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BlackBook for $50!

ptdebate

ptdebate

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jul 3, 2014
333
4
Dallas, Texas
Hi all,

I bought an early BlackBook for the low, low price of $57! It's missing a few things: Hard drive and caddy, battery, and power supply. According to the seller, it powers on with the "?" icon (obviously given the lack of HDD).

Listing: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Apple-MacBo...=1&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&maxbid=100.#viTabs_0

A picture of the bottom is attached below. Anyone want to help me figure out what parts I need? :D

P.S. Mods, kindly do not move this to another thread as the PowerPC Macs thread is pretty much the defacto "Vintage Macs" board. :)
 

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Oh Very Nice a core 2 duo one heh I have an identical one i was given too for free by some one it had never been opened or upgraded was still running tiger even... all you need for that machine is the RAM and HDD L bracket cover the HDD caddy and obviously a HDD and battery heh
 
Have a look at the teardowns on iFixit.

At minimum you're missing the mount for the hard drive, plus there's a L-shaped cover with (I think) three screws that covers the HDD and RAM slots around the battery.
 
Okay, I think I found everything.

The same seller is listing several hdd caddy/L-shaped cover bundles that fit this Mac for about $10. I also have a spare 128GB SSD and it looks like I'll be able to pick up an offbrand battery and charger for $20 each.
 
ptdebate said:
Okay, I think I found everything.

The same seller is listing several hdd caddy/L-shaped cover bundles that fit this Mac for about $10. I also have a spare 128GB SSD and it looks like I'll be able to pick up an offbrand battery and charger for $20 each.
Click to expand...

Surely if you're buying all of this, the MacBook isn't cheap after all? $57 + $20 + $20 + $10 + $70 (SSD) = roughly $180 depending on SSD price.
And the laptop itself isn't in very good condition either...
But - still an OK deal!
 
Black Macbooks are very nice machines. A pity they stopped at Lion. I literally found a box of them at work today all running 10.4.11. They haven't been turned on since 2008. Apparently they were all written off as stolen or missing and promptly forgotten about.
 
Intell said:
Black Macbooks are very nice machines. A pity they stopped at Lion. I literally found a box of them at work today all running 10.4.11. They haven't been turned on since 2008. Apparently they were all written off as stolen or missing and promptly forgotten about.
Click to expand...

Care to sell any?
 
Intell said:
Black Macbooks are very nice machines. A pity they stopped at Lion. I literally found a box of them at work today all running 10.4.11. They haven't been turned on since 2008. Apparently they were all written off as stolen or missing and promptly forgotten about.
Click to expand...


I would buy one too, as long as it's not too much money.
 
I remain convinced that the black Macbook is one of the best laptops Apple has ever made.

The plastic in them has a very different feel from any I've encountered on a laptop. It's soft and sort of rubbery, not cold and slick like the white Macbooks, nor is it course like many Windows laptops.

The C2D models are still fairly useable today, even though they can't officially run anything newer than Lion. Mine flies with 4gb RAM, Lion, and an SSD. It was nearly as fast even running with 2gb RAM.

Mine always gets comments when I use it out in public.
 
keremtezcan said:
Surely if you're buying all of this, the MacBook isn't cheap after all? $57 + $20 + $20 + $10 + $70 (SSD) = roughly $180 depending on SSD price.
And the laptop itself isn't in very good condition either...
But - still an OK deal!
Click to expand...

It's a cheapo SSD that I got free with something else. So it's still pretty cheap in my estimation.

Intell said:
Black Macbooks are very nice machines. A pity they stopped at Lion. I literally found a box of them at work today all running 10.4.11. They haven't been turned on since 2008. Apparently they were all written off as stolen or missing and promptly forgotten about.
Click to expand...

I'd happily buy a couple of these from you if you're selling!
 
Altemose said:
Care to sell any?
Click to expand...

Gamer9430 said:
I would buy one too, as long as it's not too much money.
Click to expand...

ptdebate said:
I'd happily buy a couple of these from you if you're selling!
Click to expand...

I'm not sure you'd want them. They were all CoreDuos with unusable batteries. Cases were in fairly good condition as were their matte screens. No MagSafes or other stuff was found with them.

eyoungren said:
He probably would if that were possible, but they are I would think still owned by the company he works for.
Click to expand...

They were replaced through insurance as they were assumed stolen. Their serial numbers have been struck from our inventory, not decommissioned as they should have been, because of this. They'll likely be re-inventoried and given to entry level people for lending/mobile purposes with workable batteries from our internal used stock. Probably be used to finally phase out the last of our struggling 12" Powerbooks currently used for that purpose.
 
