Upgrading my iBook G4

Dear all,
I have had this iBook for five years (bought it new) and has been working flawlessly since. Last year I bought an iMac which functions as my main computer. Still I would like to upgrade my iBook G4 as far as possible.
For you info I am giving its full specs:
iBook G4, late 2004/mid-2005, 14.1 inch display, 1.33 GHz PowerPC G4, 1.25 GB RAM, Mac OS X 10.5.8, Hard Drive 60 GB.
Now I wonder if I could increase its RAM even further or that's really the maximum. Also, is there anyway I can raise the speed and space of the hard drive? How complicated is the process? Can I do it on my own? How much (on average) does it cost to make these modifications?
Thanks,
Ron

Hi Ron_9,
Ram is at it's maxium and so is OSX - good news on the hard drive you can change it a 320GB that's the biggest I've seen BUT you need a PATA not SATA drive I would say a 5400rpm would better than a 7200rpm less heat and longer battery life.
As to can you do this yourself, well yes, it took me about an 1 hr to take the machine apart and change the hard drive and CD drive, but belive me this thing is a PIG to dismantle and there are lots and lots of little screws 15 in the top heat sheild alone - still want to do it ?
Custom mini.

Similar Messages

I upgraded my iBook G4 from 384MBytes to 640Mbytes and upgraded from Tiger to Leopard. After a few weeks the HDD failed. New Leopard install reports: "insufficient memory". I need Tiger install disks so I can install

I upgraded my iBook G4 from 384MBytes to 640Mbytes and upgraded from Tiger to Leopard.
After a few weeks the HDD failed. I bought a new disk, installed it and trued to install Leopard, but the install fails reporting "insufficient memory".
I assume the installation requires more memory than the OS actually needs to be able to run.
I need Tiger install CD/DVD so I can install Tiger first and then upgrade to Leopard.

Call Apple Customer Support 1-800-767-2775, provide the Serial Number and specifications of the Mac, and for a reasonable fee, they will supply a replacement set of system discs (if available).
The discs will be for the original version of the OS that was pre-installed when the Mac was manufactured.
You need much more RAM than that.
Leopard system requirements:
http://support.apple.com/kb/SP517

I just upgraded my ibook g4 to 10.5.8, and now can't access any of my photos - Unreadable it says. Any ideas out there, on how to make the beast happy? littlebigjimmy

I just upgraded my ibook g4 to 10.5.8. Now it can't locate or display my iphotos. I'd sure appreciate any ideas on how I can make the beast happy, and get to see my pictures again.

What happens when you try?

Can I upgrade an iBook G4 from OS X 10.4.11 to OS X 10.5?

can I upgrade an iBook G4 from OS X 10.4.11 to OS X 10.5?

Yes. If it has a CPU slower than 867MHz, click here.
(60889)

How do I know whitch DVD set to purchases if I want to upgrade my iBook g4 Mac OS X 10.3.9 to

How do I know whitch DVD set to purchases if I want to upgrade my iBook g4 Mac OS X 10.3.9 to
Mac OS X 10.4

You need a retail DVD and not one which originally shipped with a Mac.
(86917)

Upgrade my iBook g4 Mac OS X 10.3.9 toMac OS X 10.6

Can I upgrade my iBook g4 Mac OS X 10.3.9 to Mac OS X 10.6 retail DVD

You have a PowerPC-based Mac, and the most recent version a PowerPC-based Mac can run is Mac OS X 10.5.8. Apple dropped PowerPC support in 10.6.
You are running Panther, and you can upgrade to Tiger or Leopard, if your Mac meets the requirements > http://support.apple.com/kb/sp517 As these versions aren't supported by Apple anymore, you will have to buy them in Internet at a high price. To be honest, it's better to get another Mac or PC

Upgrading from ibook g4 to Tiger

I recently decided to help my girlfriend upgrade her ibook g4's OS to Tiger, since she's running 10.3.9 and can't update to the newest version of iTunes. I made sure her computer met all the necessary technical requirements as per apple's website, then proceeded to buy the OS on ebay. When the disks came I noticed that they read "Macbook install disk", but since apple's website hadn't made any differentiation between a macbook and an ibook on its' requirements page I didn't think too much of it. I backed the computer up and then attempted to install the new OS. After shutting down and restarting, the normal grey apple screen came on, but after a couple seconds a large display appearead which read "Your computer needs to be restarted, etc.", and over this screen was all sorts of fragmented code, including a message saying a driver couldn't be found, blah blah blah. I figured this meant wrong type of install disk. Does anyone know if I can even find a version of this more recent OS which will work on an ibook?

