Help with iBook troubles! HDD swapping advice needed

[Chris14]

I've been having some bad luck with iBooks at the moment, logic board failures, my sister dropping one, and now a failing hard drive.
So here's the situation:

Currently have one 14-inch G3 iBook (900mhz model) with a bad logic board. Too costly to repair it, although fixed it for a day with some dodgy techniques
Pretty much given up on this baby, but my sister's boyfriend has a 12-inch G4 iBook (800mhz model) and it's hard drive is failing. He has asked me for my help in fixing it or at least salvaging his files. Managed after a scary few hours to back up all his files, but now can't even mount or format the hard drive. Ran TechTool Pro and Diskwarrior, both reported that the hard drive is failing.

So: My question to you is this, Is it possible for me to take out the (fully functional) HDD from the 14-inch G3 iBook and put it into the G4 iBook?

Advice and comments gladly appreciated, I would love to do this before the weekend because his 21st is coming up (could be part of my gift!)

Thanks,

Chris

 

[Chris14]

No-one knows if this will work?
I will try it anyway tonight and post back here so others in similar situations can learn.

 

[bluedoggiant]

It will work fine.

 

[krye]

Both are ATA drives. You should be OK.

 

[OrangeSVTguy]

I've been having some bad luck with iBooks at the moment, logic board failures, my sister dropping one, and now a failing hard drive.
...

Heh! I've had the same exact problems.

Removing the hard drive from your iBook G3 and installing in your friends iBook G4 will work fine. Just be prepared(if you haven't done it already) for a long day. It's gonna take you a few hours to do the swap.

 

[Chris14]

Thanks OrangeSVTguy,
Yeah, I've been busy over Easter, but will set aside a day or two to do it. I've taken iBooks apart before, but never right down to the HD, only to try and fix basic logic board issues... this will be a shocker!
I will post back with results eventually.

 

[d_and_n5000]

Good luck - those things are nasty to break into. Glad its you and not me.

 

[Wireless Buddy]

Good luck - those things are nasty to break into. Glad its you and not me.

It's not too bad. I got my iBook G3 apart in half an hour.

 

[OrangeSVTguy]

One thing to help you along the way since every screw is pretty much a different size, cut a bunch of pieces of electrical tape and when you remove a screw, use a piece of the tape to hold the screw in it's corresponding location. I can swap a hard drive on an iBook in an hour. Good luck!