Upgrading Powerbook G4 1.67ghz

How much hardrive will my laptop take? I baught it second hand and want to upgrade from the 80g hd but don't know how big I can go. I have searched and can't find a definate answer. Also, I just switched from pc to mac because I was told it is the way to go for design. I am learning Web design and php scripting. Any suggestions on mac programs? What is a good php editor for mac?

Evolv72:
I don't think of it as an either/or question. If your internal HDD is sufficient for needs at the present time, you don't need to upgrade immediately. The rule of thumb is that you should have 10% - 15% of available space on your HDD. My rule is 20% of free space. OS X needs space for virtual memory, temporary caches etc. A too full disk runs the risk of directory problems which can result in data loss and eventually a HDD crash. So long as you are in the safe range, you don't need to upgrade your HDD immediately.
A firewire external HDD on the other hand, is the best backup solution for most ordinary users. The HDD can be partitioned so that one partition is approximately the size of the internal HDD for backups. Other partitions can be used for archiving stuff no longer needed on the internal HDD, or as a workshop for web design, making movies or videos or whatever. The finished products can then be burned to DVDs or stored in a permanent location on another partition.
On the partition reserved for backing up the internal HDD you can use SuperDuper to make a bootable clone of the internal HDD. And if your copy of SD is registered ($28), you can do SmartUpdates which take a lot less time. You can use this partition as an emergency startup drive. I use mine to run maintenance, diagnostics, and repairs on the internal. I can boot from this partition and run Repair Disk, Disk Warrior or whatever, on the internal HDD, to keep it well-oiled and running smoothly. Dr. Smoke's FAQ Backup and Recovery has lots of good ideas and sound advice. He prefers Retrospect for backups, which I find difficult and intrusive. I prefer SuperDuper, previously linked. Here is a list of available external firewire HDDs from OWC. You may be able to get them elsewhere at better prices. However, be sure it has the more reliable Oxford 911+ chipset, and at least an 8 MB buffer.
In due course, if you outgrow your limited internal HDD, it will be time to look for a larger one.
If I missed anything, just give a holler.
Good luck.
cornelius

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How to upgrade PowerBook G4 1.67Ghz to 10.5.8?

So I just bought the last PowerBook model made, the awesome 1.67Ghz with 128mb vram, bluetooth, airport extreme, ect. I bought it for $75 and when I got it OS 10.5.1 was installed. I decided to update it to the latest version of leopard. When I try installing through the upater, it just freezes right away. Then I tried downloading it not through the updater and installing it that way, but that didn't work either. It got stuck at the same screen. So I am wondering what I have to do to get this thing running 10.5.8??? I have heard this is a common problem with this model. Should I install an earlier update like 10.5.6 and then try going to 10.5.8? Also, the laptop will freeze up often. It stays cool with the fan I bought for it, yet it still does it. Should I run disk utility to check the HDD? Other than that the machine is in pretty good condition. Just put 2GB of ram in it! Help is appreciated!

