Mac Users please help your new found sister :)

[aquatwo]

Hello everyone,

I have just bough a Powerbook 15" on ebay and going to pick it up this afternoon.

It is sealed in the box and the spec advertised was: G4/1.67Ghz/1GB/100GB HD/ATi 9700 128 VRAM

I need to open the box (and test it, power it up etc, the problem is I haven't used one before

Is there any way to verify that the spec advertised is actually the spec on the unit? anything in particular I should be testing?

I would be SOOOOO grateful for any advice/shortcuts etc, bearing in mind it will be the first time I touch a mac. Oh my god I can't wait!!!!!!

Thanks so much to all who replies in advance!!!!!

 

[mad jew]

Welcome aboard.

Check the specs by selecting About This Mac from the Apple Menu in the top left corner and then click on More Info for a more comprehensive guide to what makes up your PowerBook.

I'd then go to Disk Utility in the Utilities folder to see that the SMART status of the hard drive states Verified.

I'd then think about reinstalling the system and reinstalling updates from Software Update (in the Apple Menu).

That's about it. Assuming it's got this far (started up, running apps) then it really should be fine.

Once you're happy it's working, I'd calibrate the battery for good measure. This involves completely flattening it before plugging it in and charging it completely up again. You can use the computer throughout this entire process.

 

[Nermal]

I'd then think about reinstalling the system

Why?

 

[mad jew]

Because I like thinking about such things...


Nah, because it's from eBay and we don't know what the previous owner had on it. It's kinda like the clean-slate mentality. It's purely optional, of course.

 

[aquatwo]

Thank guys. The seller claims that the Powerbook is sealed in the box, never used. So will it power up with all the apps straigh away? From reading the mac guides i gathered it will take me to some sort of set up screen, no?

 

[mad jew]

Sorry, I missed the sealed-in-box bit. Yeah, Nermal's right, don't bother with a reinstall. It should take you directly to the set up screen.