Doubly broken desktop

[Butterbur]

I can usually bumble my way through most household computer repairs. However, this one has me stumped.

The kids' desktop has a broken CD drive, AND a Windows blue screen of death. I can't load the recovery disk because of the CD drive, and I can't replace the CD drive because I can't install any drivers.

What can I do? (Apart from buy a new one, which will probably be my next thread).

Can you boot the computer into safe mode?

Instructions for the various flavours of Windows are here:
www.computerhope.com/issues/chsafe.htm

That will let you do certain things to the computer and machines that BSOD on a boot will often, but not always, boot up in safe mode.

It's been a while since I've had to replace a CD drive but I'm not sure that you do need to install drivers just to get one to work as a drive...

Nope, won't boot in safe mode either.