# Powerbook G4... How can I restore it?



## Greg_Reez (Jun 12, 2009)

A client of ours left their Powerbook G4 here after deciding they did not want to fix the bad hard drive, and after holding it here for some time, they apparently want us to now get rid of it. It's been sitting here for sometime since then, and I'm the only one around who cares to adopt it.

What exactly can I make of this thing? Our tech has let me know that it needs:

1) A power cord
2) An OS reinstallation (I have no CDs whatsoever)
3) More memory (I can get this)
4) Hard Drive (I can get this)
5) An overall anti-freakin-bacterial cleaning

Where is a good place to start with buying what I need?


----------



## ElDiabloConCaca (Jun 12, 2009)

What speed is the PowerBook G4?  Is it an older, 400 or 500MHz model, or a newer, 1 GHz or faster?  How much RAM does it already have?

You can get a power cord from a place like this:

http://www.powerbookmedic.com/Powerbook-G4-Aluminum-Power-Adapters-p-1-c-380.html

If the system is relatively speedy, then I'd go all out with Leopard, which can be ordered direct from Apple's online store.  If it's an older, slower model, Tiger may suit it better -- you'll have to scrounge on eBay, Craigslist, or perhaps some online Mac stores (Powermax.com, baucomcomputers.com, etc.) may carry it.  Be sure you get *retail* disks of Tiger -- not the gray-colored, system-specific CDs/DVDs.


----------



## Greg_Reez (Jun 12, 2009)

Hmmm.... can't tell the specs... No power cord, and it's been out of battery for about 2 months. Is there any other way to tell what the specs are?

Also, can I even get leopard to install on an older laptop like this?

Thanks for the reply


----------



## ElDiabloConCaca (Jun 12, 2009)

The serial and/or model number (maybe on the bottom?  Inside the batter compartment?) can give you clues about what the original specs of the computer are.

You can load Leopard on the PowerBook as long as it meets Leopard's requirements: 867MHz processor (I'm sure on this one), 512MB of RAM (I believe).  Oh, and assuming you have a way to load Leopard: a DVD drive.


----------



## Jesse714 (Jun 12, 2009)

theres a way to get around the 867ghz, but you have to get at least 512mb of ram, and for a gig of ram for my powerbook it was 55 bucks on crucial, but eldiablo is still right, your going to have to provide the model number for us


----------



## Greg_Reez (Jun 12, 2009)

Inside the battery compartment:

1GHZ/256MB/40GB/COMBO


----------



## Jesse714 (Jun 12, 2009)

okay so you can easily run leopard, all you have to do is get another 256mb ram stick, id suggest just upgrading to 1 gig, your computer takes an ata hard drive, you can get them here http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2010150380 1035907889&name=ATA-6 you can get your charger on ebay, just type in powerbook g4, make sure that you specify the size meaning 12in,15,17, because it may actually vary and the charger.


----------



## DeltaMac (Jun 12, 2009)

Sounds like a Titanium model.
The keyboard will be black (well, dark grey), and most of the ports, including the power connector are in back behind a little panel. The newer 1 GHz would have an aluminum/silver keyboard, and most ports on the left side.
So, Leopard will be OK, regardless. The older titanium is limited to 1GB of RAM max, where the newer aluminum G4 will go up to 2GB.


----------



## Jesse714 (Jun 12, 2009)

i wish my powerbook could go up to 2gigs, i have the aluminum model 12in too. your lucky your getting that for free lol


----------



## DeltaMac (Jun 12, 2009)

I forgot about the 12-inch model, so your specs could be the 12-inch, which could change your plans,
So, 12-inch &#8212; or 15-inch screen?
The 12-inch has no space around the keyboard. Any 15-inch has space for speakers and other sensors on both sides.


----------



## Jesse714 (Jun 12, 2009)

yeah if its the 15-2gigs and speakers on the left and right side of the keyboard, also the powerbutton will be on the rights side right above the right speaker, if its a 12 in, like delta mac said, there wont be any space, and the powerbutton will be up top right about the eject button and F12.


----------



## Greg_Reez (Jun 12, 2009)

> The newer 1 GHz would have an aluminum/silver keyboard, and most ports on the left side.



This is exactly the one I have. Thanks for the input folks!


----------



## Greg_Reez (Jun 12, 2009)

This is the 12".


----------



## DeltaMac (Jun 12, 2009)

Ooh &#8212; one of the worst Macs to replace anything inside - like the hard drive. There's also only one memory slot, which could let you add up to 1GB. It'll be a challenge to get that one working again. Good luck....!


----------



## djackmac (Jun 13, 2009)

I think the 256MB is the on board RAM. The 1 slot will get it up to 1.25GB. I don't know why even seasoned techs think the 12" is such a pain. I agree if your doing anything more than a hard drive they are HELL. But a HD is fairly straightforward. Easier than an ibook HD replacement. Just several different sized screws to keep track of and the risk of busting keys off the keyboard which if your not careful you'll damage them when removing them and won't be able to put them back on (some keys need to be removed to get to screws to remove keyboard). If you got it free, its worth putting a HD into and some RAM. Hopefully they gave you the installers with it to keep from getting a new version of the OS. I don't know if you want to go as far as HD, RAM, and 10.5?


