Powerbook 4 Generation

Hi,
I have an old Powerbook 4 Generation, but he doesn't recognize my iPod Touch 16 GB, but iPhoto does. So it isn't a problem with the usb-ports. So I tried to download the newest iTunes, but I cant install that software, I get an error then. Does someone knows how to fix this problem?
And another question, I need a password to install stuff. But this laptop is the old laptop of my Dad. And he forgot that password, so I've asked a man in the local Apple Store to help me solving this problem. He said there is a trick for stuff like this, you can put the install-disk in it, press C en than you will get all the passwords, but I don't get it, so could someone please help me with it?
Sorry for my poor English, im from the Netherlands.
Thanks!

You should upgrade your Titanium Powerbook G4 to 10.4.11 by going  menu > Software Update. After this you will also need to update to the latest version of iTunes (7.6.1).
Be aware that the so-called "Gigabit Ethernet" Powerbook pre-dates USB2.0 and so technically does not meet the minimum requirements for an iPod touch. I find I can use it okay in manual mode on my Titanium Powerbook though.
mrtotes

Similar Messages

Another PB-display-victim?

Well, many people already mentioned it, here is one more:
me
I have the new Powerbook 15" since one week and its my first notebook ever so I dont have any comparison regarding the display.
Only when a friend told me that there might be a problem with the new PBs I checked and found those lines.
I didnt get any headake yet by staring at this screen.
But hey, I payed more than 2000 €! I try to find the relation,
I mean, is the quality good in relation to the situation of Apple, regarding the fact that the IntelPBs are coming anyway and money increasing (thanx ipod, money, money)?
I think its rather bad cause in my eyes Apple is superior in so many subjects, I kind of like their philosophie (how do you write that in english?).
Cant understand this one, ....
I want a perfect display, cause I paid enough money for a really cool machine.
(No, not enough, I bought&send back a 1GB Ram (Kingston DDR2 1 GB Premium), ordered another "good" one, eventually a lot of money)
Anybody made some revolutionary discovery which contains following informations:
Apple got it.
Apple is so sorry.
Apple has a solution, software / hardware, don't care, but for free.
Cause then I can live with the fact that all my saved money transformed into a very difficult to recycle but genius thing.

As I can see you have already got a powerbook, an old one but obviously one that works.
So you can chill and wait for the next generations of Pbooks.
I think I'll try to stay with this one, cause its the last PB with a G4 processor and if the screen thing will be fixed I think it will make it long time, until Aplle will produce an intel powerbook generation which is stabil and convincing it may take maybe a bit longer than couple of months.
(experience is a factor which requiers time, doesn't it)
good luck is in deed necessary

I want to sync music from my PowerBook G4 to my Ipod Generation 7 but it says i need to update the Powerbook but the Powerbook says there is no updates plus i need to update Itunes but its not working.

I want to Sync music from my PowerBook 4 to my Ipod generation 7 but it says I need to update Itunes to 10.7 but when it finishes updating and i go back to itunes nothing has changed and Itunes is not updated.

In order to install iTunes 10.7 or later you need OSX 10.6.8 or later. A PowerBook can install up to OSX 10.5.8
I hate to be the bearer of bad news but any new iPod won't sync with iTunes on Mac not using an Intel processor.

Hi I've reset my 2nd generation ipod touch. However,the connect to itunes graphic appears on the screen but when I attach to my powerbook it doesn, show up either in itune or finder.

Hi, I've reset my 2nd generation ipod touch. However,the connect to itunes graphic appears on the screen but when I attach to my powerbook it doesn't show up either in itunes or finder. I can't be the first to have experienced this problem. please could someone advise me.

What iOS do you have on the iPod?
Did it every connect to your computer with that iOS?
The latest iOD for the 2G is 4.2.1 and that required a Mac with 10.5.8 or later.
Have you tried:
- another USB port and cable
- iPhone, iPad, iPod touch: Device not recognized in iTunes for Mac OS X

1GB 1st Generation iPod Nano USB Device Not Recognized on any computer

I just recently received a free 1st generation 1GB iPod nano from a friend because they couldn't get it to work. I figured I'd take a crack at it and hopefully get a working, free iPod out of the deal...
It already had music loaded on it (mostly a bunch of garbage), so like anyone else in my position I proceeded to reformat the little sucker and wipe its slate clean.
Here is what happens when I try to connect the nano to ANY computer:
Here is how the nano shows up in device manager:
This was the original problem I was having with my desktop PC which is running Windows XP Home with SP2 and all the latest Windows updates. It is running iTunes 7.5.0.20, w/ latest iPod updater software version 1.2.3.
Prior to testing the 1st gen. 1GB iPod nano, I had been charging and syncing my 5th generation 60GB iPod classic on my desktop PC using the same exact cable. All of my USB ports are in working, functional condition and order. I even have “Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power” unchecked under USB Root Hub Properties.
I tried a couple different USB ports and I used another cable, no luck. So I moved on to my Fujitsu laptop running Windows Media Center Edition, all latest Windows updates, same version of iTunes and iPod software (the difference being that I DO NOT sync any iPods to it, nor do I have any music on it). SAME EXACT PROBLEM, same message bubble, same entry in device manager, and same lack of driver availability.
Thinking maybe it’s just a “PeeCee” thing I dug out my old PowerBook G4 running the ancient Mac OS 10.2. Keep in mind this thing only has a 400 MHz G4 processor, 512MB RAM, 30GB hardrive, and USB 1.1 ports. The iPod nano wouldn’t even give a hint that it existed when I plugged it in.
I have tried every single little Apple trick available. I’ve done the forced restart while connected and while not connected to the computer. I’ve done forced disk mode while connected and while not. I’ve run iTunes diagnostic tests on connected devices. I’ve messed with USB port settings. I’ve tried two different USB 2.0 iPod cables. I tested my dad’s 8GB 2nd generation iPod nano to see if it linked up with my desktop and my laptop IT DOES. I even tried my 60GB 5th gen iPod classic OVER AGAIN to see if it still worked, IT DOES.
Also, this 1st gen iPod nano will not charge when hooked to the computer through USB. When I plug it in, between the time it’s plugged in and when the “USB device recognized” bubble pops up the battery icon shows it is charging, but as soon as that bubble pops up it disappears and discontinues pretending to charge.
On my Fujitsu laptop, I uninstalled everything having to do with Apple. I uninstalled iTunes, Apple Software Update, everything. Restarting after it all of course. Then I installed the old iPod Software Updater from 6-28-2006. I was pretty sure this wouldn’t work because the iPod isn’t even recognized by the computer. In order for the iPod to work in the iPod Software Updater or iTunes it has to first be recognized at the basic Windows level. Which it isn’t…
I have done research all across the net and the only real answer I found was that the iPod Nano’s internal USB controller is dead. I’m 99% sure it has nothing to do with my laptop, desktop, USB cables, software, or drivers. What do you guys think?

Nope I have not figured anything out since I posted this. The closest answer I've found is that it's the internal USB controller which has gone bad. If that's the case than there is really nothing more I can do.
I did find one opening and that was the diagnostic screen. You get to it by holding down the Menu and Center buttons, as soon as the iPod resets hold down the Left and Center buttons, the iPod will beep and then it will go to a diagnostic screen. Maybe somewhere in there you can find the problem I don't know how to use it though.

