Using old Powerbook as external superdrive?

Is this possible? The superdrive on my MacBook pro is dead, and I cannot afford to replace it. However, I know you can connect two mac notebooks easily enough and boot one as an external HD for the other...is there a way to do this so that you could access DVDs or CDs in the other computer's drive?

Specifically, I bought the Snow Leopard upgrade but have no way to install it because the DVD drive doesn't read anything, it just spits out anything you put in.

I don't know what you are asking is possible but you can try using Target Disk Mode to see if you can access the other computer's optical drive.

You can also try buying an external optical drive for your Mac. I don't know what you consider expensive but you can buy a new one for around $50 or less. That would be the more convenient option.

custerc Welcome to the Forum. The problem with trying to do what u r suggesting is that to install the OS the Mac wants to restart off the disc, so you would have to boot off the disk in the old MBP and have the other Mac in Target mode. That can be further complicated if the HDs are not formatted as needed, so you may have to use Disk Utility of the install disk to format the intended drive for the install and then try the install.

yes you can. the computer that you want to use the drive of start it in target disk mode.(turn the computer on while hold on the "T" key until you see the firewire symbol then let go). connect your firewire cable to your other computer. insert your disk on the target computer.