----------



## Jesse714 (Jun 13, 2009)

Yeah djackmac your right, i have a powerbook, it has 256 soldered into the board, and you can install up to a gig, which is actually 1.25, getting the computer open is no big deal deltamac, all you have to do is pop off the F1 F2 and F11 and F12 keys take out the screw, and open up the memory model door, in there is a little black screw that hold the keyboard down, take that out and then the keyboard will slide off, one the keyboard is disconnected, theres a bunch of silver screws, keep in mind where you have taken them out from, because some of them are different lengths, after that, take out all the the screw on the left, right on top of your powerbook, then the silver case under the keyboard will come up, and your hard drive is to to the left of your trackpad.
thats all there is too it.
Good luck


----------



## DeltaMac (Jun 13, 2009)

I've had 4 or 5 of these 12-inch PBs brought to me after customers couldn't figure out how to reassemble. Nothing is more fun than a ziploc bag of screws and other hardware.  They usually succeed in losing at least one of the keycaps, or breaking the plastic latches inside the battery compartment, which means that the top case just won't seat completely. Finicky little beasts!


----------



## djackmac (Jun 13, 2009)

Yeah, I gotten some ibooks in boxes after a failed HD replacement. Sometimes I'll get calls/inquiries on how to reattach the connection where the power cable from the top case of an ibook plugs into the logic board. (Ouch!)


----------



## DeltaMac (Jun 13, 2009)

I think a really big band-aid will fix that....


----------



## Greg_Reez (Jun 15, 2009)

I guess I'll have some fun this week. So the only way to get to the HD and memory slots is through the keyboard?


----------



## DeltaMac (Jun 15, 2009)

No, the memory is much simpler.
Flip your PowerBook over, and remove 4 screws from the small panel on the bottom, and there's your memory slot.
If you only need memory, that takes less than 2 minutes. You also have to remove that panel, which has one screw inside that goes up into the keyboard.


----------



## Greg_Reez (Jun 15, 2009)

Memory is only part of it, I guess I'm not really looking forward to swapping the HD.


----------



## Jesse714 (Jun 15, 2009)

no you dont have to take off the keyboard to add ram, but the hard drive yes, but you have to take off the memory door on the bottom, and theres a black screw that hold the keyboard down from the bottom, you have to take that off, and the F1,F2 and F11 and F12 keys, take out the silver screws and the keybard will slide up, be careful pulling it up, you have to disconnect the ribbon, be care full dont grab it and pull, take a flat head and kind of rotate it, and the ribbon will disconnect, take out all the the screws, and allen heads next to the powerbutton and left side. the left screw is longer, so dont forget where it goes, keep in mind that not all of the screws are the same size
Good Luck


----------



## rj713 (Jun 15, 2009)

Hi, I'm not sure if it would help but ifixit has a number of repair guides with photos taking you through dis-assembly and reassembly. Ralph
http://www.ifixit.com/


----------



## Jesse714 (Jun 15, 2009)

here you go man:

http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Device/PowerBook_G4_Aluminum_15"_1-1.5_GHz


----------



## Greg_Reez (Jun 19, 2009)

I was looking at power adapters, is this the correct one?


----------



## Jesse714 (Jun 19, 2009)

Yep, that one actually looks like the original, the ibooks and powerbook chargers have little lights, usually yellow, that glow when you have them plugged into your computer, and since its a 65W that tells me that its right, because my 12in powerbook and 15in powerbook both take 65W chargers, and thats the correct plug. And if you scroll down a little bit on the ebay page, it tells you the compatible computers, and yes yours is in there.
Good luck


----------



## Jesse714 (Jun 19, 2009)

Here: http://cgi.ebay.com/65W-AC-Power-Ad...66:2|39:1|72:1234|240:1309|301:1|293:1|294:50

That one is the same thing, a little cheaper with free shipping, and it comes with a bunch of different wall adapters.


----------



## simbalala (Jun 19, 2009)

Jesse714 said:


> That one is the same thing, a little cheaper with free shipping, and it comes with a bunch of different wall adapters.


Read carefully, it comes only with the U.S. plug unless the purchaser specifies a different adapter plug.

That note is at the very bottom of the list of compatible computers.


----------



## DeltaMac (Jun 20, 2009)

The one that Jesse714 found is not an Apple replacement, but a cheap knock-off. It doesn't appear to have the power LED in the cord connector, as the real ones do. That one would be a 'cheap' mistake....


----------



## Greg_Reez (Jun 22, 2009)

How can I tell which is an Apple replacement and not a knock off?


----------



## Jesse714 (Jun 22, 2009)

it will have the apple logo on the side and a light by the pluggin


----------



## Greg_Reez (Jun 22, 2009)

> it will have the apple logo...



oh... duh!


----------



## Greg_Reez (Jun 26, 2009)

WOW. Replacing that hard drive was definitely a doozy...30 minutes and about 20 or so tiny rice sized screws later I removed the old HD and plugged in the new one. Waiting for the power cord from the UK, memory, and the OS.


----------



## fryke (Jun 26, 2009)

After you've replaced your harddrive and added the RAM, you'll want to decide what you'll actually _use_ the notebook for. If you truly want it to be mobile, you might want to replace the battery. (Of course you'd have to test the battery first in real life conditions, but after 2-3 years, those batteries often need replacing.)

The machine works *very* well for basic stuff in 10.4.11, but 1 GB or 1.25 GB and Leopard _can_ be taxing for anything higher end than, say, office and web browsing stuff.

Of course the screen also is a tad small for most things, at 1024*768.

For any installations, you'll require a retail version of Mac OS X. I personally would recommend the Mac OS X 10.4.6 installation disc. You can easily update to 10.4.11 afterwards, which gives you a nice responsive system.


----------



## Greg_Reez (Jun 29, 2009)

It's for someone who is just going to start art school. They won't be doing heavy duty graphics stuff for awhile, but I'd like to install photoshop, illustrator, and indesign... is this a good idea for either tiger or leopard?


----------