Talkin' Bout My Generations: A Brief History of Intel-based Portable Macs

During my first four years here at Discussions, I came across a fairly common problem while trying to help folks using Windows on a Mac: very few people I responded to could tell mewhat kind of system they were using. Many were users of portable Macs, so to try and help them out identifying the machines they used, I thought of making a guide to portableidentification. But as I was writing this article two years ago, I got thinking about a more detailed history of the MacBook family from 2006 to 2010. I’ve taken many of the news snippets I’ve read from Macworld magazine and other sources to provide the historical content in this guide and combinedthem with my personal opinions on each model. Specifications where used have been verified by Brock Kyle’s EveryMac.com and by Apple support documents as well as keynote speeches from Apple execs. The opinions provided are those of the author and are independent of Apple, Inc, so in other words, if you feel differently about these machines…
DON’T SHOOT THE MESSENGER!
And now, the guide. Enjoy!
First generation (1G):
These are the only 32-bit Intel Mac portables in the field, sporting Intel Core Duo (“Yonah”) processors from 1.83-2.16 GHz (Early '06, including Glossy)
MacBook
This long-awaited upgrade of the iBook has a port setup comparable to the Mid-'05 iBook--2 USB 2.0, 1 FW400, audi oout, mini video. Also uses an inset keyboard, which drew some groans from the community-at-large when it first launched. Internally, uses an Intel GMA950 graphics system that borrows up to 64 MB as video RAM and adds 16 MB overhead.
Case type: Solid white or black polycarbonate shell
Chipset: Intel 945GM
Standard RAM: 512 MB (432 MB usable)
Maximum RAM: 2.00 GB PC2-5300 DDR2 SDRAM(1968 MB usable)
Pros: Solid performance vs. iBook, goodbasic machine for the Web, hard drive is user-serviceable.
Cons: Poor graphics make this unit ascratch for mid-level business work, games or creative apps; limited RAM, no64-bit support
MacBook Pro
This was Apple's Intel debut, along withthe iMac (Core Duo). Apple flashed a1.67 GHz prototype at Macworld Expo ‘06 that was scratched in production for a1.83 GHz model. Supply chain economicsresulted in an optical drive downgrade to a standard single-layer drive fromthe double-layer drives in the late '05 PowerBooks. It's also the only model in the MacBook Procontinuum not to bear a FireWire 800 port. Although functionally similar to the MacBookthat followed it, this line has discrete graphics by way of AMD's RADEONX1600--up to 256 MB. Slightly revisedversions, rolled in by mid-year, included a glossy display and improved videoRAM.
Case type: Anodized aluminum compositewith plastic edging.
Chipset: Intel 945GM
Standard RAM: 1 GB
Maximum RAM: 2.00 GB PC2-5300 DDR2 SDRAM
Pros: Good step up from PB '05, can runpro apps and games with ease
Cons: limited RAM, no 64-bit support, no DVD±DL support, lack of FW800 abother for some
Second generation (2G):
The 2G portables (“Late 2006” in Applespeak) were a mild speed bump of the 1G lines, replacing the 32-bit Core with the 64-bit Core2 (“Merom”). Processor speeds ranged from 2.0 GHz-2.33 GHz. Apple fixed many 1G shortcomings here, but retained the 945 family chipsets until well into 2007. As aresult of the 945 family’s addressing limitations, usable RAM is limited to 3GB, even when 4 GB can be installed. (See http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/macbook_pro/faq/macbook-pro-core-2-duo-3-g b-memory-limitation-details.html) Further, Apple has chosen to limitWindows support on these units to Vista; anything else is “use at own risk”.
On the plus side, these 2G portables arethe absolute earliest qualifiers for Mac OS X Lion, albeit with a significantlylimited user experience—that is, many features of note simply are not possible given the nature of the 2G internals.
MacBook
No visible markers set these units apart from the 1G models, and all internals are the same save for the Core2 CPU. These units were slightly revised in 2007 toenable draft 802.11n support; those models shipped in October 2006 and onward could download an update to enable 802.11n. The only way to confirm a 2G MacBook is via software; the Model ID iseither ”2,1” or “2,2”
Case type: Solid white or blackpolycarbonate shell
Chipset: Intel 945GM
Standard RAM: 1 GB (944 MB usable)
Maximum RAM: 3.00 GB PC2-5300 DDR2 SDRAM (2992 MB usable)
Pros: Core2 offers 64-bit support and modest speed boost, max RAM up
Cons: Still comes up short forhigh-demand applications.
MacBook Pro
Functionally similar to its predecessor while retaining the AMD X1600 graphics, the 2G Pro had three notable differences. This line marks the permanent return of the FireWire 800 port—this one’s on the right side. Also back for an encore is the double-layer SuperDrive; Apple’s suppliers finally had the size of optical drive that Apple needed. Like the MacBook, it also gets a lift from the new Core2 CPUs with twice as much L2 cache as their predecessors and their trendier plastic-clad siblings.
Case type: Anodized aluminum composite with plastic edging.
Chipset: Intel 945GM
Standard RAM: 1 GB
Maximum RAM: 3.00 GB PC2-5300 DDR2 SDRAM
Pros: FW800 is back, as is DVD±DL; max RAM up, graphics still strong
Cons: Speed improvement only nominal, Windows Vista support still lacking inspots (X1000-series chips are not DX10 qualified)
Third generation (3G):
The “Mid/Late 2007” portables were somewhat of a redesign from the inside, though they remained similar to 2G models when viewed from without. Common to both lines is the Intel 965 chipset family, best known by its Intel codename, “Santa Rosa”; with it, the system bus got ramped to 800 MT/s while the memory bus remained at 667 MT/s. Here, the Core2 gets another modest speed bump, with standard frequencies ranging from 2.1 GHz-2.4 GHz. At this time, the RAM ceiling was lifted, allowing 4 GB to be used in all models and making theseMacs capable 64-bit machines. Windows x64 variants will run on this class, but it requires Boot Camp 2.1 or higher and some finesse with installing individual software packages since Apple’s installer places a soft block on these units.
Also of note: 3G and 4G MacBook Pros were particularly susceptible to a defect in the NVIDIA graphics chip, which left unchecked would cause these units not to display video, or to show scrambled video. Apple has a current repair program to fixthis issue if you should run across it, but time is running out. Unless you are aware that the defect has been repaired, these models are best avoided
MacBook
By the time the 3G models surfaced, the2G models were dealing with heavy criticism for not being refreshed in sync with the Pro models. Apple had three convincing reasons for such a delay. First came the iPhone EDGE, for which development was a top priority. The delay actually bought some time for Apple to reveal the other two reasons; Intel was providing the GMA X3100 as a companion to the GM965, which in itself was a modest improvement over the GMA 950 used in the first two iterations; and Apple had been working on its latest flagship OS, “Leopard”, released just days before the new MacBook surfaced on All Saints’ Day (11/1). One might say that waiting does indeed payoff, judging from Macworld’s bench scores of the 3G MacBooks, 2007 was a good year to upgrade the old iBook to something better.
Case type: Solid white or black polycarbonate shell
Chipset: Intel GM965
Standard RAM: 1 GB (880 MB usable)
Maximum RAM: 4.00 GB PC2-5300 DDR2 SDRAM (3952 MB usable)
Pros: Better graphics, potentially faster WLAN support, improved speed, conservative energy usage
Cons: Poor graphics in Windows, game support on both platforms limited to casual titles (many FPS/RTS/MMO games not supported)
MacBook Pro
The 3G Pro underwent a massive interior overhaul in June 2007, sporting NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT graphics and—for the first time in an Apple portable—an option to build a Core2 Extreme into the unit at 2.6 GHz. These were the first portables to carry 802.11n as a standard option, as well as the first Apple portables touse an LED-backlit display. The 3G Pro also meets or exceeds all Windows Vista operating requirements, and was one of the best performing computers to run Vista, according to PC World.
