Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

A Few Questions

C

CreationArt

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 22, 2012
14
0
Florida
Hello all,
I recently got my hands on a iBook G4, which I've been trying to find for a few weeks now for the right price (free!)
This is the first mac I have ever touched for over 2 minutes. I have despised them for long enough, and I'm in school to be a computer engineer so I had to learn it at some point or another!

I need to learn the OS, and the insides as well, So I'm looking for any projects that I can do, to make the mac custom to me. I know I need to upgrade the ram, and if I recall, the max for the iBook is like 1182mb or something.. So I need to get my hands on some more to put in.

Also, I know I need a retail disk to get to 10.5. Is there a recommended supplier?

Just thought I'd give a brief intro, and if anyone can point me in a few helpful directions with mod ideas, and anything else!

The specs:
Machine Name: iBook G4
Machine Model: PowerBook6,7
CPU Type: PowerPC G4 (1.5)
Number Of CPUs: 1
CPU Speed: 1.42 GHz
L2 Cache (per CPU): 512 KB
Memory: 512 MB
Bus Speed: 142 MHz
Boot ROM Version: 4.9.3f0
Serial Number: 4H5413HXSE9
Sudden Motion Sensor:
State: Enabled
Version: 1.0
 
Your iBook can hold 1.5GB of RAM. 512MB is already soldered to the logic-board (the Mac equivalent of a mother-board). You'll need to buy a 1GB stick of "PC-2700 DDR-333 200pin" RAM. I wouldn't even bother upgrading the hard drive unless you're willing to completely tear the thing apart (I've done it and it sucks). As far as a Leopard disk goes, you're going to pay an arm and a leg for it. Retailers rip off PowerPC users by selling used disks at retail prices because Apple refuses to make them anymore. I'd just look around eBay and Amazon for a used retail disk. If you want to optimize it, I've written a guide here. If you're looking for some software recommendations, I've got another guide here. Let me know if you have any other questions and I'll do my best to help.
 
Thanks a ton, I'll read through both of those. I don't plan on replacing the HDD. 50GB of empty space is plenty for me, as I still have a win7 laptop that I plan on being my daily. This G4 is just for having fun learning. I'm always up for custom works! I figured I'd have to pay an arm and a leg, which I'm not willing to do really. Unless there is a HUGE difference, which is worth an arm and a leg. Thanks again.

Edit: A few questions
1.I ran through the cleanup, and skimmed through the other. I will hit the other one tomorrow morning.
2.Is there a mac equivalent of the windows 7 "snap" feature? I miss being able to drag things to the side and make them snap to the screen 50/50?
3.Can I change the color of the apple on the front screen? I'd love to put a custom color or something different from every other apple.
4.Can I get rid of the Mac HD icon on the desktop? I'm one for a clean desktop, and that just urks me!
5.Is Youtube super laggy for everyone else? Its horrible for me, maybe the extra ram would help.
6.What can I do about flash player? I listen to pandora 90% of the time, and it uses flash. Maybe an older version?
7.Anything else I should do?
 
Last edited:
CreationArt said:
Thanks a ton, I'll read through both of those. I don't plan on replacing the HDD. 50GB of empty space is plenty for me, as I still have a win7 laptop that I plan on being my daily. This G4 is just for having fun learning. I'm always up for custom works! I figured I'd have to pay an arm and a leg, which I'm not willing to do really. Unless there is a HUGE difference, which is worth an arm and a leg. Thanks again.

3.Can I change the color of the apple on the front screen? I'd love to put a custom color or something different from every other apple.
Click to expand...

ThemePark has a PowerPC version.

5.Is Youtube super laggy for everyone else? Its horrible for me, maybe the extra ram would help.
Click to expand...

Yes, YouTube is laggy. Use MacTubes for that.

7.Anything else I should do?
Click to expand...

Once you upgrade to Leopard, you might want to use XSlimmer. It will speed Leopard up a lot, and Adium is amazing, I use it for most of my IM'ing. GeekTool's always fun as well :).

Also, a Google search could answer some of your questions... you might find that a it more useful.
 
