After ordering a newer macbook capable of running Sierra and getting the wrong product in the mail with NO help from where i ordered from, i've recieved a MacBook 2006 Core Duo in white. It is in basically new condition, no cracking, 70 charge cycles, and a fully functioning battery. My Question is this- is this machine worth anything? It is literally heating up horridly from typing this. Watching YouTube has the same result, and the machine obviously can't go past the good old yet incredibly unsupported Snow Leopard. Can I do anything to this machine to get it more modern software? Or if i sell it, is it worth any good value? or should i just keep it so as to preserve the condition? Thanks in advance!
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(Basically) Brand New MacBook Core Duo, 2006
- Thread starter spinnk
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I definitely wouldn't keep it, or expect much from selling it.
An 11 year old computer is pretty ancient.
Wow, talk about random.
I'm guessing that you're not really an enthusiast or a tinkerer -- unless you enjoy playing with old hardware (or are trying to get parts to repair another machine) your MacBook's not going to actually be of much practical use beyond use as a home server or a rig for using specialized software that won't run on 10.7+. (The overheating issue can likely be remedied with a reapplication of thermal paste, if you're so inclined.)
Edit: In my specific area, similarly spec'd MacBooks are going for about $50-100 on the used market, as a point of reference.
You could upgrade it to run a more modern version of OS X, but it would likely entail you replacing the motherboard with one from a 2009 A1181 MacBook (capable of running OS X up to 10.11). Then you'd have to get RAM for it too, since it's likely that the RAM from the old motherboard won't work in the new motherboard. By the end of that though, you'd might as well have invested all of that time, effort, and money in an actual new machine, or at least a more recent used MacBook.
My advice, if you don't really care all that much for it: sell it. Odds are there are probably junkers like myself in your area looking out for older MacBooks to use either for tinkering, repair or parts. eBay might be especially ideal for you. Heck, I might ask to buy it, if the shipping isn't too much...
I had a Macbook Pro at that time, that worked quite well under Linux. Maybe current Linux distros would support it better than Apple ? It could be worth investigating if you would like to tinker a bit. Of course, while doing so, expectations should be kept reasonable.
(btw, I have a 2009 Asus eeePC running Gentoo, that I use from time to time for text editing stuffs ---LaTeX and such).
(btw, I have a 2009 Asus eeePC running Gentoo, that I use from time to time for text editing stuffs ---LaTeX and such).
The upgrade you speak of isn't really applicable to the Macbook1,1 model, like the OP has. Too many internal changes have been made between the two models. At that point, it's better to just get a whole, working 2009 Macbook.
Hmm...I'm guessing it's because the positions of the holes for the mounting screws are probably different. I do know that the OP could at least swap it out for a Core 2 Duo MacBook motherboard, but that would only take them as far as 10.7.5. (Which would be better than 32-bit 10.6.8, but still far behind the times in terms of software support.)
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I'm pretty sure that a lighter version of Ubuntu, like Lubuntu would work just fine. Hell, if the OP has a copy of Windows lying around, they could use it as decent Windows 7/8 machine too.
Worth something? Not these days, but if you want to keep a hold of it in hopes of it being a collectors item someday, then maybe. Its only true value is that its the first edition of Intel powered notebooks. Without the box or other documentation, its not going to be worth that much though.