I guess it should just be set to master since it's the only drive, but I tried all 3.
I just tried to use it to make a copy of CD, all seems fine. Maybe it can't handle the maximum read speed, but meh, it seems to work hardware-wise.
Software-wise, Windows-only.

IDE CD-ROM

Yeah. I have 2, so I want to use them. The dangerous thingy is an IDE to SATA adapter. If I manage to find DVD-RW drive with front audio and a play button, I'd like to use that in an external 5.25" drive enclosure I have.
The goal: External DVD drive that can also work as a simple standalone CD player.

All I have now is 2 CD-RW drives like that.
And one of them (BENQ 4816A) doesn't seem to work with Linux for some reason.
Sample from dmesg:

[303803.821623] usb 1-4: new high-speed USB device number 62 using xhci_hcd
[303803.953712] usb 1-4: New USB device found, idVendor=152d, idProduct=2338, bcdDevice= 1.00
[303803.953735] usb 1-4: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=5
[303803.953745] usb 1-4: Product: USB to ATA/ATAPI bridge
[303803.953752] usb 1-4: Manufacturer: JMicron
[303803.953758] usb 1-4: SerialNumber: 622222222222
[303803.956959] usb-storage 1-4:1.0: USB Mass Storage device detected
[303803.957727] scsi host0: usb-storage 1-4:1.0
[303804.972734] scsi 0:0:0:0: CD-ROM            ATAPI    CD-R/RW 48X16    9.GH PQ: 0 ANSI: 0 CCS
[303809.784518] sr 0:0:0:0: [sr0] scsi3-mmc drive: 48x/48x writer cd/rw xa/form2 cdda tray
[303818.737158] usb 1-4: reset high-speed USB device number 62 using xhci_hcd
[303826.573935] usb 1-4: reset high-speed USB device number 62 using xhci_hcd
[303838.238333] sr 0:0:0:0: Attached scsi CD-ROM sr0
[303838.238795] sr 0:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg0 type 5
[303845.622418] usb 1-4: reset high-speed USB device number 62 using xhci_hcd
[303918.801647] usb 1-4: reset high-speed USB device number 62 using xhci_hcd
[303936.512741] usb 1-4: reset high-speed USB device number 62 using xhci_hcd
[303941.673166] usb 1-4: reset high-speed USB device number 62 using xhci_hcd
[303950.281142] sr 0:0:0:0: [sr0] tag#0 FAILED Result: hostbyte=DID_OK driverbyte=DRIVER_OK cmd_age=1s
[303950.281164] sr 0:0:0:0: [sr0] tag#0 Sense Key : Illegal Request [current] 
[303950.281176] sr 0:0:0:0: [sr0] tag#0 Add. Sense: Illegal mode for this track
[303950.281186] sr 0:0:0:0: [sr0] tag#0 CDB: Read(10) 28 00 00 05 5d ec 00 00 02 00
[303950.281192] blk_print_req_error: 80 callbacks suppressed
[303950.281198] I/O error, dev sr0, sector 1406896 op 0x0:(READ) flags 0x80700 phys_seg 1 prio class 2
[303950.555155] sr 0:0:0:0: [sr0] tag#0 FAILED Result: hostbyte=DID_OK driverbyte=DRIVER_OK cmd_age=0s
[303950.555173] sr 0:0:0:0: [sr0] tag#0 Sense Key : Illegal Request [current] 
[303950.555183] sr 0:0:0:0: [sr0] tag#0 Add. Sense: Illegal mode for this track
[303950.555192] sr 0:0:0:0: [sr0] tag#0 CDB: Read(10) 28 00 00 05 5d ec 00 00 02 00
[303950.555197] I/O error, dev sr0, sector 1406896 op 0x0:(READ) flags 0x0 phys_seg 2 prio class 2
[303950.555215] buffer_io_error: 72 callbacks suppressed
[303950.555220] Buffer I/O error on dev sr0, logical block 351724, async page read
[303950.555232] Buffer I/O error on dev sr0, logical block 351725, async page read

Just keeps resetting, eventually spams a lot of errors, then goes on to start resetting again.

VLC manages to use it for audio playback. Sort of. It can load CD info, play a track, and skip within the track. But when trying to play a different track, it again resets the drive, so it has to load the disc again, causing ~15 second gaps between tracks.

Both digital (on PC) and analog (on drive) audio playback worked just fine on Windows 2000 after passing the USB to VirtualBox.

Yeah, I already tried losetup unsuccessfully, but thanks anyway.

The world sucks right now for employment you might as well take a shot at a dream job because you never know what happens!

Well, I absolutely could get training for position of train driver.
Except...
As far as I know, you have to agree to a contract to work for that company for at least 5 years.
Otherwise, I'd have to pay them back for that training. How much?
I don't know what it's now. First I heard from someone, they mentioned it being EUR 21,000. But recently I overheard a train driver talking to a coworker about the training costing EUR 31,000.
Either way, in a country where the minimum wage is EUR 5.26/h... OOF.

Although I'd have to ask for official information, as this isn't mentioned in the advertising they do.
But it would explain the eternal shortage they seem to have.

Sorry if I wasn't clear, I am not. I am just usually imagining what happens in edge cases. Since I am in an English study programme (I honestly find English easier in relation to IT) I get the same information the foreign students do.
And I can see how fucking shitty it is.
The problem is they didn't even translate the instructions to English, and further only gave them a 12 hour window until the deadline to figure things out. Ironically, the instructions highlight to really think about the decisions you make with the subjects selected (some expect prior knowledge you may not yet have). Think about it when? There's also limited number of students to be accepted for each subject on a first-come first-served basis. Basically, a game of battle royale, but there were no instructions, and the game has already begun.