[howto] Make a cheap Powerbook/iBook

[eric2006]

I have an old Compaq Presario laptop with a beautifull 14-inch-screen, a brand new battery, and a wireless internet card. It's not really usefull, though, because the processor is pretty slow. So, I made it into an "iBook". Using VNC, Virtual Network Computing (www.realvnc.com), I connect to a special account on my Powermac from the laptop, then I get a full-screen view of the desktop, and I can use the keyboard and mouse.
My compaq has linux installed on it (Fedora), so I just used the VNC Viewer client from the VNC website (above) to connect. The VNC server software that I had on the Powermac is included in the Help app on this website. I was able to configure VNC so that I could work on the Compaq and Powermac at the same time on different accounts This is a lot more usefull than just logging onto the main account on the powermac because this way, I have two macs, instead of one. Configure the VNC server software on a seperate account than your main account to do this, and set the number of the display in the vnc server software to 0. Then, log out of this account and go back into your main account. After this, you can log into the seperate account from a laptop, while still using the main account on your main computer.
The only downfall to this is that your desktop is downloaded through your wireless connection, so it can be "laggy". You won't notice anything when you are typing or scrolling small windows, but dashboard, page scrolling, dragging, etc will be slow. Don't even think about movies. Acctualy, the pages will scroll, dashboard will work, etc, but the information comes in bursts, so if you click on the dashboard, for example, it takes about a second to load, then it's there. It's not really slow, you just don't get a good enough framerate to see the "drifting in" action. To me, this was an acceptable loss for a $100-dollar "ibook" ($100 for a new battery). Simmilar laptops to mine go on ebay for around 50 bucks..

This might seem stupid to advanced users, but I thought it was really cool . Feel free to ask questions if you try this and it dosent work.

EDIT: pics added

[sirstaunch]

I haven't tried linux, what version works on OSX10.4.5 and where do ya get it?
Will I need to partition my drives for it or can I make a disc image and run off that or not?

BTW seems like an interesting concept seen that Apple has restricted a lot of hardware changes, and does it work well?

[fryke]

I'm not sure you're getting what he says... He doesn't run linux on OS X 10.4.5 or vice versa. After setting things up, all he does is use his PowerMac normally (logged into his main user account) and boots linux on his compaq notebook, runs a VNC client there and with it, accesses a _second_ account on the PowerMac.

Btw.: Kinda defies using a _notebook_, doesn't it. It's mobile only as far as your local network goes. Sure, you _could_ access your PowerMac via the internet when outside of the house, but things tend to turn _really_ slow once you haven't got at least a 10 Mbps connection for VNC... (Good enough for managing a server via GUI, not good enough for desktop work in my opinion...)

[CJ MAC OSX IPOD]

Power to Burn.
At speeds up to 733MHz,
The most powerfull Mac in history
burns CD's, burns DVD's, and
burns Pentiums

Im sorry, Its a bit of subject but nice quote.

[eric2006]

Btw.: Kinda defies using a _notebook_, doesn't it. It's mobile only as far as your local network goes. Sure, you _could_ access your PowerMac via the internet when outside of the house, but things tend to turn _really_ slow once you haven't got at least a 10 Mbps connection for VNC... (Good enough for managing a server via GUI, not good enough for desktop work in my opinion...)

Yeah.. but this gives me an oppertunity for a change of scenery.. the desktop gets boring after a few years. Anything out of wireless range, I can just use the linux part. I'm a student, so I do most of my work at home anyways. They have computers at school..

Im sorry, Its a bit off subject but nice quote.

Thanks. I can't get a Powermac G5.. so I look for quotes like this from the time when the G4 was high-end. It's an awesome machine. Now, they still have G4 notebooks.. so essentialy I have a 1ghz iBook with a terrible video card..

[fryke]

(You should change your sig, then... "powerful", not "powerfull"... CDs, not CD's. And DVDs, not DVD's... )

[eric2006]

Right you are.. guess I just never read over my sig.. I already knew what it said.