Intell said:
I'm not sure you'd want them. They were all CoreDuos with unusable batteries. Cases were in fairly good condition as were their matte screens. No MagSafes or other stuff was found with them.







They were replaced through insurance as they were assumed stolen. Their serial numbers have been struck from our inventory, not decommissioned as they should have been, because of this. They'll likely be re-inventoried and given to entry level people for lending/mobile purposes with workable batteries from our internal used stock. Probably be used to finally phase out the last of our struggling 12" Powerbooks currently used for that purpose.
Click to expand...


Wow, that kinda changed my mind, however I found a "broken" 08 C2D MB for 45 on eBay with free shipping. I'm going to ask for 35. The repairs require new ram, a battery, and a HDD. He said that it beeps when he turns it on, which points to faulty RAM. Other than that, the computer looks like it's in great condition. I would post the link here, but I would kick myself if someone were to buy it. Anyway, I asked him to clarify on any other cosmetic issues like a broken screen, so I should get a reply soon.
 
Intell said:
I'm not sure you'd want them. They were all CoreDuos with unusable batteries. Cases were in fairly good condition as were their matte screens. No MagSafes or other stuff was found with them.
Click to expand...


I have a spare MagSafe and a new BlackBook battery here. If you do get to sell one off let me know! A Core Duo will still run OS X Snow Leopard which is plenty for a basic network technician machine which I can use in the server room at school!
 
What's with all you PPC people switching over to Intel macs :mad:

Just kidding. For me PPC is fun, but I use the internet too much to rely on a PPC. The internet is "doable" on a G5 (and I sure plenty of G4's), but so much more pleasant on an Intel.
 
A.Goldberg said:
What's with all you PPC people switching over to Intel macs :mad:



Just kidding. For me PPC is fun, but I use the internet too much to rely on a PPC. The internet is "doable" on a G5 (and I sure plenty of G4's), but so much more pleasant on an Intel.
Click to expand...


For the record, I have 11 macs, and only one for right now is an Intel Mac...
 
A.Goldberg said:
What's with all you PPC people switching over to Intel macs :mad:
Click to expand...

Just cause we have it doesn't mean we are switching :p

PPC is great, and I will continue to collect them but there are many things Intel macs have an advantage over.

I use my iMac for game developing,Youtube,Steam, and light(VERY LIGHT) gaming. Sadly, PPC doesn't support most of these things.:(
 
Gamer9430 said:
For the record, I have 11 macs, and only one for right now is an Intel Mac...
Click to expand...
Looks like you're trying to compensate for that Intel Mac :p . As my grandmother would say, "Oifen gonif brent dos hitter" - A guilty man is always self conscious.

iModFrenzy said:
Just cause we have it doesn't mean we are switching :p
Click to expand...

You will soon get attached to the speed and compatibility of Intel. Hypnotized and entranced by the smooth playing youtube videos and appearance of a more modern OS. The expanded compatibility will draw you in and make you stay. The ease and comfort brought to your soul is like that shot of lorazepam to the jugular vein. Trackpad gestures and desktop iMessaging will stimulate your fingers and change everything you though you knew about communication. The new processors will seduce you like sirens drawing sailors towards a rocky shore. Their ship shall crash and forever be exiled from the land of PPC, stranded for eternity on the Island of Intel. Lost in space and time, PPC will become mere legend and eventually forgotten all together.

I've been awake for 36 hours straight.
 
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A.Goldberg said:
What's with all you PPC people switching over to Intel macs :mad:

Just kidding. For me PPC is fun, but I use the internet too much to rely on a PPC. The internet is "doable" on a G5 (and I sure plenty of G4's), but so much more pleasant on an Intel.
Click to expand...

I have one intel mac pro, 3 68k, and 25 powerpc macs of various types.
 
Nothing wrong with trying various Apple products in your daily life. I go from my iPhone 6, my iPad 3, to my Macbook Pro 2011 and Mac Pro 1,1 for bigger tasks. then for fun it could be any number of other older products from 128k Macintosh to Power Mac MDD Dual 1.42. Just enjoy what you have and never overthink it.
 
Ih8reno said:
Nothing wrong with trying various Apple products in your daily life. I go from my iPhone 6, my iPad 3, to my Macbook Pro 2011 and Mac Pro 1,1 for bigger tasks. then for fun it could be any number of other older products from 128k Macintosh to Power Mac MDD Dual 1.42. Just enjoy what you have and never overthink it.
Click to expand...


I completely agree with this. I enjoy using every computer I have, and if I didn't, I wouldn't be collecting them.
 
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