Unfortunately for longtime notebook users, the 3G lines of the MacBook Pro also mark some “lasts”. The line of 3G Pros was the last line of portables to have officially shipped with Tiger, the last portables to includean Apple Remote as standard equipment, and, perhaps more notably, the last tobear a traditional numeric keypad.
Case type: Anodized aluminum composite with plastic edging.
Chipset: Intel GM965
Standard RAM: 2 GB
Maximum RAM: 4.00 GB PC2-5300 DDR2 SDRAM
Pros: Significantly improved graphics, greater energy efficiency over 2G units due to chipset and display upgrades, fastest unit of its time for current OSes, solid all-around performance, potentially faster WLAN support.
Cons: Not quite “future-proof”
Fourth generation (4G)
The “Early 2008” portables were met with fervent anticipation, as Apple hinted about “something in the air” at what would be CEO Steve Jobs’ final Macworld Expo address. Notebooks were all the rage, as was the upcoming iPhone software upgrade that gave rise to application development and the App Store. Exciting news indeed, it was. Yet, as was the norm in Jobsian monologues, he had “one more thing” to show off. Inter-office memos? Nope, but it did arrive in the classic manila envelope used for such. It was the first-generation MacBook Air, partof a 4G lineup that saw revamped Core2 CPUs ranging from 1.6 GHz all the way upt o 2.6 GHz depending on model and build options.
The new CPUs were based on Intel’s latest “Penryn” cores, some of which received a drop in L2 cache versus the “Merom” cores used in 2G and 3G units. However, the drop in cache did little to impact performance; the new CPUs were actually faster by a slight margin at the same speeds as prior Core2’s, per Macworld’s bench scores. As there were few changes in case designapart from removing the keypad from the MacBook Pro, only software can separate a 4G unit from a 3G unit.
The 4G units, and all units following, officially support x64-native Windows via Boot Camp 2.1 as included on their Install Discs, or ondiscs with future versions of OS X and Boot Camp.
MacBook
The 4G MacBook saw the processor upgrade and little else,but the bump was likely enough to convince any but the hard-core 12” PowerBookenthusiasts to cross over to Intel. Because it’s still based on the Santa Rosa (GM965) platform, the 20-pluspercentage point improvements touted by tech-savvy bloggers and enthusiastsites are never realized. Rather, some sources have documented a roughimprovement of between three percent and ten percent over the 3G units.
Sadly for some, this model is the last MacBook to bear anysize and speed of FireWire port.
Case type: Solid white or black polycarbonate shell (as of late 2008, white only)
Chipset: Intel GM965
Standard RAM: 2 GB (1904 MB usable)
Maximum RAM: 4.00 GB PC2-5300 DDR2 SDRAM (3952 MB usable)
Pros: Still a solid machine for light work, cheap, fast for its price
Cons: It’s the only cheap way to make your FireWire gear work
MacBook Air
The new kid on the block this go-around;the MacBook Air is Apple’s first sub-notebook since the PowerBook Duo of the early 1990’s. Classified as a “thin and light”, the Air is a very strikingdefinition of that term. At three pounds weight and 0.16” to 0.76” thickness, and with logic circuitry the length of a standard No. 2 pencil, Apple could crow about making “the world’s thinnest notebook” and still pack more punch into a space of 14 inches at a time when other sub-note vendors were still trying to shrink their wares. These vendors, according to Jobs, started shrinking items that shouldn’t be shrunk. Where most sub-notes had 11” or 12” screens, for example, the Air packed in a 13-incher; and when a keyboard was needed for the Air, Apple went with a full-size board identical to the then one-and-a-half-year-old MacBook design, complete with inset keys. From the MacBook Pro, the Air gained an aluminum finish as well as a backlit keyboard. On its own, the Air introduced solid-state storage (colloquially “flash drives”) as hard drives for the Mac. However, this option added $1,000 to the Air’s asking price and dropped its already limited storage capacity from80 GB to 64 GB. To add insult to injuryin some minds, the Air also dropped common expansion options and an internal optical drive to acquire its legendary dimensions. Left after shrinkage: a single USB port, an audio jack, and a “micro-DVI” video port. Despite these sacrifices, the 1G MacBook Air still outclasses other sub-notes where it counts because its chipset is the same GM965 used in the 3G and 4G MacBook offerings in addition to having the fastest low-voltage CPU’s of the day in custom quarter-sized packages. Its performance in comparison to full-featured notebooks is lower by way of processor speed being lower, and yet normal for a portable of its class.
Case type: Anodized aluminum
Chipset: Intel GM965
Standard RAM: 2 GB onboard (1904 MB usable)
Pros: Size and weight offer maximumportability, big screen and keyboard offer comfort for travelers, multi-gesturetrackpad has large surface for easy usability, and price is on par for class.
Cons: Limited expansion options, limited storage, and service-removable battery ,costly add-ons required for use in environments where WLAN isn’t an option, not well suited to Windows variants beyond XP.
MacBook Pro
Not much new here from the 3G lines, save for the absentkeypad. Base specs were upped by small increments, and dedicated VRAM doubled for all models. Nonetheless, the 4G Pro can make a capable,if not solid gaming unit (as if the 3G unit wasn’t competent in its own right). Like the 3G unit, it is also well suited to Vista and its 64-bit variant, and it can easily run Windows 7 in its many forms as well.
Case type: Anodized aluminum composite with plastic edging.
Chipset: Intel GM965
Standard RAM: 2 GB
Maximum RAM: 4.00 GB PC2-5300 DDR2 SDRAM
Pros: Robust graphics, flexible options,and multi-gesture trackpad
Cons: What’s not to like? If you liveor die crunching numbers, it’s tougher, but doable.
Fifth generation (5G)
As is done in every odd generation, Apple reworked the entire line of notebooks from within for the “Late 2008/Early 2009” cycle. In addition, Apple was hard at work on atotally new and totally trend-setting casing process for its portables. The result: an extreme makeover not seen in Apple’s portable lines since the 68K-to-PowerPC transitions of the early 1990’s. To rework the interior of the MacBook family, Apple went to NVIDIA—not Intel—for a high-performance logicsolution to be used in notebooks. NVIDIAwas working on a desktop chipset at the time; but if Steve Jobs’ statement at Apple’s October ‘08 notebook event is to be believed, Apple designers asked NVIDIA to make it mobile, and the company delivered an MCP logic set dubbed“GeForce 9400M” unto Apple. All linesthus benefited from markedly faster graphics and the adoption of ultra-fas tDDR3 memory. Here, the 5G MacBook and 2G MacBook Air became passable all-around units, with the 5G MacBook Pro sportingdynamically switchable graphics engines.
For the exterior makeover, Apple Senior Designer Jon Iverevealed that Apple’s latest process created a “unibody” enclosure that waslighter and required fewer parts to produce, for it was milled entirely fromone sheet of aluminum. To complete themakeover, Apple drew on its experience with the Aluminum line of iMac desktopsand fused all-glass displays into the new assemblies.
For some models, the fifth generation held well into 2010,and so received only incremental upgrades to the CPU, GPU, and system RAM
All models from this generation, save for the whiteMacBook, include a button-less, customizable multi-gesture trackpad.
MacBook and MacBookPro (15”)
Because the two lines had converged in this iteration, only subtle visual differences kept them apart. Both lines dropped the FireWire 400 port and exchanged their respectivevideo outputs for a common Mini DisplayPort, based on an emerging standard. The loss of certain status quofeatures on both lines (FW400 on theMacBook, traditional keyboard on the Pro) drew some whining in certain circles,but such things happen when Apple does this sort of retooling.
With the 5G notebooks, Apple further blurred the line thatonce separated MacBook from MacBook Pro, allowing the former a backlit keyboardin its fullest build. Apple hoped that thiswould swing “fence people” toward the MacBook instead of a low-cost Windows PC since these are folks that would be forced to spend $2,000 on a MacBook Probecause they want to play games in either Mac OS or Windows, casually orotherwise.