Had some Carbon Fiber vinyl laying around, I wasn't a fan of the glowing apple. So I wrapped it.
20120923105313.jpg
 
tayloralmond said:
Your iBook can hold 1.5GB of RAM. 512MB is already soldered to the logic-board (the Mac equivalent of a mother-board). You'll need to buy a 1GB stick of "PC-2700 DDR-333 200pin" RAM. I wouldn't even bother upgrading the hard drive unless you're willing to completely tear the thing apart (I've done it and it sucks). As far as a Leopard disk goes, you're going to pay an arm and a leg for it. Retailers rip off PowerPC users by selling used disks at retail prices because Apple refuses to make them anymore. I'd just look around eBay and Amazon for a used retail disk. If you want to optimize it, I've written a guide here. If you're looking for some software recommendations, I've got another guide here. Let me know if you have any other questions and I'll do my best to help.
Click to expand...

Great site for PPC users! Thanks for posting

----------
CreationArt said:
Thanks a ton, I'll read through both of those. I don't plan on replacing the HDD. 50GB of empty space is plenty for me, as I still have a win7 laptop that I plan on being my daily. This G4 is just for having fun learning. I'm always up for custom works! I figured I'd have to pay an arm and a leg, which I'm not willing to do really. Unless there is a HUGE difference, which is worth an arm and a leg. Thanks again.

Edit: A few questions
1.I ran through the cleanup, and skimmed through the other. I will hit the other one tomorrow morning.
2.Is there a mac equivalent of the windows 7 "snap" feature? I miss being able to drag things to the side and make them snap to the screen 50/50?
3.Can I change the color of the apple on the front screen? I'd love to put a custom color or something different from every other apple.
4.Can I get rid of the Mac HD icon on the desktop? I'm one for a clean desktop, and that just urks me!
5.Is Youtube super laggy for everyone else? Its horrible for me, maybe the extra ram would help.
6.What can I do about flash player? I listen to pandora 90% of the time, and it uses flash. Maybe an older version?
7.Anything else I should do?
Click to expand...

You have the best and fastest iBook ever made, btw. I'd love to see how it works with maxed ram and a SSD or at least a WD 250gb 5400 or 320gb 5400rpm HD. Back in the day, these larger HDDs kept pace with the then PATA 2.5" HDD top of the line Hitachi or Seagate 100gb 7200rpm drives, because the larger platter drives moved almost as fast as the 7200.

This is the info on the Flash player for PPC, my Powerbook runs Youtube fine:

http://forums.adobe.com/thread/857425
 
I'm super excited now that I know that I have the fastest iBook. I haven't had a problem with speed, but I haven't done anything labor intensive really. Just network, and ran a few programs. Still looking for things to do!

Seeing as this was free, I don't plan on dropping $500 into the computer. I wan't to keep my budget under $200. I know I need 1Gb of ram, and thats $30, And I also need to get an extender for the charger. From the cube to the wall, as this cube takes up lots of room and sucks!

I'm not sure about the HD upgrade, I don't have a disk to boot onto it, and I really don't want to buy the leopard retail disk. But I know I need too.

Edit: I just bought the 1Gb of ram, as well as a charger extender. I'm debating if I like all this white, I feel like it needs to be broken up a bit more. Can I possibly get a black keyboard and a black track pad? I'm not sure if the colored track pad is possible. I'm very simplistic, and I'm looking for ways to make my mac more me. Any ideas?
California said:
You have the best and fastest iBook ever made, btw. I'd love to see how it works with maxed ram and a SSD or at least a WD 250gb 5400 or 320gb 5400rpm HD. Back in the day, these larger HDDs kept pace with the then PATA 2.5" HDD top of the line Hitachi or Seagate 100gb 7200rpm drives, because the larger platter drives moved almost as fast as the 7200.

This is the info on the Flash player for PPC, my Powerbook runs Youtube fine:

http://forums.adobe.com/thread/857425
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
CreationArt said:
I'm super excited now that I know that I have the fastest iBook. I haven't had a problem with speed, but I haven't done anything labor intensive really. Just network, and ran a few programs. Still looking for things to do!

Seeing as this was free, I don't plan on dropping $500 into the computer. I wan't to keep my budget under $200. I know I need 1Gb of ram, and thats $30, And I also need to get an extender for the charger. From the cube to the wall, as this cube takes up lots of room and sucks!

I'm not sure about the HD upgrade, I don't have a disk to boot onto it, and I really don't want to buy the leopard retail disk. But I know I need too.

Edit: I just bought the 1Gb of ram, as well as a charger extender. I'm debating if I like all this white, I feel like it needs to be broken up a bit more. Can I possibly get a black keyboard and a black track pad? I'm not sure if the colored track pad is possible. I'm very simplistic, and I'm looking for ways to make my mac more me. Any ideas?
Click to expand...