The Combo update for Leopard 10.5.8 should be all you'd need to update
an OS X 10.5.x from any step to the last update step; as that had been
a consolidated Combo to include earlier fixes & patches. Then, after a
Combo update, restart, repair disk permissions in Disk Utility, than then
run Software Update again.
Two things, one is: compatible quality RAM tested on Mac computers
and specificially for Macs running OS X. Secondly: hard disk drive free
or unused capacity, since OS X in a PowerPC relies on Virtual memory
that's free space used as swap file temporary read-write system memory.
Sometimes, the applications + OS X need more RAM than is physically
possible to install; and it may not use what it has efficiently.
•Problems from insufficient RAM & free HDD space:
http://www.thexlab.com/faqs/lackofram.html
•Freeing space on your Mac OS X startup disk:
http://www.thexlab.com/faqs/freeingspace.html
This is slow enough, so if the hard drive has little free space and not
necessarily in a large block, the OS X has to hunt and find the scattered
places it can use to write temporary VM files to. At hard drive rates of
speed, so that is also slow.
•Mac Performance guide - thesafemac:
http://www.thesafemac.com/mpg/
•The X Lab: X-FAQs:
http://www.thexlab.com/faqs/faqs.html
Do you have an externally enclosed hard drive in FW400/800 case, with
its own power supply? With oxford-type chipset... suitable for OS X clones?
You could clone the system to an external, if you may want whatever is on it,
then be sure it is a bootable clone by starting up the Mac from it; then go in
and erase/install (over-write drive at least 7-pass) to test the HDD and see if
it really should not be replaced with a new one. HDDs fail after a shorter time
span in a portable, than a desktop. Yet new models can fail in short order.
If temped to try an SSD, see what OWC has in the way of Legacy SSDs for
older portables, as they are most compatible with the hard drive data rate
and the ATA/IDE (PATA) specification. Certain rules tend to apply to using
a solid state drive, instead of a platter & styli hard disk drive.
Hopefully if you have the original grey-label install-restore disc DVD set,
you could run the Apple Hardware Test on the bootable disc, to see if
there is any hardware reason why it could be acting up.
Check to see if there are any "previous system" folders in the Mac,
since they can't be used to run it, but they do take up space... Trash
old previous user-created content, but not system parts, if the HDD
capacity is near too-full. See the link above about freeing space.
Checking Console (utility) for Clues:
http://www.thexlab.com/faqs/checkconsole.html
Not sure what else to say...

Powerbook G4 1.67GHz 2GB ram ... HUGE performance issues

Hardware:
17" Powerbook G4 1.67GHz with 2GB ram
System:
10.5.4 Leopard
*Ever since i upgraded to Leopard, i have noticed tremendous latency / pinwheel issues in many areas such as:*
1. Switching between running applications hangs up sometimes as long as 15 seconds
2. Video playback in quicktime is choppy
3. Various programs take a tremendous amount of time to open
4. Opening relatively small illustrator and or photoshop files pinwheels for unusually long time
5. Opening finder windows unusually slow
One of the MOST frustrating of all issues:
6. Powerbook heats up rather quickly... gets very hot and the fans have NEVER come on... VERY frustrating, since i would have no problem with noise if it meant better performance...
_*Overall, the entire computer feels VERY sluggish*_
i have tried clean installs, as well as regular maintenance... and upgraded my RAM to the max of 2GB
Is there anything else i can do? Anyone else having similar problems and or know the best way to repair?
DESPERATE for a solution here... while i realize the G4 can only handle so much, i just feel like it cant possibly be this slow under leopard... or can it?!
*ANY HELP AT ALL greatly appreciated...*
Best,
Mike
+Mac user since 1989+

Hi,
Just to chime in, I am running a PB G4 1.67, and I am running Leopard (10.5.4) on it just fine. In fact, I am *more than* pleased with the fantastic performance. I am a very very heavy user (enterprise software developer permanently running 101 things simultaneously on his machine) and I have no problems.
First of all, try to figure out what is chomping performance. Is it CPU? Fire up activity monitor, go to the CPU tab, list "all processes" and order by CPU usage. See if a process is swamping your CPU. Until I let it run overnight to index my 250Gb drive, the Spotlight indexing engine (mds) was eating all my CPU. Thereafter, it's fine. Or you can disable it.
So yeah - let's first figure out what is causing your CPU to over-work (and hence, your machine in general to heat up, they do get hot, especially in hot climates) and work from there. No reason to suspect hardware failure yet...

Upgrading powerbook G4 15"

gurus,
hi! it's my very first post and also my first time using apple powerbook G4 15". i'm a newbie so pls bear with me.
I wanted to upgrade but i have no idea where to start. Below is the complete specification of my powerbook G4.
Powerbook G4 15"
Mac OS X Version 10.5.4
1.67Ghz Power PC G4
512MB DDR SDRAM
Should i upgrade the memory first or the OS or hard drive i really don't know the answer. i am only using it for personal use particularly facebook, yahoo etc.
What is recommended latest OS since i currently using OS X Version 10.5.4?
Excuse my tons of question. Anticipating your advice.
Thanks in advance.

