Installing NEC's new "Super-Multi" drive took only a couple of minutes. After taking the drive 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. The only thing left to do was to go into Device Manager and make sure DMA was enabled. With a drive like the ND-4550A, enabling DMA is very important, especially if you're looking to get the best reading and writing performance possible.
Documentation:
As I mentioned earlier, the drive we received from NEC did not come with any software or documentation. Fortunately, we were able to get a hold of a copy of the user's manual in PDF format. Similar to the ones included with NEC's previous drives, this manual covers a number of different topics. It starts out with a few pages worth of safety instructions. The manual continues on by going over the various buttons and connectors located on the front and back of the ND-4550A.The diagrams NEC has provided are clearly labeled and easy to understand.
From here, the manual jumps right into the installation process. While not the most elaborate instructions I've seen, it covers all the basics including how to set the jumpers, hook up the cables and install the drive in your computer. The manual also has a brief section on how to use the ND-4550A. It explains how to insert and eject DVD's and how to get a disc out of the drive in case of an emergency. Last but not least, it finishes up with a few pages worth of specifications and a list of recommended media.
Like the other NEC drives we've reviewed, the ND-4550A was very easy to install. Even with the basic manual I had, there were no problems getting the drive up and running. Just keep in mind that like with any OEM drive, it's up to the vendor as to whether or not you will receive any documentation or software. Overall I give the installation an 8 out of a possible 10.
