Installing HP's new DVD±RW drive in our test computer took only a couple of minutes. After taking the dvd640i out of the box, I left the jumper set to master and installed it on the secondary IDE chain by connecting the IDE cable and power connector. When I turned on the computer the BIOS detected it as a drive supporting UDMA 33. After making sure that the DMA was enabled in the Device Manager, I was ready to start installing the software.
Software Installation:
As I mentioned earlier, the dvd640i comes with two CD's full of software. The first of these contains a few different applications from Sonic, ArcSoft and CyberLink. If you have autorun enabled on your computer, the menu pictured below will automatically come up when you insert the disc.
From here you can either watch the installation videos or install the bundled software. If you're new to upgrading or working on your computer, I recommend checking out the videos, as they are pretty good. HP even has different videos depending on if you're upgrading an existing drive or installing an additional one.
Installing the software is pretty straightforward. Once you pick what programs you want to install, the files are copied over. When that is done, HP's Install Assistant will start. The HP Install Assistant checks your computer's configuration. If an HP drive is not detected, it will tell you what the best settings are for your computer. When it's done with that it will prompt you to print out the instructions and then help you shut down the computer.
The second disc contains SureThing CD/DVD Labeler 4 SE. Like the other software, the installation process is fairly straightforward. If autorun is enabled, the installation program will start up when you insert the CD. All you need to do is choose what language you want and pick your installation options. Once the files are copied over, you'll be able to create your own labels.
Documentation:
Since it's been a number of years since we've taken a look at one of HP's drives, I really did not know what to expect from their documentation. Surprisingly enough, things haven't changed very much. Like HP's previous drives, the dvd640i came with a few small guides, but nothing that looked like a manual. The manual is actually located on the software CD in HTML format and is copied to your hard drive during the software installation process.
HP has taken an interesting approach with their manual. Instead of focusing on the dvd640i, they provide instructions on how to do various tasks with the bundled software. The manual tackles everything from copying discs to editing video. While they could probably use a few more pictures, the instructions are quite good. HP also provides a list of frequently asked questions as well as a list of specifications for the dvd640i.
The dvd640i also comes with not one, but three printed guides. The first of these is the "Quick Start Guide." This fold-out poster walks the user through the installation process. The pictures are large and the explanations are clear and easy to understand. HP also includes a "LightScribe User Guide". Like the name implies, it focuses mainly on the LightScribe technology. Last but not least, there is the "Getting Help Guide". This guide helps the user collect information about the drive and then gives them the phone numbers and email addresses where tech support may be reached.
Looking at the dvd640i, it's easy to see why HP's drives are a big hit with consumers. While different than what we're used to seeing, the documentation and software make the installation process a no-brainer. At the same time though, I'd like to see a little more information about the drive itself. Even then, the dvd640i scores a 9 out of 10 for the installation portion of this review.
