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zackkmac

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jul 7, 2008
879
129
Denver
Hi all. I just bought a PowerBook G4 1.67GHz, it's the late-2005 model with the hi-res screen and DLSD. I upgraded the RAM to 2GB but oddly enough it feels laggier than my dad's early-2005 (standard res) 1.67GHz PB with 1.5GB.

I bought it to resell since I got it and the RAM at a good price - but I am wondering if adding a 64GB SSD ($80) will be worth it for the resell value? Or should I keep the 80GB HDD in?

My next question is something I still cannot find a straight answer to from searching - is there ANY way to fit a SATA drive in there? I know it uses IDE and the extra room for an adapter is very minimal - but I have seen some say certain adapters work albeit no picture proof. Just wondering if anyone out there can confirm something for me.

Also, I am using TenFourFox and ran Xslimmer on everything - any other tips to speed up OS X Leopard? Is there a better browser than TFF?

Lastly, any other suggestions to making it run as best as possible?

Thanks in advance. :)
 

skateny

macrumors 6502
Jul 19, 2012
448
0
New York, NY
In my experience, there appears to be a limited ceiling as to what someone will pay for older PowerBooks, regardless of upgrades.
 

eyoungren

macrumors Penryn
Aug 31, 2011
28,698
26,713
You can fit a PATA SSD in there. They are expensive and hard to find. You can also fit in a SATA adapter, but it's a tight fit I'm told and you might have to remove something.

In any case, you probably need a new drive. It's been my experience with the PBs that the stock drives suck. I have a slower WD 320GB drive in my DLSD and it's actually much faster than the 100GB drive my PB came with. This should also speed up Leopard.

T4Fx is good. I prefer Aurorafox, but that's just me. Aurorafox is built for Leopard though.
 

zackkmac

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jul 7, 2008
879
129
Denver
Ah I see. So maybe the best option would be to try and fit a leftover SATA HDD in there...do you happen to know which adapter is said to work?

I have TFF running a little better now - I realized I was using the 7400 version and not the 7450.
 

hansolo669

macrumors regular
Oct 5, 2009
201
0
Ah I see. So maybe the best option would be to try and fit a leftover SATA HDD in there...do you happen to know which adapter is said to work?

I have TFF running a little better now - I realized I was using the 7400 version and not the 7450.

The best option would be to get any newer/faster PATA based HD in there (assuming eyoungren's observations hold true). Even if you could get it in fine, you are still limited by the bus speed of PATA.
 

zackkmac

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jul 7, 2008
879
129
Denver
Well, the only reason I'd consider a SATA + adapter setup (if it fits) would be because I already have 4 or so leftover SATA drives I could use.

But, for the price of a PATA with more storage and RPMs, I could go ahead and get the 64GB SSD. It would lose 16GB of space, but it would gain speed.

I have eBay Bucks coming in a couple months, and so far it's at $35, so I could probably use those when they become redeemable to get the IDE SSD.
 

MisterKeeks

macrumors 68000
Nov 15, 2012
1,833
28
It will provide a speed increase, but I don't think it would increase the retail value by much at all.
 

zackkmac

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jul 7, 2008
879
129
Denver
I didn't think so. But if I can't find something more useful than that for the eBay bucks I might as well, since it won't be money coming out of my bank account.

Another more interesting question I have is has anyone tried a 15.2" LED backlit LCD panel in a PowerBook G4? I have found quite a few that seem like they would fit in my dad's G4 (1280x854) and share the same B152EW01 V.0 model number as many PowerBook CCFL LCDs listed on eBay. I wonder if it would be a direct swap? Can't find any questions/responses online anywhere. Again, not for *this* laptop as I can't find any hi-res, but for my dad's standard res PB.
 

eyoungren

macrumors Penryn
Aug 31, 2011
28,698
26,713
I didn't think so. But if I can't find something more useful than that for the eBay bucks I might as well, since it won't be money coming out of my bank account.

Another more interesting question I have is has anyone tried a 15.2" LED backlit LCD panel in a PowerBook G4? I have found quite a few that seem like they would fit in my dad's G4 (1280x854) and share the same B152EW01 V.0 model number as many PowerBook CCFL LCDs listed on eBay. I wonder if it would be a direct swap? Can't find any questions/responses online anywhere. Again, not for *this* laptop as I can't find any hi-res, but for my dad's standard res PB.
Save yourself the trouble. It's a MoFo trying to get the back of the LCD separated. I ended up just destroying mine on my 17" PB when I replaced the LCVD cable.

Instead search for a used LCD screen and just replace the entire thing. That's a PITA, but it's much, much easier than trying to use a kit or anything like that. Plus, it's cheaper. I paid $80 for my 17" replacement screen.

If you can't find anything, then do a search for dead PowerBooks. The LCDs can be scavenged from those.
 

zackkmac

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jul 7, 2008
879
129
Denver
Save yourself the trouble. It's a MoFo trying to get the back of the LCD separated. I ended up just destroying mine on my 17" PB when I replaced the LCVD cable.

Instead search for a used LCD screen and just replace the entire thing. That's a PITA, but it's much, much easier than trying to use a kit or anything like that. Plus, it's cheaper. I paid $80 for my 17" replacement screen.

If you can't find anything, then do a search for dead PowerBooks. The LCDs can be scavenged from those.

Thanks for the suggestion. My father's PowerBook has a perfectly working display, though I think it has a pressure mark or two. I was just wondering if the LCD panel (CCFL backlit) can be exchanged for one of the same model number but with LED backlighting. Both displays say they are B152EW01 V.0 in the description, same size and same resolution. Not sure what that number means, but it would be cool if they were a direct swap.
 

eyoungren

macrumors Penryn
Aug 31, 2011
28,698
26,713
I don't know.

It all comes down to the plug on the video cable. Whatever LCD you are plugging in to the logicboard has to match the receptacle on the logicboard. If the replacement looks the same as the old then it might work.

Things are kind of funny though. I swapped my son's damaged LCD on his 1GHZ Titanium DVI with the LCD from my TiBook/400. The cable plug is the same but the one from the older PB has a lower resolution. Three possibilities were floated. One, the screen would show the higher resolution but would only show portions of the screen, two the higher video modes would not be recognized or three it wouldn't work at all. Fortunately, it was number two for us. So, if your plug fits you never know.
 

zackkmac

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jul 7, 2008
879
129
Denver
I see. Thank you for sharing your experience with it. It's tempting to try since I've yet to see it attempted with results posted online. I think my father would benefit from the LED backlighting but I wonder if I'd have to change the inverter or anything. Or if the brightness keys and ambient sensors would still work with it.

I don't have much knowledge about display technology, but I know I'd be able to do the swap provided it works. I wonder if there's a quick method to plug it into the logic board and check without having to fully disassemble the LCD panel.
 
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