Case type: Anodized aluminum unibody
Chipset: NVIDIA GeForce 9400M MCP (withGeForce 9600M GT GPU in Pro models)
Standard RAM: 2 GB (1792 MB usable)
Maximum RAM: 8.00 GB PC3-8500 DDR3 SDRAM( 7936 MB usable)
Pros: Fast graphics, lighter, moredurable, energy efficient, hard drive is user-serviceable, wealth of optionsavailable
Cons: Changes in port makeup require conversion adapters; may frustrate some
MacBook Pro (17”)
At MacWorld Expo ’09, Apple SeniorVice-President Phil Schiller spent more than 90 minutes touting the company’slatest software offerings. In typical Apple style, however, Schiller couldn’t let Apple make what would be its finalcurtain call without a fantastic final act. The 5G-notebook lineup would be rounded out with a stunning revision to one of Apple’s crown jewels: the 17-inch MacBook Pro. Though it’s fundamentally similar to its smaller siblings and received the same makeover from its 4G incarnation that the others received, its battery puts it in a class of its own; Apple claimed not only that the battery will last an unheard-of 8 hours, but also that it would continue to function at nearly 100% potential after 300charge cycles and drop to 80% potential after 1000 cycles, thereby lastingthree times longer than most conventional notebook batteries, including itsown. The reason for this is thebattery’s adaptive charging circuitry, which requests that charge be directedonly to the cells that require it instead of the system charging the battery uniformly across all cells. Real world testing of Apple’s claims yielded figures closer to 5 hours. Still, the fact that the battery is fixed inplace seemed irrelevant. Fixed batteries have been a source of worry for many gadget lovers since the original iPoddebuted in 2001.
Nonetheless, Apple’s flagship retained manyof thee same advantages and disadvantages of its 5G fellows, and yet it remaineda solid machine for those fortunate enough to afford its nearly $3,000 base sticker price. Build-to-order modelsnearly eclipsed the 3 GHz mark—but as Don Adams would have said, missed it by that much.
Case type: Anodized aluminum unibody
Chipset: NVIDIA GeForce 9400M MCP with GeForce 9600M GT GPU
Standard RAM: 2 GB (1792 MB usable)
Maximum RAM: 8.00 GB PC3-8500 DDR3 SDRAM (7936 MB usable)
Pros: Powerful, lighter, more durable,energy efficient, hard drive is user-serviceable, wealth of options available
Cons: Changes in port makeup require conversion adapters; may frustrate some ,expensive entry price, fixed battery
MacBook Air (Second Generation and Third Generation)
How do you improve on the world’s most eye-catching notebook? Apparently, you improve uponit from within, as CEO Jobs outlined during the October event introducing the5G-notebook architecture. Like itsfull-sized siblings, the 2G Air ships with an NVIDIA 9400M MCP and 2 GB of fast DDR3 RAM onboard even as the ultra-low voltage Core2 CPU at its heart has seenonly miniscule improvements in overall clock speed. Hard drive options have seen more modest gains, with the standard drive adding 50% more space than its predecessor and the SSD option doubling to 128 GB. With these adjustments, the Air becomes more palatable to travelers willing toaccept certain tradeoffs in exchange for size and weight. For Windows users under Boot Camp, the Air also becomes a more capable, if still underpowered, Vista unit, albeit one that won’t gain much from an x64-based variant thereof.
Case type: Anodized aluminum unibody
Chipset: NVIDIA GeForce 9400M MCP
Standard RAM: 2 GB onboard (1792 MB usable)
Pros: Size and weight offer maximumportability, big screen and keyboard offer comfort for travelers, multi-gesturetrack pad has large surface for easy usability, and price is on par for class,better storage options than previous model.
Cons: No change in onboard RAM to offset new hardware overhead, add-ons still required where WLAN isn’t available, adapter required for new Mini DisplayPort with most displays
MacBook (’09 White)
A surprise refresh in early 2009 brought an entry-level MacBook under $1,000 with most of the 5G features above. To keep it that affordable, Apple ended up blending a third-gen polycarbonate MacBook exterior with a modified 5G-logicassembly. Users of this model got the same fast graphics engine as the one in the mainstream aluminum MacBooks, all the while keeping the single and now scarce FW400 port; but they also gave up niceties such as the multitouch track pad and the slightly quicker DDR3 RAM. Nonetheless, this 5G model was mostlikely aimed at those looking to start with a Mac and get a full-fledged computer.
Case type: Polycarbonate unibody shell
Chipset: NVIDIA GeForce 9400M MCP
Standard RAM: 2 GB (1792 MB usable)
Maximum RAM: 4 GB (3840 MB usable)
Pros: Solid construction, cheaper than prior models, few if any changes from previous model
Cons: Limited trackpad motion support, RAM capped at 4 GB, looks less classy
Sixth generation (6G)
Perhaps the only generation not to offer a significant step up from the previous one, the sixth generation opened with a minor redesign of the white MacBook, which at long last had caught up with the earliest 5G models and therefore offered a better value than its previousmodel. MacBook Airs also see but a minorspeed bump. True improvement is not achieved until the arrival of the first mobile processors to use the emerging “Nehalem”microarchitecture and to see the return of multithreading support. The processor’s redesign also affords the ability to shut down inactive processor cores whilst boosting the clock speed of those that remain active. Unfortunately, MacBook Pros are the only models to receive this welcome upgrade, even if it only comes in a dual-core package to start with. All other models run on the last knownreleases of the “Penryn” core—a harbinger of things to come, maybe?
MacBook
From Mid 2009 onward, MacBooks continued to shadow their upper-crust siblings, but in the process, they ultimately catch up—to 2008’s lineup. It’s from here that these modelstake a multitouch glass-backed trackpad, a fixed battery, and the Mini DisplayPort monitor connection. A remolded unibody design gives this model a curved front. FireWire finally drops, as does the IR receiver; Apple found that many consumers buying the MacBook just didn’t care for either add-on. Still, subtle bumpsin CPU speed and battery life may have been enough to justify an upgrade from previous generation models.
Case type: Polycarbonate unibody shell
Chipset: NVIDIA GeForce 9400M MCP
Standard RAM: 2 GB (1792 MB usable)
Maximum RAM: 4 GB (3840 MB usable)
Pros: Long battery life, sleeker and slimmer design,slightly lighter
Cons: Almost no change from 5G setup; ports dropped
MacBook Pro (15” and17”)
As mentioned above, the 6G Pro offered little in the way of improvements over the 5G lineup—or so it might seem at first glance. Externally, they appear very much like the 5Gmodels, except that Apple has added an SD card slot to the port array—a big upgrade for camera buffs whom usually resorted to carrying cheap and oft-clunky card readers to dangle from a USB port.
Internally, these two flagship units make several changes to accommodate the Intel “Nehalem” architecture mentioned above. No longer could a third-party chipset be used—the direct result of a protracted battle between Intel and NVIDIA over the terms of the deal that allowed the Core2 to run on a non-Intel logic set. In its place, Intel supplied the “Arrandale” Core i-series multipurpose processors along with the then-new 5 series logic sets. Arrandale brought with it a completely new bus known as QuickPath Interconnect, which in theory was much improved over the traditional front-side bus. Also making their debut were Turbo Boost, which shut down one core and turned up the other based on demand, and the Intel HD Graphics core, a welcome boost over previous Intel offerings that for their part lacked muscle; this new engine could render 720p HD where 2007’s X3100 had to feign it. Last but certainly not least, Hyper Threading Technology, absent since the last of the Pentium 4 600 series CPU’s were cas tin 2006, returns to little fanfare but grants users twice the effective coresduring heavy workload.