I suppose you could dye the track pad on the iBook, it's been done but you have the final revision of the iBook G4 and its track pad is optimized for scroll, I wouldn't mess with it. The G3 iBooks had more translucent plastic shells and you could dye them very easily. As for black keys -- I suppose you could try to dye them or possibly, and I mean possibly, swap out Titanium Powerbook keys for them, but I have no idea if they will work, you'd have to do a lot of research.

The 14" iBook 1.42 shipped with a stock 60 gig HD, pretty sure it was 4200rpm, and that's pretty slow, though if it was the 5400rpm drive, it's a bit better. I guess I never think of buying a hard drive as a loss because you can always take it out and put it in an enclosure and swap back your old drive. I just don't trust someone else's old hard drive with any of my data -- you never know when they will fail. Get a 250gb or 320 gb PATA drive in there (I have one on my Powerbook G4) you can get them for less than 100 bucks and you can always use them elsewhere if you tire of the iBook.
 
I'm not going to risk dying. I'll have to look into the keyboard swap as well. I don't mind the white enclosure, just how much is white. I'm just trying to break it up some. As why I did the carbon fiber apple. It broke up the front. I thought about doing the greyish area when closed, but then I released its the entire top portion of the base when open.

I guess whenever I bite the bullet and buy the retail disk, I will grab a hard drive as well. Just knock it all out at once. I'm looking at HD's right now, and I see the PATA's from WD ranging about 100-150 with 5400RPM with like 260Gb, but then I see Seagates Satas for around $80 that are 500gb (I've always liked seagates) that are SATA 3G/s 7200RPM.

What would be the better option?
 
CreationArt said:
I'm not going to risk dying. I'll have to look into the keyboard swap as well. I don't mind the white enclosure, just how much is white. I'm just trying to break it up some. As why I did the carbon fiber apple. It broke up the front. I thought about doing the greyish area when closed, but then I released its the entire top portion of the base when open.

I guess whenever I bite the bullet and buy the retail disk, I will grab a hard drive as well. Just knock it all out at once. I'm looking at HD's right now, and I see the PATA's from WD ranging about 100-150 with 5400RPM with like 260Gb, but then I see Seagates Satas for around $80 that are 500gb (I've always liked seagates) that are SATA 3G/s 7200RPM.

What would be the better option?
Click to expand...

I wouldn't trust the PATA to SATA converter for my HD
 
You can also source one of the old rainbow coloured Apple stickers which look cool on the white macs. As for the keyboard keys, you would have to see whether they're:

A) The same size

and

B) have the same lever mechanism

You'll probably find they don't use the same mechanism but you could always paint/dye the keys.
 
Last edited:
Alright, So I'll stick with looking for a nice PATA. What speed should I be looking to get? 5400, or atleast a 7600?

The keys, I would perfer not to paint them, just because this layout feels much different than my PC keys, and i'm constantly looking down. Plus, I have problems with finding the apple key a lot, i'm used to the windows key!
 
CreationArt said:
Alright, So I'll stick with looking for a nice PATA. What speed should I be looking to get? 5400, or atleast a 7600?

The keys, I would perfer not to paint them, just because this layout feels much different than my PC keys, and i'm constantly looking down. Plus, I have problems with finding the apple key a lot, i'm used to the windows key!
Click to expand...

really it's not going to make much of a difference. Get quality at a good price.
 
My brother just saved my life. Hes sending me a 10.5 Leopard disk, as well as 2008 office. 2008 Office is the last year that supported PPC if I recall.
 
CreationArt said:
Alright, So I'll stick with looking for a nice PATA. What speed should I be looking to get? 5400, or atleast a 7600?

The keys, I would perfer not to paint them, just because this layout feels much different than my PC keys, and i'm constantly looking down. Plus, I have problems with finding the apple key a lot, i'm used to the windows key!
Click to expand...

Just buy the best value hard drive you can get in the largest capacity you can afford. It's an old machine, the speed of the drive is not going to make a significant difference unless you go for a PATA SSD from somewhere like Other World Computing.

http://eshop.macsales.com/search/IDEA ATA PATA SSD

As for the keys, you could also always try the stick on alternatives that you can get and maybe some clear spray.

----------
CreationArt said:
My brother just saved my life. Hes sending me a 10.5 Leopard disk, as well as 2008 office. 2008 Office is the last year that supported PPC if I recall.
Click to expand...

Yep it also opens the new XTML documents as well that are needed for Office 2007 and onwards compatibility.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back