Apple PowerBook 12" 1.5GHz (2005)

[ExclusiveMac]

Howdy !!!

I own an Apple PowerBook 12" 1.5GHz model 2005, and I would like to know from the owners of this model or from other users that know a lot about PowerPC, what I can do with this model in 2021?

I recently upgrade it to Max Ram 1.25GB, 128GB SSD via adapter internally, completely clean inside and outside.

Thermal Paste replaced on CPU and GPU with Thermal Grizzly.

I have 2 partitions with Tiger and Leopard but don't know what apps and games I can use with these 2 operating systems if someone can recommend some apps. I usually edit videos and photos, play some lite games.

I would like to know as well what other operating systems I can use with this model, the ones that are supported on PowerPC.

Regarding Windows is possible only via VirtualPC? and only Windows XP?

I would like to install Linux on it, to give it more life, what you recommend?

 

[Dronecatcher]

I'll let others chime in with suggestions - but if you search the forum for something you want to do you'll get lots of info.

In respect to Virtual PC, 2000, 98 and 95 ran well on mine as long as you restricted yourself to the limitations of a Pentium running at 133Mhz - XP can be installed and run but is very slow, if you must use Micro XP.

DosBox is also available but make she you use the one from the TenFourFox developer site.

 

[Amethyst1]

I recently upgrade it to Max Ram 1.25GB, 128GB SSD via adapter internally, completely clean inside and outside.

Replacing the thermal paste on the CPU and GPU is also highly recommended as it will have dried up after all these years, and these machines tend to run hot.

I have 2 partitions with Tiger and Leopard but don't know what apps and games I can use with these 2 operating systems if someone can recommend some apps.

The Tiger Thread (Mac OS X 10.4)

Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger Supported PowerPC Hardware: iMac G3 with FireWire iMac DV iMac G4 iMac G5 eMac G4 Mac mini G4 Power Mac G3 Blue & White Power Mac G4 Power Mac G4 Cube Power Mac G5 Xserve G4 Xserve G5 iBook G3 Clamshell with FireWire, Snow PowerBook G3 with FireWire PowerBook G4 Titanium...

forums.macrumors.com

The Leopard Thread

Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard Supported hardware eMac iBook G4 iMac G4 iMac G5 iMac Core Duo iMac Core 2 Duo (excluding "Late 2009" and "Mid 2010" models) PowerBook G4 Power Mac G4 Power Mac G5 MacBook (pre-2010) MacBook Pro (pre-2010) MacBook Air (pre-2010) Mac Pro (pre-2010) Mac Mini (pre-2010)...

forums.macrumors.com

The key is optimising OS X, especially Leopard, for the hardware you have. For example, the GPU lacks Core Image so the CPU has to handle that, and that causes a performance hit in Leopard. Turn off anything you don't need (e.g. the 3D Dock, UI animations, Dashboard etc.). I know others will disagree with me but I'd stick to Tiger on a 12". Leopard is only worth it with a CI-capable GPU IMHO.

Regarding Windows is possible only via VirtualPC? and only Windows XP?

You can run Windows 3.1 all the way up to 7 in VPC7, but 7 will be unspeakably slow. As mentioned, XP is already pushing it. I'd not bother torturing the machine with VPC/Windows - use an x86 system for that and stick to PPC-native applications on the PowerBook.

 

[ExclusiveMac]

Replacing the thermal paste on the CPU and GPU is also highly recommended as it will have dried up after all these years, and these machines tend to run hot.

The Tiger Thread (Mac OS X 10.4)

Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger Supported PowerPC Hardware: iMac G3 with FireWire iMac DV iMac G4 iMac G5 eMac G4 Mac mini G4 Power Mac G3 Blue & White Power Mac G4 Power Mac G4 Cube Power Mac G5 Xserve G4 Xserve G5 iBook G3 Clamshell with FireWire, Snow PowerBook G3 with FireWire PowerBook G4 Titanium...

forums.macrumors.com

The Leopard Thread

Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard Supported hardware eMac iBook G4 iMac G4 iMac G5 iMac Core Duo iMac Core 2 Duo (excluding "Late 2009" and "Mid 2010" models) PowerBook G4 Power Mac G4 Power Mac G5 MacBook (pre-2010) MacBook Pro (pre-2010) MacBook Air (pre-2010) Mac Pro (pre-2010) Mac Mini (pre-2010)...

forums.macrumors.com

The key is optimising OS X, especially Leopard, for the hardware you have. For example, the GPU lacks Core Image so the CPU has to handle that, and that causes a performance hit in Leopard. Turn off anything you don't need (e.g. the 3D Dock, UI animations, Dashboard etc.). I know others will disagree with me but I'd stick to Tiger on a 12". Leopard is only worth it with a CI-capable GPU IMHO.


You can run Windows 3.1 all the way up to 7 in VPC7, but 7 will be unspeakably slow. As mentioned, XP is already pushing it. I'd not bother torturing the machine with VPC/Windows - use an x86 system for that and stick to PPC-native applications on the PowerBook.

Thank you for the suggestions, I forgot to mention, but yes also the thermal paste I replaced with Thermal Grizzly.

How exactly I can turn off 3D Dock, UI animations, Dashboard, etc.?

What Linux do you recommend use on it?