Flash storage, introduced on MacBook Airs, makes its way into the mainstream lines with this generation and all that will follow it, though the drives’ expense and potential loss of storage space were not always justifiable, even though flash storage delivers on the promise of improved read/write access speeds.
Despite these huge gains, users anticipating quad-core chips on Macs when high-end Windows notebooks already had such were at the very least disappointed
For the discrete graphics engine, Apple again turned to NVIDIA for its 300-series chips, these being significantly more powerful than the 9-series previously used. Video RAM remained unchanged.
Case type: Anodized aluminum unibody
Chipset: Intel 5 Series/HD Graphics with NVIDIA GT 330M
Standard RAM: 4 GB (3840 MB usable inlow-energy modes)
Maximum RAM: 8.00 GB PC3-8500 DDR3 SDRAM (7936 MB usable in low-energy modes)
Pros: Big lift from i-Series CPU’s, SD cards now usablewithout extra hardware, more starting RAM, SSD options for better performance
Cons: Low-energy modes use a graphics engine that is a drag on gaming for some (per user reports), still dual-core.
Seventh generation (7G)
There may be some discussion as to whether a seventh generation of Mac portables exists, or whether this line should be part of the sixth generation instead. Apple’s internal naming schemes for the mainstream models did indeed point to a seventh generation, so on that basis, here’s a definition: Seventh-gen models were, as the sixth-gen models, a mild refresh. This time, though, the refresh targeted only those models not receivingthe Arrandale i-Series upgrade. All models received the final upgrade of the Penryn Core2’s, as well as replacing NVIDIA’s 9400M MCP with a more robust version in the 320M.
With Windows XP in decline from 2009’s release of Windows 7, this became the last iteration of Mac portables to run the nearly-decade-old platform. Vista, too, would meet its end here, though Microsoft still considers it in mainstream support untilmid-2012. Perhaps Apple wished to streamline their Windows support to a single version—or perhaps it realized what so many others outside of itself knew from experience: Vista was a disaster, and it was best left to rot with its distant ancestor, Windows Me, inthe depths of history’s sewers.
MacBook
The trusty steed of many a cheapskate since its 2006 intro received what would be its last upgrade ever in mid 2010. The Penryn processor gets a slight bump from 2.1 GHz to 2.4 GHz, and NVIDIA 320M graphics round out the package. Otherwise, there’s not much new, for its reign as King of Value would quickly come to a close.
Case type: Polycarbonate unibody shell
Chipset: NVIDIA GeForce 320M MCP
Standard RAM: 2 GB (1792 MB usable)
Maximum RAM: 4 GB (3840 MB usable)
Pros: Modest gains for CPU and GPU—but that’s it
Cons: Still cheap looking with a plastic shell—and you paid WHAT?
MacBook Pro (13”)
Now firmly rebranded as a Pro model, Apple’s 13” aluminum notebook was poised to gain clout with “prosumers” and other types that loved the aluminum look but did not want to pay extra for the new CPU’s of the 15” and 17” models. Still, these units made big gains from the new NVIDIA MCP and Penryn chips up to 2.66 GHz. All in all, this seemed a very well-balanced unit for one a full generation behind its peers, and one that was well worth its $1,200 entry fee
Case type: Anodized aluminum unibody
Chipset: NVIDIA GeForce 320M MCP
Standard RAM: 4 GB (3840 MB usable)
Maximum RAM: 8.00 GB PC3-8500 DDR3 SDRAM (7936 MB usable)
Pros: Full featured for the size, hits a“sweet spot” for the price
Cons: Aging architecture now at limit, no i-Series chips to be found
MacBook Air (Fourth Generation)
The head-turning Air gets a late 2010 all-around makeoverwhile expanding the family of portables to include Apple’s smallest notebook since the 12” PowerBook made a splash in 2003. Even at the new 11.6” size, the Air gets a slightly thicker body than its previous two models. The extra thickness isn’t enough to keep it from being the thinnest, but it is enough to add a much-requested second USB port and to eliminate the clumsy door covering the initial USB port and the video port in addition to exposing the MagSafe connector, making the once-awkward connection more accessible. This also gives it a more rectangular profile in line with Apple’s other models.
The upgraded 13” model doubles onboard flash storage andadds the SD card slot from the MacBook Pros.
Both models now feature factory upgrades to storage andRAM—up to 256 GB and 4GB respectively-- as well as new options from theultra-low-voltage Penryn Core2’s. Bothmodels also benefitted from NVIDIA’s 320M MCP Starting at 1.4 GHz with 64 GB ofstorage and 2 GB RAM for $999, the MacBook Air slowly began to earn its place as the value leader, costing just as much as the venerable white MacBook. Even so, with so many options for this model,there was something to fit every budget.
These models are the first to carry a specific OS requirement when running Boot Camp, despite running Snow Leopard as previous models can. Windows 7 is a must, though one would be hard-pressed trying to squeeze it into a minimally configured 11” unit
Case type: Anodized aluminum unibody
Chipset: NVIDIA GeForce 320M MCP
Standard RAM: 2 GB (1792 MB usable)
Maximum RAM: 4 GB (3840 MB usable)
Pros: Still thin and light, wealth of options available,extra USB port, ports much more accessible
Cons: Options fixed at time of order, Boot Camp needs toospecific for some users
What About Sandy Bridge?
As of February 2011, Apple was one of the first manufacturers to introduce Intel’s Sandy Bridge platform to the world, ushering in the eighth and current generation of portable Macs. With this generation, quad-core, eight-thread i-Series CPU’s are a staple of the 15” and 17” high end, while dual-core ,quad-thread models still populate the lower end. Nonetheless, all models now benefit from the same new technology with none fully ahead of or behind the others.
All models also feature a breakthrough in peripheralconnectivity that combines bandwidths of both PCI Express and DisplayPort intoa bus markedly faster than any bus presently in use. Christened “Thunderbolt”, the new interface offers enormous potential with its theoretical 10 gigabit-per-second bandwidth. However, devices using Thunderbolt are only beginning to emerge on the market,thus it is still too early to offer any concrete opinion regarding thistechnology.
As these models are currently on sale (and have recentlybeen updated) at the Apple Store and Apple Authorized Resellers worldwide, to proffer any opinion of current models defeats the purpose of this, anhistorical document of Mac portable evolution.
Conclusion and Final Thoughts
To have witnessed and tracked the evolution of Apple’snotebook lines from 2006 to the present is no small feat. One could say that doing so is in fact opening a window on the history of Apple itself, for it is in Apple’s notebooks that we have seen the greatest innovations both from the company and in computing itself. From their inceptionin 2006, Apple’s Intel notebooks have evolved into some of the best and mostreliable notebooks on the market today. To be able to run Windows as well asthe Mac OS only solidifies that position.
Yet, with each stage of their evolution, the MacBook, MacBookPro and MacBook Air, while they have made significant forward progress, havehad to sacrifice features that some users find essential. Still, while the complaints roll in with each generation of notebooks, time must march on. Apple is a computer company after all, and must continually update its wares if it is to remain in its current position near the top of the industryat large.
The stark realities of Apple’s business, however, should never be used as an excuse to buy the latest and greatest hardware even if yours seems less capable than someone else’s. Holding onto older Apple hardware may actually put you at an advantage, since you may still be able to work with hardware that newer models don’tsupport. This is one of many reasons Macs tend to stick around longer than most Windows PCs.
I certainly hope you have enjoyed this look back at Apple’s Intel notebook lines. As a proudmember of the Mac community for almost eight years and a volunteer whose role connects him to computing past, I find this knowledge of the past fascinating; and yet it is vital to maintain such a background, as it can give us as users an idea of where the industry will be in the months and years to come.

