16th October 2000

Computer cases can be cute, but few of them are far from functional. Christine Shulba asked me the other day: "How do I find the speed of my CD-ROM drive?" Well, short from cracking open the cover and checking the hardware labels, you could see if the Device Manager provides any insight. Pull up the properties for My Computer, flip to the appropriate tab, and expand your CD-ROM devices. Does it display the speed designation(s)? If not, see if the drive has a specific model number, then cross-check it at the appropriate manufacturer's Web site. That's your best bet for solving this mystery... at least, electronically. You may be forced to wade through that messy closet, looking for the original (printed) documentation. The analog route isn't always the fastest, but if you REALLY need to know (and there's no other way to go)... don't forget your 'unplugged' options.