You can update your operating system at no cost to version 10.5.8, which would give you all the security and other small updates that brought that next-to-latest major OS version to its final evolution.
There are no longer any 7200RPM hard drives in production that would work in your Powerbook — the last of them were discontinued two or three years ago, and when new ones are found on back shelves now, they are offered for sale at outlandish prices not justified in any way by their performance. None was ever larger than 100GB, which may be the same size you have in your Powerbook now (1.67GHz Powerbooks were shipped with 80GB, 100GB and 120GB drives). So installing a 160GB, 250GB or 320GB 5400RPM drive would be an upgrade for you, but only in terms of its capacity. It would not perceptibly improve performance.
Adding RAM is the only upgrade that would improve your PB's performance significantly.

What is the correct part number for the LCD inverter board for an A1138 15" powerBook G4 ( 1.67GHz superdrive/ Hi-res)?

What is the correct part number for the LCD inverter board for an A1138 15" PowerBook G4 ( 1.67GHz superdrive/ Hi-res model)?

Hello,
Part number 614-0305-A
Hope this helps.

Buying Opinion - Upgrade Powerbook vs MacBook Pro

I'm thinking I may try to upgrade my laptop as my main objective is to get CS4 right now but I have a friend who is selling his MacBook Pro for $900. What's your opinion as you would know better what Macs can handle? My main problem is speed especially with CS programs and I do need a new battery. I have a PowerPC G5 Dual with a large glossy screen for my most intense work that I can do from home. But I like to have a laptop that I can take on the road for working on projects. It's mostly for Photoshop/Illustrator/InDesign. So no animation or gaming purposes.
I have:
Machine Name: PowerBook G4 17"
Machine Model: PowerBook5,9
CPU Type: PowerPC G4 (1.5)
Number Of CPUs: 1
CPU Speed: 1.67 GHz
L2 Cache (per CPU): 512 KB
Memory: 512 MB
Bus Speed: 167 MHz
Boot ROM Version: 4.9.5f3
His computer:
2.16 ghz Core 2 Duo Processor
3 GB RAM (Newly upgraded)
320 GB 7200rpm HDD (Newly upgraded)
Dual Layer Superdrive (DVD and CD recorder)
15.4" 1440x900 Widescreen Glossy Display
128MB ATI x1600 Video
DVI-VGA adapter Cable
Apple Wireless Remote
Brand new battery
It includes OSX 10.6 Snow Leopard, iLife 09, and iWork 09, all part of the "Mac Box Set," so this is all legal software.
The original box, discs and documentation are all included.
The condition of the system is excellent with one minor exception - there seems to be a very slight bend in the casing underneath the expresscard slot. One of my photos shows it.
Do you think it's doable with what I have (and what could I do?) or should I go with the newer MacBook and save myself the headache? What's the main difference with the computers?
Thanks everyone!
Tiffany

Re: Buying Opinion - Upgrade Powerbook vs MacBook Pro
You can get a brand new MacBook for $999 so don't bother with the used one. For the price difference, save up and buy new MacBook Pro for $1199. Faster than Macbook. Shop around. Everyone is discounting. You might get free ram upgrades (unless you're getting free ram, buy separately and install yourself), free shipping. Try Epercom, CDW and Small Dog in addition to Apple. If you go to Apple store don't be shy about asking for a 10% business discount. I asked and got one for my imac last summer.
He's offering it at $900...does that seem like a fair price for what I'd get?

How to Upgrade PowerBook Firmware( All Hardwares )

How to Upgrade PowerBook Firmware( All Hardwares )?
Thank U in advance

If there is a firmware upgrade available for your model of PowerBook, it will appear when your run Software Update and also be listed at http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/
Then you download the installer and run it. Usually you have to do something like hold down the Command key and Power button while you're restarting.
Firmware updates don't come along very often. The last one I can remember installing was for my B&W G3. The last firmware upgrades I can see listed for a PowerBook were for the 550MHz or 667MHz G4s back in 2002.
Is there a specific reason why you're asking about firmware upgrades?

My PowerBook 17"/1.67Ghz died ...