Due to a copy/paste glitch, some necessary spaces have inadvertently been removed. If I could fix this, I would.

Professional Calibration for the Powerbook Pro with LED Monitor

This is what I have discovered: The new LED monitor/screen is a better technology for graphics pros because it's brighter, doesn't need to warm up like CRT and LCD, and it's more efficient. I have also discovered that the current Powerbook Pro with LED is not possible to calibrate with a spyder-type device because the computer itself doesn't allow the user to control overall R G and B levels at all...so as to achieve a prcise initial white point setup. Once RGB levels are balanced, only then can a spyder with it's assoc software continue it's recordings with precision. Other problems exist: Apparently the graphics cards in the Powerbook Pro (I have the newest machine, bought Nov 2008, with LED screen) are not able to permit any software (like Monaco Optix) from adjusting the brightness or color levels. As well, to my knowledge, there are not currently any spyders with software which offers LED as an option initially. I tried setting it to LED and LCD with my LED monitor, just to see the difference....and there was a huge one...so it's futile even to use the spyder if the software hasn't been developed with the LED screens in mind.
*What I did was this: I calibrated my LaCie electronBlueIV 22" professional monitor with the sypder...using Monaco Optix and it's XR spyder. Once that was established, I opened a photoshop sample image which has a blue sky, green pine trees, green/yellow grass, a red boat and some white snowcapped peaks. Made a duplicate of it....and placed one copy on the LaCie and the other on my powerbook's monitor just below (I'm running 2 monitors at the same time). Then I went through the "professional" mode of Apple's calibrator. Unfortunately it's not an exact science as one might think. No, you can't work it back and forth until the colors match because of certain ways in which Apple has made their calibrator function. For example, you only set the degrees kelvin at the end...which totally changes all the color levels you have done up until that point....it's complicated to explain, but if you go through it once, you will understand what I'm talking about. Anyhow, so what I did was go through it all the way.....then right before saving the profile....I would go back again (you can go backwards and forwards and it keeps the adjustments you've made already...luckily) and tweak these various adjustments...all the while...*keeping an eye on my 2 images...trying to nudge my powerbook colors/brightness/contrast as close as possible to my calibrated LaCie. Finally, I used the final adjustment (D50/5500/D65 etc....) to put some more warmth into the powerbook's monitor which seems to be much too cold if you only use the calibrator and have no other monitor for reference. I set mine around 5,200......when normally I would be at 5,500 with any other monitor.
It seems I did get my LED monitor pretty close to the values of my calibrated LaCie....as close as I could visually...considering, to my knowledge, there is no current device/software that will calibrate this LED monitor. We're waiting!!
*Just a friendly note to Apple*
Dear Apple,
For years you are aware that it is the creative professionals (photographers, graphic designers, visual artists, printers, architects, etc...) who have been the loyal backbone of your small market share. We have been the ones investing and reinvesting in Apple computers and peripherals since the beginning...before the ipod and the iphone when all of the other yahoos jumped onboard. Also please understand...we love the new generation of powerbooks but we're tired of having to drag around an extra monitor to insure correct colors for printing/color-matching. I'm a professional photographer who is always traveling internationally...and away from my calibrated monitor in my office. Yet, many times I have to retouch on the go and get the images to my clients..and it's just not possible to work on a calibrated monitor at these moments. Yet my work is precise work and the color values are critical to my clients in the world of fashion and beauty.
Realizing this point.....knowing your core clients are concerned with critical color values....why is it that you continue to create portables with absolutely no precise color controls?!!!!!!!! Would it be so difficult to add a utility which allows the user to digitally control RGB levels, contrast, and brightness (withe their associated numeric levels, (for example: brightness=78.3%.) As well, your own calibration assistant..."professional" mode??? HARDLY. Why not build onto this model with another mode...let's call it "super professional" mode (lol) which allows us to access overall RG&B....as well as brightness and even contrast???
That's what I know at this stage. If anyone has any advice which adds to what I have said, or maybe someone can educate me with a more accurate way to calibrate my monitor....I'm all ears...and I'm sure I'm not alone in this quagmire.
S,
Lawrence

I've had the same concerns about the lack of any monitor controls (unless there's something I'm missing), but afraid I don't have any answers myself yet. Just wanted to ask do you mean "Powerbook Pro" or are you talking about a MacbookPro?

4th generation ipod nano not working

All of the sudden my 4th generation, 8GB ipod nano isn't working. I had a 2004 G4 aluminum Powerbook that started to go so I bought a refurbished Macbook Pro a couple weeks ago. On my Powerbook, the screen all of the sudden went dark. I researched what might be the cause and found it to possibly be the inverter board. I bought the part and installed it to no avail. Which probably means it's the mother board... which is why I bought the new Macbook. Before the screen went dark, my left USB port and audio in was having problems (probably the mother board dying). I would always charge my ipod from that left USB port. Could this be why now it's acting up and not even recognizing it on my old Powerbook and new Macbook? When I plug it into either computer, the apple start up screen shows, then it shows the "Low Battery" screen, then it briefly shows my playlist, movies, etc. screen... and then goes back to the apple start up screen, and filters through this process as I keep it plugged in. I'm assuming the worst but hopefully there's a solution and I won't have to now buy a new ipod Thanks for any help that anyone can provide.

Anyone ever had this problem before?