Tiger install DVDs are in short supply. Tiger is no longer available at the Apple Store but may be available for $129 by calling Apple Phone Sales @ 1-800-MY-APPLE (1-800-692-7753). For other sources, do a Google search for MA453Z/A (10.4.6), MA190Z/A (10.4.3) and M9639Z/A (10.4) . Also look on eBay. Be sure & buy a retail version (black with silver X) and not a model specific version (gray) (See Can I use another Mac's system restore disc on my Mac? ). Expect to pay (possibly a lot) more than the Apple list price of $129.
Also check these web stores: http://www.lacomputercompany.com/cgi-bin/rpcart/index.cgi?command=dispitem&type= sku&sku=19521 http://www.allmac.com/shop/index.php?cPath=5_10003
Possible Alternative if you are currently using Panther 10.3 – Do a Google search for Tiger 10.4 Upgrade DVD . It will upgrade your 10.3 to 10.4, but it doesn’t contain the full retail Tiger installer. Should be cheaper than the retail Tiger install DVD.
After you install the base 10.4.x, update to the final Tiger version 10.4.11. Here's the link for the 10.4.11 combo update http://support.apple.com/kb/TA24901?viewlocale=en_US
Look at this link Mac OS X v10.4 Tiger Installing Software Support Page
http://www.apple.com/support/tiger/install/
You can also download the Tiger Installation and Setup Guide
http://manuals.info.apple.com/en/TigerInstall_SetupGuide.pdf
When you upgrade the OS, do it via Archive & Install. See About the Archive and Install feature http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1710
Be sure to select Preserve Users & Settings. Also, repair permissions before and after the install.
 Cheers, Tom

Upgradeing my ibook 4

i cant figure out how to upgrade my ibook is there anywhere i can go to find a cheap upgrade disk since this system is so obsolete

Hi, and welcome to Apple Support Communities.
Which exact iBook model is it?
You can choose from this list:
http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/ibook/index-ibook.html
Which version of the operating system is it running now?
How much RAM is installed?
What kind of optical drive does it have? (CD-ROM, CD-RW, DVD, Combo, or SuperDrive?)

Memory upgrade freezes iBook G3

Hello,
I just recently upgraded to Tiger 10.4.6 on my G3/800 mhz and the system works fine with the standard 256 RAM (128/128). However, when I installed a 512 RAM, the system would randomly freeze or just not start up at all. When I replaced the 128 stick, everything is back to normal and runs fine.
The system recognizes the 512 stick which places my total RAM at 640 MB.
Can you please expalin why this occurring.
Thank you,
Bryan

Hi, Bryan. Welcome to Apple Discussions.
It sounds like you got a bad (or incompatible) RAM
module. Ask the vendor for a replacement.
Hi,
I purchaced the 512 MB stick from MacMall.com. It's a 512MB PC100 SODIMM.
It said it was compatible for iBook/Pwrbook G3.
Before I send it back, I just wanted to make sure it was the right one.
Thank you for the for the feedback.
Bryan

I am trying to upgrade my iBook

I have an old iBook that used to have mac osx 10.2.8, but now I just downgraded to 9.1 because there was a password i couldn't get past. Now I want to upgrade back up to 10.2.8, but I can't
I tried the official cds, but the os said it isn't readable.
i put the update on my usb drive and tried that way, i got this error, ", "the application program could not be opened because an error type -39 occurred". How do I make this work? Is there anything i can download from the internet? like, if i were to use a torrent? I am using my pc now. :S
(it isn't illegal if i have the actual files)
Oh, and also, I tried booting off of the cd's, and that didn't work, is this a completely hopeless case?
Can you show me a better way of doing this?
also, can anyone direct me to a place where i can update my system software? such as the hdd, memory, and the processor. and no, i dont want to spend $100-300 to get it fixed up at the mac store, no thank you. I also want a way to record things on here, is that good?

