You can run a SCSI burner on practically anything.  I use a Plextor 8x read
4x write on an AMD K-6 233 using 64meg of EDO (!) ram, and a cut-rate ATA-33
hard disk, probably very similar to yours.  It never burns a coaster at its
humble max speed of 4x.  The pc is also used for tracking shipments so it is
on a network, but we try to keep it otherwise idle while it burns.
For just a little more money than a discount scsi cdrw, you can get a
'burn-proof' cdrw that will work on your existing ide interface, although
this needs to be internal, while with scsi you would have your choice.
'burn-proof' external cdrw's are probably available on the newest interfaces
at a small premium.  Burn-proof drives adjust the burn to compensate for
hardware limitations.
For comparison, I have a SCSI 24x read 12x write 4x re-write Smart and
Friendly on a 400 mhz celeron with a 5400 rpm ATA-33 drive that does not
have burn proof technology, and it too has never made a coaster.  At 12x
speeds I am careful to close everything else when a burn is in progress.
Tom Turak

-----Original Message-----
From: Ethan T. Matthews [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Thursday, December 06, 2001 4:04 AM

My sister wants to get my dad a CD-RW drive for Christmas, but all he has is
an E-Machine with a Celeron CPU.  It's either a 333 or a 366.  I don't
remember which.  Anyway, it has a 5400RPM ATA-33 hard drive and 192 megs of
SDRAM.  Is that enough horsepower for either an external CD-RW or an
internal?

Ethan

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