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Best place to get PB hardrive installed?
- Thread starter Brandhaus
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I'm not sure about where, but I was at an Apple repair centre on Saturday and they said to replace the drive on a powerbook is around AU$250, which for me would have been more than I paid for my new 160GB drive in the first place!
I actually replaced it myself in the end using the iFixit guide. I had the same fears as you, but aside from one issue with a rounded screw, it went absolutely fine.
If you're ok with screws and screwdrivers and your laptop is out of warranty, I'd really recommend replacing it yourself - just make sure you use high quality screwdrivers (can be bought for not much at all!).
> Best place to get PB hardrive installed?
Inside of the Powerbook...
If you don't want to tackle it yourself, I would take it to an independent Apple dealer. They'll charge you probably $40 - $80, more if you want them to transfer your data as well (time consuming)
Inside of the Powerbook...
If you don't want to tackle it yourself, I would take it to an independent Apple dealer. They'll charge you probably $40 - $80, more if you want them to transfer your data as well (time consuming)
Thanks for the quick replies!
My hardrive is fine, I just didn't get the BTO 7200 RPM drive, and want to get every possible speed boost I can. I don't mind the decreased battery life, but I also don't want to ruin my powerbook! I would pay the $40 to $80 to have someone do it. I will just have to find an authorized reseller. I think CompUSA has techs that would do it, but i'm not sure I trust them!
My hardrive is fine, I just didn't get the BTO 7200 RPM drive, and want to get every possible speed boost I can. I don't mind the decreased battery life, but I also don't want to ruin my powerbook! I would pay the $40 to $80 to have someone do it. I will just have to find an authorized reseller. I think CompUSA has techs that would do it, but i'm not sure I trust them!
Its actually pretty easy. If you follow directions well, move slowly and
don't try to force anything, you should have no problems replacing your
hard drive. As you are following the instructions, make sure you tape
the small parts onto sheets of paper with part sizes and step numbers
written on them.
I've replaced drives in 4 or 5 powerbooks. The 12" ones are by far the
toughest. Lots more parts to take out.
In addition to putting a 160GB drive in my 15" powerbook, I replaced the
optical drive with one of these. It went very smoothly, and works perfectly.
The only problem I've had is that Apple's DVD Player application doesn't
seem to want to recognize DVDs in my now external superdrive. Other
players, like VLC work fine with the external superdrive.
I now have a >300GB powerbook!
don't try to force anything, you should have no problems replacing your
hard drive. As you are following the instructions, make sure you tape
the small parts onto sheets of paper with part sizes and step numbers
written on them.
I've replaced drives in 4 or 5 powerbooks. The 12" ones are by far the
toughest. Lots more parts to take out.
In addition to putting a 160GB drive in my 15" powerbook, I replaced the
optical drive with one of these. It went very smoothly, and works perfectly.
The only problem I've had is that Apple's DVD Player application doesn't
seem to want to recognize DVDs in my now external superdrive. Other
players, like VLC work fine with the external superdrive.
I now have a >300GB powerbook!
Yeah that's definitely a good suggestion. I used a baking tray with 12 cups to separate all the different screws from different sides.
I was wondering about this. I guess it's a lot more crammed in than the bigger models.
I'd love to have a 12" PowerBook as a travel machine.
The parts are pretty much shoehorned in on all of them. The difference
is in the design. In the 12" powerbook, the hard drive mounting bracket
is partially beneath an internal frame that requires you to remove almost
everything in the machine before you can get to the hard drive. On
the larger models, the drive sits outside of the internal frame.
Do they have 300GB laptop-drives or did you cram a full-sized/multiple ones in there?
Replaced the original drive with 160GB. Replaced optical drive with
160GB. Total = 320GB. But no onboard optical drive...