IPod not recognised by Powerbook after iTunes 7.5 upgrade

I have just upgraded to iTunes 7.5, and am running OSX 10.3.9.
My iPod Nano (last generation), since the iTunes upgrade, is no longer recognised by my Powerbook, let alone iTunes.
Could this be due to the iTunes 7.5 upgrade? Can anyone recommend what to do?
Thank you very much, tom

First off, you're posting in the Windows forum ;p
Second, have you tried testing the iPod in a new user (if you don't already have another os x account, create one). If it works in the new user, you know there's something funky going on in your account. If it doesn't, it's something system-wide. Try that and let us know what happens.

ITunes Video not compatible with 5th generation 60GB video iPod

I downloaded several videos from the iTunes store to my Mac G4 1.67 powerbook. When updating my iPod, I received a message that some of the videos, really only one, was not downloaded to the iPod because the format was not compatible with my new 5th generation iPod. It seems to play fine on my G4. How can there be a compatibility problem with at video purchased from iTunes and downloaded to a Mac and transferred to a 5th generation iPod ? Anyone have any suggestions ? Thanks.

Thank you, lllaass. Of course, an apple user remarks to this fact in their review. Are all courses going to have reviews attached? Why do I have to read reviews on courses to get this information? Who is writing the review? It's not an apple official. How reliable is information in reviews? I've read reviews that have incorrect information. Why not put the fact that a course is incompatible with iPod right in the course description. It would save a lot of time and wasted bandwidth. Why was the book allowed to be downloaded onto an unsupported device?

3rd Generation iPod is not recognized in iTunes or Finder with FireWire

My refurbished 3rd generation 30 GB (used the battery replacement plan) all of a sudden is not recognizable in either iTunes of the Finder when connected to a FireWire port, which it has done many times. However when I connect it with a USB connection it is recognized, but when I go to restore the software, I’m told I need a FireWire connection by the warning windows from iTunes.
Any suggestions?
Looking at the postings, it appears that other iPod users are having the same problem.
Hank Kearns

Strange. Both of my Macs are PowerPC Macs running 10.4.10. My Third Generation iPod works fine. The only problem is that when charging it from the wall using the iPod Power Adapter it won't charge to 100 percent. Even after syncing it up directly to either my '17 iMac G5 1.8 GHz or '12 PowerBook G4 1.5 GHz it won't charge all the way. The Knowledge Base Articles I've read seem to indicate that in rare cases the iPod's logic board or Hold Switch may need to be replaced. So far I've replaced the 10 GB hard drive that died with a 20 GB hard drive, replaced the Hold Switch & replaced the Lithium Ion rechargeable battery. I think in my case the iPod logic board may need to be replaced. I originally bought mine refurbished & replacing the iPod costs about $299 according to Apple. Replacing the logic board only costs $65 though if you Google iPod with Dock Connector parts. The link shows up in one of the ads in the right pane of the search results. I really think Apple should recall the Third Generation iPods with defective logic boards. The least they could do is offer a logic board replacement program like they do for Macs.

A few questions on my "new" PowerBook G4 12" 1.5GHz

Bought a very nice PowerBook G4 on eBay last week and want to update it a bit. The seller only used it about 2.75 years. It came with all of the books (including Apple decals!), install disc and two different display adapters for $130! The seller didn't pack the PB with enough packing and the power adapter hit the side and bent the medal above the optical drive slot a bit. I certainly was not a happy camper when I saw that! She refunded me $15 on the dent. Thank goodness the PB works! Played a DVD and it works. The hard drive doesn't make any noise, thank goodness! From what I've seen on eBay, it looks like these aluminum PowerBooks can get bent or dented if one isn't very careful.
It's got a Toshiba MK8026GAX 80GB HD and CD/DVD burner (SuperDrive?). The model is PowerBook6, 8. It's got Tiger on it and I want to upgrade to Leopard (just got a retail full install of Leopard on eBay recently for it).
Have seen old posts on here about different brands of RAM to upgrade the 512MB to 1.25GB. What brand is still recommended for this PowerBook in 2013? Crucial or OWC or?? Crucial wants about $65 for 1GB and OWC wants about $32. I'd like to use OWC since it's cheaper if it would be ok.
The PB came with a 45W power adapter without the AC cord. Found an Apple KB HT1565 (dated 8/30/2012) that says my PB should have a 65W adapter. Found a brand new in the box 65W on eBay today for $18!
Would like to have wireless Internet to use the PB in the basement. Currently I have wired Internet for my Mac Mini and Internet TV box. Was thinking about getting an Airport Extreme base station to plug in one of the Ethernet cables and then hopefully could get Internet in the basement. My house is 83 years old, so don't know if that would cause any problems. The Airport Extreme Firmware version is 402.6 (3.90.34.0p13). Which generation of Airport Extreme base station can I use? All of this wireless stuff is confusing to me. I wouldn't be creating a network or anything fancy.
What brand of wireless mouse would you recommend? Don't care for the trackpad and am currently using a Dell wired mouse I have, but it doesn't want to scroll.
Thanks very much for your time.
silverado93

My old PowerBook G4 was very happy on Leopard.
I nearly always order RAM from OWC for my family and friends, but because OWC is not always the least expensive, I also trust Crucial and Transintl.com which I have ordered from in the past.
silverado93 wrote:
Would like to have wireless Internet to use the PB in the basement. Currently I have wired Internet for my Mac Mini and Internet TV box. Was thinking about getting an Airport Extreme base station to plug in one of the Ethernet cables and then hopefully could get Internet in the basement. My house is 83 years old, so don't know if that would cause any problems. The Airport Extreme Firmware version is 402.6 (3.90.34.0p13). Which generation of Airport Extreme base station can I use?
Probably any. I think your PowerBook supports 802.11b/g. While the wireless world is moving on to 802.11n, 802.11g is widely available and any wireless router that supports that or 802.11b will work with your PowerBook. If you had a very recent Airport base station, it will have an option to be set for 802.11n only or 802.11n, b, and g so you would only have to make sure you set it to the latter for backwards compatibility.
The very first AirPort base station supported 802.11b, so your PowerBook would even work with that, but that's going back so far you don't want one that old.
silverado93 wrote:
What brand of wireless mouse would you recommend? Don't care for the trackpad and am currently using a Dell wired mouse I have, but it doesn't want to scroll.
I use a Microsoft Bluetooth Notebook Mouse 5000 and I love it. Not sure if the driver supports Leopard on a G4, but you can use the mouse well enough without the driver. It can be found much cheaper than the Microsoft link I posted there.

Performance Degradtion on PowerBook G4-133 (1.2G RAM Tiger)

It just runs slower, and slower until I finally have to reboot - Maybe Memory Leaks?
I have recently tried to breathe some new life into my somewhat neglected
PB-G4 133 by giving it an additional 1G of RAM, and a new 120G Hitachi HD.
I'm using Tiger since it came pre-installed on the Hitachi when I had that drive
installed, but previously the G4 had Panther. I also have Ubuntu Linux 8.05 installed on a external 250G FireLite. Ubuntu seems to run faster than Tiger,
but it runs hot and the fan goes full blast so I am a little worried about overheating and limit the uptime. This is a nice compact combination to take
on the road. The performance is OK when I first boot up, but as I fire up
more applications (iPhoto, LightRoom, Camino, Adium) the slower things get. Shutting down applications brings a marginal improvement in overall speed and responsiveness of the desktop. I have come into the Apple fold from the Linux world so I'm using tools like vm_stat, top, and iostat, whose cousins exist in linux, to track things down.
I also have an iBook G4 (1G RAM) which runs Open SUSE 10. This machine can run
for 6 months or more at a time with no performance degradation. My first generation MacBook (1G RAM and Tiger) runs faster than the PB, but it's just enough heavier that it usually gets left at home in favor or the smaller PowerBook.
I'm wondering if my PowerBook apps have some memory leaks that eat up the
free memory, never to be released ? Or maybe there is something that I'm overlooking?
Thanks in advance for reading this long post and for any ideas you folks may have.

