Anyone want a PowerBook Superdrive?

jeb1138

Carioca
I've ordered a new 17" PowerBook and am anxiously awaiting shipment day, however far away it is. However, I'm pretty sure that I don't really need the superdrive and would like to remove it and sell it.

Does anybody know if the older PowerBooks can use the new superdrives? Of course, I'm not even sure that the 17" uses the same size or type of superdrive as the 15.2" Powerbooks.

Has anybody heard of anyone who's tried surgery like this? For example, putting a 1 GHz 15.2" Tibook's superdrive in a 800 MHz 15.2" Tibook?

Any information about this in specific or in general would be helpful, since I'm pretty much clueless about it. I just think I don't need it and am looking for ways to cut down on the total cost. Also, anybody know if switching out drives voids the warranty on the whole computer? Seems like you should be able to swap out a harddrive, at least, without losing the warranty on the rest of the computer.

Thanks.
 
First: you are question something that we don't have all the specs for.

Second: The 17" Powerbook would probably have a different size drive than the older Powerbooks. Why don't you wait to get it before making a decision. Keep in mind you may some day want to burn a CD for backup.
:)
 
The superdrives for the 15" models fit in other powerbooks, so I assume they all still use the same drive. There will probably be a note on this on xlr8yourmac.com pretty soon.
 
Originally posted by ksv
The superdrives for the 15" models fit in other powerbooks, so I assume they all still use the same drive. There will probably be a note on this on xlr8yourmac.com pretty soon.

They do? Great! But how do you know -- did you try it or know of someone who did? I searched on xlr8 and on google but couldn't find anything.

Cheryl, the bright side of "7-10 weeks" is that I have some time to figure it out! :) You really think the 17" will be a different size? It doesn't seem like they'd make it wider, since DVDs are all the same size and it would be expensive to get a non-standard width, wouldn't it? And it can't be any thicker since Sr. Steve said the 17" is thinner than the 15". I guess I'm assuming the 15" PB drive slot is something standard though. Is it standard at all (i.e. does anybody else use that same size and/or drive)? Just seems like whoever makes the drive for Apple would wake to make it somewhat standard, at least across PB models, so that they could more efficiently sell it to other manufacturers as well.
 
Are you crazy? You are going to perform surgery on the beautiful 17" PB?!?! I would definitely not advise this. First, it voids your warranty. Second, how are you going to install software without an optical drive? Are you putting in a replacement? Finally, I don't know if it would fit. The new 17" PB's insides are much different than the 15" 's. The batteries aren't in the same place, the ports are elsewhere. I wouldn't risk it, who knows you may need to burn dvds someday.
 
Also, the new 17" PB's DVD-R burns at 2x speed ... so that might make a difference. Device may be different, etc.
 
Originally posted by bjurusik
Are you crazy?

Yeah, probably. ;) Does it really void the warranty? Just to take it out? What about replacing the harddrive -- I know lots of people do that. Does that void the warranty?

I just know I don't need the dvd burner & could use a old external firewire drive when I did need a CD. Or I could get a replacement cd burner if it fits.

If it voids the warranty though....hmmmm...well, it's still tempting. I just want to cut the total cost down as much as possible. If it does end up being the same size I might just do it....
 
Any physical changes you make, other than installing memory, will void the warranty.
 
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