 

[Amethyst1]

How exactly I can turn off 3D Dock, UI animations, Dashboard, etc.?

OnyX will allow you to do that comfortably. Direct link to Leopard version:

https://www.titanium-software.fr/download/105/OnyX.dmg

What Linux do you recommend use on it?

Now that's highly dependent on personal preference and intended uses, but to get started, I'd have a look at @wicknix excellent Lubuntu remixes - 12.04 is older but faster, 16.04 gives you newer software while sacrificing some speed. Both can be downloaded here:

Lubuntu 16.04 Remix (updated)

2023 update For anybody still using this (16.04 v2) i created a tutorial with some extra files to extend the life of it. Basically we change the sources.list to Debians (since Ubuntu's repo is dead) and make a few changes to allow packages to be updated and installable again. Download it here...

forums.macrumors.com

 

[ExclusiveMac]

Nice, is there other Linux distros that I can use? Like MX Linux, Mint, Zorin? Do they work on PPC?

They work native or via VirtualPC?

I know that in the past was a website with PPC Mint, not anymore, and one PPC Mint that I found is not booting from CD/DVD at all. Instead, another MacOS is booting properly. Do you know the cause?

 

[Amethyst1]

Nice, is there other Linux distros that I can use? Like MX Linux, Mint, Zorin? Do they work on PPC?

Mint PPC has recently reappeared. MX and Zorin don't work on PPC.

MintPPC project

Hi all, Let me introduce myself first. My name is Jeroen Diederen and I am the developer of MintPPC, which was quite a known project back in 2011. The idea of it was to have a solid Debian system, together with a lightweight desktop environment (LXDE) and a slick graphical layer on top of that...

forums.macrumors.com

They work native or via VirtualPC?

To be blunt: Don't even think about running a modern x86 Linux via VPC. Way too slow.

OpenBSD also runs well on PPC Macs.

The OpenBSD Wiki

OpenBSD is an alternative operating system to Linux and Mac OS X on the PowerPC platform. Save for Debian Sid, it is newer. It is by nature more secure due to its extremely extensive vetting and review of each line of code. It is inherently faster thanks to the lightweight kernel and lack of...

forums.macrumors.com

 

[repairedCheese]

Nice, is there other Linux distros that I can use? Like MX Linux, Mint, Zorin? Do they work on PPC?

They work native or via VirtualPC?

I know that in the past was a website with PPC Mint, not anymore, and one PPC Mint that I found is not booting from CD/DVD at all. Instead, another MacOS is booting properly. Do you know the cause?

Void Linux PPC is another alternative. It's sort of "hard mode" compared to something based on Ubuntu, but it's going to continue getting support after Lubuntu 16.04 loses support in April. It's more supported on a G5, with gaps in its 32-bit support, but it's an option. My understanding is that it's more of a "start from scratch" build, compared to anything based on Debian

Void Linux for PowerPC/Power ISA (unofficial)

voidlinux-ppc.org

Adelie Linux seems to be taking a similar approach as Void, but I know less about it, to be honest. Still, it's a newer option.

Adélie Linux | Welcome

www.adelielinux.org

And speaking of Debian, despite the fact that Ubuntu may be dropping PowerPC support, the distro it's based on seems to be continuing its support. Where you can get that, I have no idea off the top of my head or a quick Google search.

You do have options, but this is definitely the deep end of Linux, while Lubuntu is going to be fairly easy to install in comparison.

 

[eyoungren]

Windows 7 will install on VPC. I've done it.

Now, running Win 7 is a different story. If you're prepared to wait 10-20 minutes between clicking something and waiting for something to happen then okay, but, yeah, you can install it.

 

[Amethyst1]

Windows 7 will install on VPC. I've done it.

QEMU will run Windows 10 on PPC Macs. But... you name it.

 

[bobesch]

Ha, Linux might be fine, but I'd start with OSX. There's a cornucopia of options:
Leopard is the latest, most advanced version of OSX, but lacks of Classic support.
Tiger is much faster and you have the option of Classic-emulator for os9.
Best, to have at least two partitions: one for Leopard and one for Tiger/Classic (I have a third one for data too)
Basics:
G4FanControl: to adjust threshold for fan activity; Onyx/TinkerTool/ShadowKiller for GUI overhaul and better performance.
Web:
TenFourFox-Browser is the last stand for browsing on Tiger/Leopard. Can be pimped up with TFFPep and by running single-window-sessions via TFFBox.
WebKit for Leopard is the Safari-like latest browser upgrade.
Mail works as it is supposed to work.
Office:
MS Office '04 and '08; Office'01 (Classic); LibreOffce/OpenOffice; Print-To-PDF, PDF-merging; Apple iWorks'09
Paperless-Office/BatchOCR: DEVONthinkOffice
Graphic:
Paintbrush, Gimp, Adobe-stuff
Media:
iPhoto, QuickTime/VLC;
Connectivity:
ScreenSharing/VNC; FileSharing(AFP/SMB)/(S)FTP; webDAV
Fun: old games etc (look at Macintoshgarden)
and a lot more ...

 

[ervus]

I've tried a couple linux versions on a 12" powerbook but I never got very far. The nvidia graphics chip is not really supported I guess. The other powerbooks, ibooks, minis, etc. would probably work better with linux due to the better support for ATI graphics chips.