Hi, Chessman.exe -
i put the update on my usb drive and tried that way, i got this error, ", "the application program could not be opened because an error type -39 occurred". How do I make this work?
For clarification, there is no update that will take OS 9 to any version of OSX.
OSX is a brand new breed of OS - it does not share the same roots that OS 9 has (OS 9 can trace its roots all the way back to OS 1), to the point that OS 9-native software can not be run in OSX, and vice versa.
OSX can ony be installed initially via a full-install disk set of some base version (base version = OSX 10.1, 10.2, 10.3, etc.), which boot the machine to OSX (since the OSX installer is an OSX-native program, it can not run in OS 9); upgrades to that base version can be downloaded and run while the machine is booted to that OSX version. For example, an upgrade to OSX 10.2.8 could be installed on top of an earlier version of OSX 10.2, but not on top of OSX 10.1.
Re the type -39 error -
That error is most commonly caused by Stuffit Expander intruding where it should not. The download is in a .smi (self-mounting image) or equivalent format, a format generated by Apple's Disk Copy. Stuffit Expander has ShrinkWrap technology built-in, which allows it to mount some kinds of disk images - but not those created by Apple for download upgrades/updates to Apple software. Yet ShrinkWrap tries to - hence the error message.
The solution - double-click Stuffit Expander, and open its Preferences (under the File menu). Select "Disk Images" from the list on the left, then turn off (uncheck) "Mount Disk Images". Quit Stuffit Expander.
Unfortunately, if the item in question is an upgrade for OSX, it will not be usable when the machine is booted to OS 9, nor for that matter when the machine is booted to any version of OSX not supported for that specific upgrade version - the OSX download upgrades are very specific as to what version(s) of OSX they can update. The download pages on Apple's website for each OSX download update describe the applicability of each download available.

How can I upgrade my iBook G4?

I have an old iBook G4 with Mac OS X 10.2.8 ... what do I need to download to bring it the most current I can? And how can I upgrade to the latest OS version (whatever it is)?
I would prefer to download as many of the free updates as I can, before I begin buying a bunch of upgrade packs. I tried to do system updates in the system preferences, but it keeps closing on me saying the program "unexpectedly quit". So I can't seem to upgrade anything that way.
Also, I do NOT have the original system disk, but I do have the admin password.
What do I need to do to bring this laptop current - or at least as current as this machine can be?