Welcome back to Apple Discussions!
If this is a 15" or 17" Powerbook, it might need its clock battery replaced.
If this is a 12" Powerbook it might need its power manager reset.
If the clock battery has been replaced in the last 4 years, then its PRAM might need resetting.
Note, the overheating you might be experiencing while running Linux might be damaging some chips, and/or causing the Energy Saver settings to force the processor to go at a lower speed to keep the processor cool. In Mac OS X that's Apple menu -> System Preferences -> Energy Saver.
In Linux, I don't know what that would be, but pmset is the command used for it in Mac OS X's command line.
Camino and Adium depend on internet speeds. Try using OpenDNS for your DNS numbers. I find that's usually faster than using the internet service provider supplied DNSes. Changing the MTU in your network settings can also speed your internet, and toggling the IPv6 setting on/off may affect it as well.
If you are using numerous Dashboard widgets, some of them may not be compatible with your version of Mac OS X and those can slow internet speeds down too. iStat Pro has been known to have trouble with that too. If none of those appears to be at issue, are you seeing issues with these titles in WiFi hotspots, or just at home?
iPhoto has improved performance with each new release, and an oversized photo library can slow down earlier versions of iPhoto. I don't know how Lightroom works, but it may be the same issue.
Make sure your hard disk is not in excess of 85% full. This arbitrary number has been found to slow Mac OS X down.
If you still can't explain the slowdown, tell us when you've backed up your data at least twice, and tell us what you've tried so far?

PowerBook G4 Install Issue - Still waiting for root device

Hello Everyone and thank you for reading this post.
I have a last generation PowerBook G4 which I wanted to give to a family member since I've upgraded to a newer MacBook Pro.
I started by wiping the hard drive on the PB (in Target Disk Mode) using the Disk Utility application on the MBP using a FireWire 400 <-> FireWire 800 cable.
I verified and repaired the PB HD, no issues found... but that's when things started going bad. I'm unable to boot from the Tiger Install DVD when I restart the PB (holding down C). I get as far as selecting the language, at which point the mouse/trackpad work for a second before freezing up. I'm not able to select a language and that's as far as it goes.
I've also reset the ram and pram (ald+cmd+r+p) with no luck
My latest attempt has been to use the MBP's Disk Utility to partition the HD on the PB (over FireWire) and I also created a Image of the Tiger Install DVD on my MBP. I used the Disk Utility option "scan image for restore" and it checked out ok.
After successfully creating 2 partitions on the PB HD and using Disk Utility to Restore the Tiger Install DVD image to the smaller partition (10GB), I booted the PB holding the Alt key. As expected it found the Tiger Install DVD image on the HD, I clicked the arrow to continue.
At that point the grey screen with the apple logo appears and after a while it changes to a "forbidden" sign. Not getting much information from that I rebooted in Verbose mode (Cmd+V) to see what was going on. The attached image is what I see, unfortunately I don't know much about what it is telling me.
Lastly, I thought the RAM might have gone bad and so I removed one of the 2 ram sticks with no luck. I haven't tried the other RAM stick on it's own yet.
I know this community is full of smart people that might have some suggestion as to what is going on. Here is hoping someone has an idea to help me along.
Cheers

Hello Dalstott;
Thanks for your suggestion and apologies for my late reply. You're right, I hadn't been paying attention to the partition scheme.
I repartitoned the hard drive (this time watching out for the partition scheme) and tried again, however I'm not out of the woods yet.
With both partitions properly formatted, I restored to the Tiger install DVD image on the smaller one and booted from it.
I booted in Cmd+V mode to see what was going on and it seemed to be doing ok, then the screen switched from the verbose output over to the language selection (beginning of the operating system install). However it will get stuck there within a few seconds. The mouse is initially responsive, but after 3-5 seconds the cursor (and keyboard inputs) freeze.
I've tried now a couple of times to click through as many menus as possible before the keyboard/mouse inputs freeze. Sometimes, I get as far as selecting the hardrive to install the operating system on before the clock runs out.
Any idea whould could be going on? Could this be a RAM issue?
Thanks for your advice.

10.4.6 update issues with Powerbook G4

I have witnessed an error resulting from the 10.4.6 software update on two independent computers, and am stumped as to why I can't find any other references to it.
When I first installed the update (about a week or two after release), my computer's restart looked a bit odd: My wallpaper came up, along with the Spotlight icon in the upper right corner. The bar cut off after the icon, with the wallpaper behind it (as opposed to a blank bar). The screen remained frozen like this for a few minutes, before the OS finally came up looking normal. After that, the computer was not running so hot, so I ran disc utility, which seems to have helped a little, but not much.
Programs that once ran stable—text edit, safari, etc.—will freeze for no reason. When I try to force quit, the little "program running" triangle remains on the dock. If I pull up the "force quit" dialogue box rather than ctrl-clicking on the dock icon, it disappears from that boxes program list, but remains on the dock. My external harddrive, which I also repaired, isn't always recognized when plugged in, especially after the computer freezes and I have to restart.
I recently saw the similar problem arise in a Powerbook that is unrelated to mine—and more than a year newer than mine, from the last generation of G4 Powerbooks. The main difference is that after the installation of 10.4.6, this Powerbook had to go to to a repair shop and its owner had to pay $60 bucks (software problems aren't covered under Apple's lovely warranty) startup her computer, which now runs smoothly. When the computer powered on, the same wall-paper-and-spotlight-corner screen from my first restart appeared. I suspect that she might have given up and powered off too quickly after restarting, and somehow made the hang-up permanent.
The only bug description mildly close I have found to this issue is here:
http://www.macfixitforums.com/php/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=tiger&Number=759499&pa ge=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=31&fpart=1
The only similarity is that I use an external harddrive to hold most of my music. However, I haven't really made any major file moves, which is the main focus of this post. The PB that was repaired had been connected to my external harddrive, but several months before the 10.4.6 install (the computer was two time zones away when the error popped up.
Illegal names in the catalog file seem to be what disc utility said it was repairing on all three discs.
Any guesses as to what's wrong and/or recommendations on how to fix this myself would be appreciated. And did I do a bad job of searching, or am I just in contact with the only two computers that encountered this?
Thanks!

Hi Jeremy,
You may be able to repair this with the 10.4.6 Stand Alone Combo Updater.
This is a fuller install, as opposed to an incremental "delta" update so it should overwrite any files that are damaged or missing. It does not matter if you have applied it before. It has worked well for many.
Remember to Verify Disk before update and repair permissions before and after update from /applications/utilities/disk utility.
Additionally, if you are you running any Adobe CS 2 applications, there is a bug in the Adobe "Legal" folders (Photoshop) anyway that generates an "illegal name" error. If you're running CS 2, trash the legal folders in each application, including Adobe Bridge. Then run disk repair again, until it reports no errors.
-mj
[email protected]

Powerbook 4 Generation

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