows down
Buffer
Memory
Write process
continues
Write Data
Data
Data transfer slower
than write process
Bad disc results
Data
Buffer
Memory
Empty
Data transfer continues
and fills buffer with
sufficient data for writing
Buffer
Memory
Write process continues
until writing is complete
Data
Write Data
Write Data Buffer
Memory
Data
Data transfer
slows down
Buffer
Memory
Write process stops;
waits until there is
enough data for writing
Data
Write Data
Recording with
FlextraLink™
Technology
Conventional
Recording
FlextraLink™Technology
The ASUS FlextraLink™technology provides a seamless combination of
flexibility and ultra-reliable recording quality.
FlextraLink™incorporates a flexible strategy that prevents buffer underrun
problems caused by an empty data buffer. This CD-RW drive technology
allows continuous monitoring of the data buffer status during the write
process. Once the available data drops to approximately 1% of the total
buffer capacity, the drive stops recording and marks the last write position.
When new data is received from the host, it is loaded to the data buffer,
and the laser is repositioned to link the new data with the data already
written. FlextraLink™uses minimal system resources so that your PC
remains fully operational throughout the writing process, and available for
other applications.
The diagram below shows the advantage of the FlextraLink™recording
technology.
FlextraLink™ Technology Solution

12 ASUS CRW-5232A User Manual
Double Dynamic Suspension System (DDSS II)
The DDSS II is an enhanced follow up to the DDSS anti-vibration system
developed by ASUS. The DDSS technology is designed to reduce the
vibration generated from spindle rotation of over 8900 rpm of CD-RW
drives. The DDSS II improves this feature by handling up to over 10,000
rpm of the new CD-RW drives. In addition, the DDSS II stabilizes the pick-
up head of the drive in both horizontal and vertical directions, making
tracking and focusing even more precise.
Like the DDSS, the DDSS II vibration absoption structure contains a
“dynamic mass”that can absorb the vibration caused by high revolution of
spindle motor. However, the DDSS II moves the dynamic mass to be
suspended to the chassis, thus providing more stability and accuracy
when accessing data from the disc.
The following diagram illustrates the DDSS/DDSS II design structure.
DDSS / DDSS II Design Structure

ASUS CRW-5232A User Manual 13
Constant Angular Velocity (CAV) Recording Technology
The CRW-5232A drive employs the Constant Angular Velocity (CAV)
recording method. With CAV recording, the drive spindle motor rotates the
disc at the same speed regardless of the radial position of the pickup
head. This means that there is a higher transfer rate when writing data to
the outer tracks of the disc than to the inner tracks, as the head traverses
a longer linear path on the outer than the inner part of the disc.
Although the transfer rates vary, and may not be at maximum, depending
on the part of the disc being written to, the CAV method allows faster
recording speed because the rotation speed does not have to change
when the head writes data to different areas of the disc. This is primarily
advantageous for computer applications.
CAV Recording Method
Speed
48x
40x
32x
24x
16x
8x
0x Time
52x

14 ASUS CRW-5232A User Manual
1. Headphone jack
This jack allows you to connect a headphone with a stereo mini-plug.
2. Headphone volume dial
Control the volume of the headphone connected to the drive by turning
the dial to the left (volume decreases) or right (volume increases).
3. Disc Loading Tray
This tray holds the disc. Open the loading tray by pressing the STOP/
EJECT Button. Place a CD on the tray with the label side up. Press the
STOP/EJECT Button or push the front part of the tray to load the disc.
4. WRITE indicator (Red LED)
This LED flashes when data is being written on the disc.
5. READ indicator (Green LED)
This LED lights up when you place a disc on the drive tray and turns off
when the disc is removed. The LED flashes when data is being read
from the disc.
6. Emergency Eject Pinhole
The Emergency Eject Pinhole allows you to manually eject a disc when
theSTOP/EJECT Button does not work due to power failure or software
problems. Insert the emergency eject pin or a paper clip into this hole
to manually eject the tray and the disc. Refer to page 24 for details.
Front Panel
Turn-off your computer before using the Emergency Eject Pinhole.