Hi rsottney!
"So do I need to get 10.3 upgrade before I get 10.4, or can I just go straight from .2 to .4?"
Not if your Mac meets the Tiger System Requirements.
"I tried to do system updates in the system preferences, but it keeps closing on me saying the program "unexpectedly quit"."
You must resolve this issue before upgrading to a newer version of OS X.
Upgrading a problematic system, will only compound the situation.
"...I do NOT have the original system disk,..."
Without those discs, correcting the problem could be difficult.
But you could try running FSCK, as instructed in this KB Article ...perform disk maintenance with ... fsck.
Also navigate to HD Users > The Admin Account > Library > Preferences:
In there, locate the file com.apple.SoftwareUpdate.plist, and move it to the Trash.
Run Repair Permissions.
TO REPAIR PERMISSIONS ON THE STARTUP DISK
1.Open Disk Utility, located in Applications/Utilities, and select the startup disk in the left column.
2.Click First Aid.
3.Click Verify Disk Permissions to test permissions or Repair Disk Permissions to test and repair permissions. (I never "Verify". Just run "Repair".)
Rerun RP, until the only messages reported, are listed here Spurious Permissions Errors Using: 10.2.x, authored by Michael Conniff.
When "Repair Permissions" is complete. Quit "Disk Utility".
If you purchase a set of install discs, for a newer version of OS X, you could also perform an Erase & Install of the new system.
But if you do not have a backup, you will lose all data.
Mac OS X Versions 10.1, 10.2, 10.3, and 10.4, are complete system upgrades that must be purchased.
Once an OS has been installed, the point upgrades, such as 10.1.x to 10.1.5 (Final) 10.2.x to 10.2.8 (Final), 10.3.x to 10.3.9 (Final), and 10.4.x to 10.4.10 (Pending), can be downloaded for free.
Tiger is available for purchase at The Apple Store (U.S.).
Panther, is no longer available directly from the Apple Online Store, as Tiger 10.4.x is the most up to date OS.
If you know what to look for, a Full Retail Version, of the Panther Install CDs, or a Full Retail Version, of the Tiger Install DVD, can also be purchased rather inexpensively, at some online Apple retailers, Amazon, eBay, FastMac, HardCore Mac, etc.
Be sure not to purchase grey, upgrade or machine specific CDs or DVDs.
Jaguar and Panther are only on CDs, not DVDs.
The discs should look exactly like the images in the above links, and not say Upgrade, CPU Drop-in DVD, or "This software is part of a hardware bundle purchase - not to be sold seperately." on them.
Additional info in these links.
Using OS X Install CDs/DVDs On Multiple Macs
What's A Computer Specific Mac OS X Release
Software Update, Upgrade: What's The Difference?
Caveat Emptor! Examine these items very carefully, and if in doubt, ask questions of the seller before purchase!
Panther On eBay
Tiger On eBay
Also check to see if your Mac model, is listed in this KB Article OS X Must Be Installed On First -8GB Partition.
Once Panther 10.3.x is installed, you can use the 10.3.9 Combo Update, to upgrade to the final version.
If your Mac meets the Tiger System Requirements, you could also consider installing that, and then use the PPC 10.4.10 Combo Update, to upgrade to the current version.
Review these Apple documents for Panther System Requirements,
and Additional Panther System Requirements.
Additionally, Tiger 10.4.x ships on a DVD, so if your Mac doesn’t have a built-in DVD-ROM player, you will have to use an alternative method of installation.
Info here Installing Tiger Without A DVD Drive.
The Tiger Media Exchange Program, referred to in that article, is no longer available.
Shop Carefully, Examine All Documentation, And I Wish You Success!
ali b

Keyboard upgrade for iBooks????

I have a G4 iBook and want to upgrade to a powerbook backlite keyboard or a smoke grey or black keyboard (for the TI powerbooks) is this possible, is it just a simple swap? ant info would be good...
Thanks

The 12' PowerBook an all iBooks are supposed to be cheap or "budget" portables. To keep this possible Apple probably decided it would be less cost effective to put a backlit keyboard in these models. And left it out to keep the price down. If you want you could try putting in your own fibre-optics. It would be a challenge and would void the warranty. But hey what fun...

Tried to upgrade a IBook G4 to FireFox 4.0 and could not make it work, is 4.0 not supported on this older machine?

Per instructions I tried to upgrade to FireFox 4.0 on my older iBook G4 and would not open. The FireFox logo had a white circle imposed on it. I was really stuck with the older version gone, and the newer one would not work. I managed to copy an older version of FireFox from another machine. Funny thing is that after loading the copy, I was still asked to upgrade to 4.0. All of this was very frustrating.

Firefox 4 requires at least OS X 10.5 and an Intel Mac. There is a third party version of Firefox 4 that runs on OS X 10.4/10.5 and PPC Macs, for details see http://www.floodgap.com/software/tenfourfox
The latest official version to run on OS X 10.4 is Firefox 3.6.16 available from http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/all-older.html
Mozilla are working to prevent Mac users with non-compatible systems from getting the notification about Firefox 4, and also not displaying the "Download Firefox 4" button on http://www.mozilla.com

