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Please help me upgrade my PowerBook G4 12in (

L

leloo

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 26, 2011
1
0
My ibook died and I was given a PowerBook G4 from 2003. It appears to be ok. It has a new battery. Is it worth spending money to upgrade for my main machine? If so, please help me by recommending how or where to go for help. I really really appreciate any help. Here are the specs:

PowerBook G4 12''
CPU type: PowerPC G4 (3.3_
Number of CPUs: 1
CPU speed: 867 MHz
L2 Cache: 256kb
Bus Speed: 133 MHz
OS X 10.3.9
Memory: 640 MB DDR SDRAM
DIMM0/Built in: 128mb
DIMM1/J31: 512mb
Processor: 867 MHz PowerPC G4
 
You can max out RAM by replacing 512MB stick with 1GB one and HDD with SSD (if you have spare $$$ ;)). Biggest limit is CPU, though, and this cannot be upgraded.
My advice: if you want 12" PB for your main computer, sell this one and hunt for 1.5 GHz version - last and fastest revision of these beautiful little things.
 
just because your's only has usb 1.1 i would look to sell and buy one with better cpu and usb 2.0

however if not i would max ram 1152 (128 onboard plus 1 gig stick (PC2100 DDR SDRAM SO-DIMM)

then i would upgrade harddrive (ssd in ide would be $$$ so i would stick to say 160 gig ide $79 below)
http://www.ncix.com/products/?sku=35348&vpn=HM160HC&manufacture=Samsung

then i would try and hunt down osx leopard (it runs fairly well on these with enough ram) and would really open up your software options (lastest itunes ect)
 
My experience with Leopard on my 12" 1.5 (with maxed out ram) varied greatly from what many of the users on here say. Not to say they're wrong, but 10.4 Tiger provides a much "zippier" experience for me. I was required to turn off all of the visual effects in 10.5 just to make it bearable. This is on the stock 4200rpm HD.

I wouldn't even consider running 10.5 on your 867mhz, but that's just me.
 
burnout: you need a newish harddrive...the default ones are horrible...you would find a hugh improvement buying a newer one....

i can speak from experience on both my ibook 1.33 and a older mac mini i used to have....in fact the mini i upgraded first with max ram and thought "thats it" and almost gave up running leopard and went back to tiger...then i upgraded the mini to a new 160 gig 5400 drive and retryed leopard,and it made all the difference in the world...
 
You might be right about that. I'm in the market for a 7200rpm and expect it to really wake up my 15".

Anyway, to stay on track... Maybe that would be a good solution for the OP as well.
 
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