Hello everyone,
I have purchased a new PowerBook 17"/1,67Ghz on March 2005
at an Apple Retail Store here in Germany (www.cyberport.de).
My PowerBook just died two weeks ago after I have made a clean installation of MacOS X 10.4.3. (MacOS X 10.4 installation from the DVD + Combo Updater 10.4.3). After a restart my PowerBook just died completely.
- Entire black screen
- No reactions at all on keyboard strokes and trackpad input
- The battery did no longer charge at all. Only the first
LED did blink on the battery. (Low battery). Strange even though the power adapter was pluged-in for the entire day.
- The PowerBook did not start at all without the power adapter.
- When I tried to restart my PowerBook with the power adapter pluged-in, the internal fans started to blow at full speed.
- No startup sound, only a black screen and the blowing fans running at max. speed
- No possibility to reset the PRAM
- No possibility to restart from a CD
- No power-adapter, no reactions at all
- I have noticed that my PowerBook was quite hot after I have noticed the black screen after a self-restart.
I have called the technical support at my Apple Retail Store here in Germany (www.cyberport.de). The technical support team told me that the logic-board might me damaged.
Since my one-year-garanty is still valid, I have sent my
damaged Apple !7" PowerBook back to my Apple Retail Store (www.cyberport.de).
This is two weeks ago now. I called the Apple Retail Store today. They informed me that they are still waiting for the main logic board from Apple. Last week, however, they told me that the logic board should arrive on Thuesday last week.
So, I assume this hardware failure is going to cost me another precious week.
I am wondering. Has anyone else made similar bad experiences with an Apple 17" PowerBook 1.6Ghz?
Another question I have. During the last months I have noticed a really high and annoying sizzle tone each time I have installed software on my PowerBook or copied some files over the internal LAN. Has anyone else here on this discussion board noticed similar negative side effects?
graphically & sincerely,
Marc Klein
Pixel:Industries
Apple PowerBook 17"/1.67Ghz Mac OS X (10.4.3)

Welcome to Apple Discussions!
Logic board issues are not frequent, but they do happen. Somethings you can do to prevent them I've listed on this User Tip:
http://discussions.apple.com/click.jspa?searchID=-1&messageID=607445
While it was written to address iBooks, many of the items apply to Powerbooks too. In addition many people find Powerbooks don't get their fans going off as frequently, if they let air circulate underneath. A clean dry metal cookie tray is a good way to do this. There are also many accessories you can buy to either cool by fan ventilation or just simple raising the computer on a podium. I had an iCurve though, and its rubber pads wore away. So I'd get something else if you decide to get something.

Can I put new hardware into my Powerbook g4 1.67ghz

Hi Everyone,
I have a powerbook g4 1.67ghz, its a 15 inch model. Would it be possible to open up the laptop and remove all the old hardware and put in new hardware like a intel processor so I can run modern software like osx lion.
Thanks

Hello,
This is not possible to do. Your PowerBook has a different frame to that of a MacBook pro.
The Logic Board wouldn't fit correctly and any ribbon cables to the screen would differ.
They may look simalar on the outside, but they do differ internally.
If it was possible, like Niel has said, it would be much cheaper to just buy a used MacBook pro 15"

Hard drive updrade on powerbook g4 1.67ghz (DL superdrive model...)

Hi Guys,
It's that time of year again and after successfully adding 3x250 HDDs to my PowerMac G5, I am now considering upgrading my 1.67GHz 15" PowerBook g4. (Dual Layer Superdrive model.)
I already have it maxed at 2GB of RAM.
I have the 80GB HDD in at present, and am capable of the upgrade, just what to put in is what I am struggling at.
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/132386/showproductspecifications?spectype=extended
Would that fit in and work? (2.5" ATA-100)
If not a suitable alternative please? (UK based)
Also, anything else you would recommend for this model of PowerBook? Apart from that its a sweeet machine and I run Adobe CS4 with Leopard on it quite happily.
Thanks in Advance.

Hi, Daniel. Yes, that drive would work well, and it's the only one of its size on the market. So if you want a drive larger than 160GB, your choice is made.
There have been quite a few posts in these forums from other people who have installed that drive in Powerbooks and been very satisfied with it.