ASUS CRW-5232A User Manual 15
7. PLAY/SKIP button
Press this button when the drive is idle to start playing the first track of
an audio disc (if one is currently loaded in the drive). When in PLAY
mode, press this button to skip to the next track on the disc.
8. STOP/EJECT button
Press this button to eject the disc loading tray. When in PLAY mode,
press this button to stop playing the disc.

16 ASUS CRW-5232A User Manual
Rear Panel
9. Digital audio connector
This connector is for a digital signal output cable.
10.Analog audio connector
This connector is for an analog signal output cable.
11. Jumper terminals
These pins allow you to select either Master, Slave, or Cable Select
mode for the CD-ROM device. Refer to page 18 for jumper terminal
settings.
12.IDE connector
This connector is for a 40-pin IDE cable to connect the drive to the IDE
interface on the motherboard.
13.Power connector
This DC connector is for a 4-pin power cable from the system power
supply.
The jumper pins on the leftmost part of the rear panel are factory test pins. DO
NOT cover these pins with jumperblocks.

ASUS CRW-5232A User Manual 17
Installation
System Requirements
Before installing the CRW-5232A drive, make sure that your computer
system meets the following requirements.
•IBM-compatible Pentium III 700MHz or Celeron 700MHz or
AMD Duron 850 MHz or higher PC
•Windows
®
98SE/ME/2000/NT/XP operating system
•At least 64MB RAM (128MB recommended)
•An empty 5.25-inch drive bay
•HDD empty storage capacity of 100MB or more
Average seek time: 20ms or less
Transmission rate: 2 MB/s or more
•Recommended media:
CD-R Acer, AMT, CMC, Kodak, LeadData, Maxell, Mitsubishi
Chemical, Mitsui, Nan Ya, Philips, Princo, Prodisc,
Ricoh, Ritek, Sony, Taiyo, Yuden, TDK, Verbatim,
Yamaha
CD-RW Acer, AMT, CMC, Digimaster, Maxell, MaxMax, Melody,
Mitsubishi Chemical, Philips, Plextor, Prodisc, Ricoh,
Ritek, Sony, TDK, Traxdata, Verbatim, Yamaha
1. Avoid using a hard disk that thermally calibrates during operation.
2. Do not insert damaged or warped disc in the drive to avoid potential body
injury or damage to the drive.

18 ASUS CRW-5232A User Manual
M
A
Setting the Jumper Terminals
Set the jumpers to configure the device to either master or slave mode
before installing it into your computer chassis. The different modes are
discussed below. Select your desired mode by placing the jumper cap over
the pins.
Put the jumper caps properly over the pins to avoid damage to the drive.
Master Mode
Cover the two pins labeled MA (see illustration)
to set the CRW-5232A drive as a secondary
master drive. Select this mode if your computer
supports four IDE devices. The computer hard
drive is set as Primary Master.
Slave Mode
Cover the two pins labeled SL (see illustration) to
set the CRW-5232Adrive as a slave device if
your computer supports only two IDE devices. If
your computer supports four IDE devices, this
mode sets your CRW-5232A drive as either
Primary or Secondary Slave.
Cable Select Mode
Cover the two pins labeled CS (see illustration)
if your computer supports a Cable Select
(CSEL) signal. You need an exclusive interface
cable for this mode. Refer to your computer
manual for details.
Jumper terminals

ASUS CRW-5232A User Manual 19
Installing the CRW-5232A Drive
Follow these steps to install the drive into the computer chassis.
Refer to your computer manual for specific instructions on opening the chassis
and installing drives.
1. Remove the cover of an empty 5.25-inch drive bay.
2. Carefully insert the drive into the bay and push it inward until it is
flushed to the chassis front panel. The holes on the sides of the drive
should align with the holes on the drive bay.

20 ASUS CRW-5232A User Manual
3. Secure the drive with screws that came with the drive package. Use
two screws on each side of the drive.
Depending on the space on your chassis, you may need to connect the drive
cables before securing the drive into the chassis. For cable connections,
proceed to the following section, “Connecting the Drive Cables.”