Recommendations for upgrade of iBook G4

Dear Fellow Mac Users,
I have an old mac that works pretty well but I am thinking of upgrading some of the hardware to keep up with the new software upgrades from mac. Here are the specs:
Model: iBook G4
OS: Mac OS X Ver. 10.4.11
Processor: 1.2 Ghz PowerPC G4
Memory: 256 MB Built-in
I am looking forward for your generous expert advice to also upgrade my mac user experience.
Thanks!
HappYFrancis

carron wrote:
I also have an iBook G4, running OS 10.4.11, with 800 MHz PowerPC G4 processor, and the original 256MB DDR SDRAM memory. I've already upgraded the operating system once, and I'm wondering if it's really worth my while to upgrade (fill empty memory slot w/640MB max. vs. 1.25 GB per recommendations in this post??) hardware and software again. Can I? Should I? Or, am I better off going to a new computer at this point? I'm curious to the opinions of similar users trying to stretch the use of their computer. I've had this one 5 years, and enjoyed the small sized laptop immensely. But, I am getting frustrated with the slowness of it all. The hard drive had reached maximum capacity, so I moved photos and music to an external hard drive. But I don't think it helped with anything speed-wise, even securely emptying trash. Any other suggestions? I'm also having frequent trouble with Safari locking up and watching video in Safari - runs really slow. Thanks in advance for sharing your input!
Your machine apparently comes with 128 MB permanently soldered onto the main board. The standard configuration was apparently a 128 MB module pre-installed for 256 MB total. Apple officially declared that it would max out at 640 MB, although unofficially it can handle a 1 GB module for a total of 1152 MB (1-1/8 GB).
http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/ibook/stats/ibookg4_80012.html
The following upgrade should work. I personally have one of these for my iBook G4 1.42:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145068
Your machine won't load Leopard without some sort of third-party hack. The retail copy of Leopard would just refuse to upgrade on your machine. It requires that the machine be at least a G4 running at 867 MHz.
Running any kind of high-def video is a no go. Even with my iBook G4 1.42 maxed with memory, it massively drops frames with high-def video. It noticeably slows down when running several embedded web page Java or Flash apps. The PowerPC G4 processor was dated a long, long time ago. The switch to dual-core Intel processors was the best thing Apple did for the usability of their portable computing, since it was clear that IBM was never going to be able to produce a G5 processor suitable for portable computing. I mean - the initial Power Mac G5 desktops ran so hot and used so much power that they had to be liquid cooled.
I wouldn't say that you need to get rid of it, but if you can afford it, maybe a new or even used MacBook would make many of those performance problems go away. The new white MacBook is a killer deal at $999, and it would be cheap and easy to upgrade the hard drive.

Upgrading from iBook

Hello,
This may sound like an absurd question, however...
I am a iBook G3 user (June 2003 model) with 640 mb of ram, 40 gb hard drive and the 900mhz chip. Although I have maxed out my performance by installing the latest OS X version, I am wondering how fast my system is compared to newer notebooks.
I am considering upgrading to either the MacBook pro 15 inch or the last manufactured Powerbook G4 15 in. model released earlier this year, which is still available in very limited supplies.
How does my iBook model compare to the newest available Apple notebooks in terms of performance and general ability? I run memory intensive programs like Photoshop CS, Microsoft Office 2004, and iMovie 4. Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks,
christian a.

Just to add to the others' comments....
My last notebook was a 12" PowerBook G4 (867MHz, 1.12GB RAM, but no L2 cache) and I'm still thrilled with the speed boost I'm seeing on my MacBook Pro. So I would expect that you'd see similar or even more improvement.
I also use Photoshop CS, and it's the same or very slightly faster on my MacBook Pro than on my 12" PowerBook. (Some of the slight improvement would likely be from more free hard drive space, more RAM, and L2 cache.) So again, I would expect your experience to be the same or, very likely, you'd see a more significant speed improvement. (Since Photoshop runs under Rosetta, you probably won't see the dramatic speed boosts that you'll see in Universal programs.)
To get as much out of it as you can, especially for work with Photoshop and other memory-intensive applications, consider getting 2GB of RAM right away if you can. You'll enjoy the elbow room - I know I do.
I also considered getting a refurbished PowerBook instead of the MacBook Pro, and the prices and deals being offered now are tempting. But I finally decided that I'd prefer getting the most current Mac that I can, to at least stay with current technology for a little while.

Upgrading my iBook G4

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for