Mac OS X 10.5.6 Install on PowerBook G4 1.67ghz 512MB

I just purchased Mac OS X 10.5.6 Leopard to upgrade my PowerBook G4 which until now has been running 10.4.11 Tiger with no problems.
When I completed the Leopard install, everything worked. I then upgraded to Leopard 10.5.8 and when I tried to log on with my user name and password the system says there is a problem with File Vault would I like to fix, click OK or Cancel to log on with another user name (I'm the only user). After I click OK, the system goes back to the log on screen and I'm not able to log in.
I contacted Apple this morning and while Ron was very helpful (We checked the Macintosh HD with Disk Utilities, no errors). The HD is 74.5GB and there is currently 44GB free. Apple had no solution but take it to an Apple Store and pay $$$ to fix (At that point, I'd just buy a new one, but this computer has been flawless and I really don't want to part with it).
Frustration is that I've just bought new battery and spent $157.00 on Leopard and now my computer is useless. I pray that someone has a simple fix for this. I noticed that my password is 9 characters and I thought I read something about when migrating from Tiger to Leopard, password should not be more than 8 characters.
Thanks for all of your assistance!
Todd Citron

System Upgrade and Installation Procedure
Basic Caveats
1. Disconnect all peripherals except the original mouse and keyboard.
2. Quit all applications if this is not an installation from an Installer DVD.
3. The installation process should not be interrupted. If a power outage or other interruption occurs during installation you may have to erase the hard drive and reinstall from scratch.
4. Once the installation begins do not use the computer in any way except to reply to dialog prompts or to restart when the installation is completed. This is especially critical during the installation stage known as "Optimizing the System."
System Update Procedure
A. Repair hard drive and permissions.
Repairing the Hard Drive and Permissions
Boot from your OS X Installer disc. After the installer loads select your language and click on the Continue button. When the menu bar appears select Disk Utility from the Installer menu (Utilities menu for Tiger or Leopard.) After DU loads select your OS X volume from the list on the left, click on the First Aid tab, then click on the Repair Disk button. If DU reports any errors that have been fixed, then re-run Repair Disk until no errors are reported. If no errors are reported click on the Repair Permissions button. Wait until the operation completes, then quit DU and return to the installer. Now restart normally.
If DU reports errors it cannot fix, then you will need Disk Warrior (4.1 for Leopard) and/or TechTool Pro (4.6.2 for Leopard) to repair the drive. If you don't have either of them or if neither of them can fix the drive, then you will need to reformat the drive and reinstall OS X. Note that Disk Warrior will not work on Intel Macs.
B. Clone your existing system to an external Firewire drive.
How to Clone Using Restore Option of Disk Utility
1. Open Disk Utility from the Utilities folder.
2. Select the startup or source volume from the left side list.
3. Click on the Restore tab in the DU main window.
4. Drag the startup or source volume to the Source entry field.
5. Select the backup or destination volume from the leftside list and drag it to the Destination entry field.
6. Check the box to Erase Destination. Skip this step if you've already formatted the drive.
7. Double-check you got it right, then click on the Restore button.
C. Decide upon an installation option.
You have three upgrade options. If you use the Upgrade installation option be sure you have repaired the hard drive and permissions first and made your backup. If you choose the Archive and Install option then you only need to repair the hard drive.
Neither of the above options will erase the disk. Some of your software may not work with a new system. You will need to upgrade those programs. It would be best to do the upgrades to your software before upgrading to the new system version.
Message was edited by: Kappy

Leopard for Powerbook 17", 1.67GHz G4, 1 GB Memory...

I am thinking of updating to Leopard from Tiger 4.11 on my G4....
What I would like to know is: will it run on this older PowerBook efficiently AND
will I lose the software that is installed on Tiger if I don't have the discs for re-installing them....?

Yes, it will run, but you should really install more RAM as 1 GB is not really adequate even though it exceeds the minimum requirement of 512 MBs.
You do not have to lose any existing software, but you should plan to make a bootable backup of your current system before upgrading. Repair the hard drive and permissions before backup and before installing the upgrade. Plan to use the Archive and Install option:
How to Perform an Archive and Install
An Archive and Install will NOT erase your hard drive, but you must have sufficient free space for a second OS X installation which could be from 3-9 GBs depending upon the version of OS X and selected installation options. The free space requirement is over and above normal free space requirements which should be at least 6-10 GBs. Read all the linked references carefully before proceeding.
1. Be sure to use Disk Utility first to repair the disk before performing the Archive and Install.
Repairing the Hard Drive and Permissions
Boot from your OS X Installer disc. After the installer loads select your language and click on the Continue button. When the menu bar appears select Disk Utility from the Installer menu (Utilities menu for Tiger.) After DU loads select your hard drive entry (mfgr.'s ID and drive size) from the the left side list. In the DU status area you will see an entry for the S.M.A.R.T. status of the hard drive. If it does not say "Verified" then the hard drive is failing or failed. (SMART status is not reported on external Firewire or USB drives.) If the drive is "Verified" then select your OS X volume from the list on the left (sub-entry below the drive entry,) click on the First Aid tab, then click on the Repair Disk button. If DU reports any errors that have been fixed, then re-run Repair Disk until no errors are reported. If no errors are reported, then quit DU and return to the installer.
2. Do not proceed with an Archive and Install if DU reports errors it cannot fix. In that case use Disk Warrior and/or TechTool Pro to repair the hard drive. If neither can repair the drive, then you will have to erase the drive and reinstall from scratch.
3. Boot from your OS X Installer disc. After the installer loads select your language and click on the Continue button. When you reach the screen to select a destination drive click once on the destination drive then click on the Option button. Select the Archive and Install option. You have an option to preserve users and network preferences. Only select this option if you are sure you have no corrupted files in your user accounts. Otherwise leave this option unchecked. Click on the OK button and continue with the OS X Installation.
4. Upon completion of the Archive and Install you will have a Previous System Folder in the root directory. You should retain the PSF until you are sure you do not need to manually transfer any items from the PSF to your newly installed system.
5. After moving any items you want to keep from the PSF you should delete it. You can back it up if you prefer, but you must delete it from the hard drive.
6. You can now download a Combo Updater directly from Apple's download site to update your new system to the desired version as well as install any security or other updates. You can also do this using Software Update.

Any way of upgrading Powerbook G4 to USB 2.0?

I have a Powerbook G4 Titanium and i just have the 1.1 USB ports is there any way to upgrade the USB ports to 2.0 ?

Purchase and install an USB 2.0 PCMCIA card. The included USB ports cannot be upgraded.
(35611)

Upgrading Powerbook G4 from USB 1 to USB 2

Can someone tell me is it possible to upgrade a Powerbook G4 15" which is fitted with two USB1 ports to USB2, please? I would probably take it to an Apple Store rather than attempt it myself.
Thank you.

The combination of a CardBus -> USB2 adapter card and an AC-powered USB2 hub, while not great for portability, should provide adequate power to any bus-powered USB2 device and enable you to connect it to your Powerbook.
USB2 adapter cards generally run $10-20. You can pay more, but you aren't getting more. Such cards are Mac-compatible even if their packaging doesn't say so. None of them can supply as much power as your Powerbook's built-in USB ports without either an auxiliary cable that connects the card to one of those ports, or an external AC adapter that supplies power to the card. With either of those accessories, an AC-powered hub is likely to be unnecessary unless you want to connect and operate two or more USB bus-powered devices at the same time.

Looking to upgrade PowerBook G4 (15-inch 1.5 1.33GHz) Hard drive.

The hard drive crashed it was an 80GB apple model that is the biggest that originally came with the. powerbook. I was wondering if it is wise to put a larger one and if so which type can I order IE... how big data storage and type IEE etc.
Thanks

Not a computer guru by any means but I just went through this with a 1.67ghz G4 PB 15" with a crashed hard drive that I was given to me by a relative.
You can replace your HD, the only large ATA drives currently available, I believe, are from Western Digital, their 320gb drive is the largest and is available through Amazon for about $90. Other vendors sell the drive as well.
Go to ifixit.com for excellent instructions on how to do this mod. The HD replacement is a little complicated and you should go through the ifixit instructions to see if you are comfortable tearing into your computer to that degree BEFORE you buy a HD.
Good Luck!

Upgrading Powerbook G4 1.67ghz

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