How to push an iBook G4 1Ghz to the limit?

[Buffsteria]

I've already installed Mac OSX 10.5.8 Leopard, RAM is maxed out...what else can I do to accelerate this Mac? I'm thinking SSD. I wonder if it'll improve a lot?

I just found out about TenFourFox so I'll be replacing Camino with it.

I'm guessing there's no CPU upgrades of any kind?

 

[miles01110]

I'm guessing there's no CPU upgrades of any kind?

Nope.

 

[alexreich]

I've already installed Mac OSX 10.5.8 Leopard, RAM is maxed out...what else can I do to accelerate this Mac? I'm thinking SSD. I wonder if it'll improve a lot?

I just found out about TenFourFox so I'll be replacing Camino with it.

I'm guessing there's no CPU upgrades of any kind?

As far as I know, there are no CPU upgrades for the iBooks or PowerBook G4s. If you've maxed out the RAM, loaded Leopard, installed all of the latest Software Updates from Apple, and use TenFourFox, I think that you've peaked out performance-wise on your iBook. I'm pretty sure the only difference you'll gain from an SSD is a bit faster boot time, faster app launching, and quicker file copying/duplication (i.e. making a duplicate of a file or folder will be much faster with an SSD).

 

[California]

I've already installed Mac OSX 10.5.8 Leopard, RAM is maxed out...what else can I do to accelerate this Mac? I'm thinking SSD. I wonder if it'll improve a lot?

I just found out about TenFourFox so I'll be replacing Camino with it.

I'm guessing there's no CPU upgrades of any kind?

Well, if it's a 12" iBook, you could swap in a 1.2ghz logic board and if it's a 14" iBook you could swap in the 1.2 or a 1.33ghz logic board.

The final revision iBook motherboards would not work in any 1 ghz iBook.

The SSD is an option, but I'd check the specs to make sure.

I have had great luck with my PPC laptops by just getting either the 250gb or 320 gb PATA hard drives. If your iBOok has the original hd, DEFINITELY swap it out, they are slow. I have a few extra new drives if that's interesting to you. Oh and when I would put new hard drives in iBooks, I'd usually also put in a faster better superdrive that burns dvds.

 

[Lil Chillbil]

Swapping out the motherboard would realy bring new life into your computer. Mostly because it will be a new computer

 

[Buffsteria]

Thanks for the replies. I think I'm going to upgrade the stock hard drive if I find a guide online.

Edit: I found the iFixit guide. Wow that's a lot of steps.
http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/iBook-G4-14-Inch-933-MHz-1-33-GHz-Hard-Drive-Replacement/189/1

Another question, didn't the power button use to have a white LED light behind it, or am I thinking of something else? The power button on my iBook doesn't light up.

 

[Lil Chillbil]

No the older ones didn't glow

 

[01mggt]

For sure get an SSD. King Spec makes PATA IDE drives for our old powermacs. I bought a 64gb one and anything disk related is almost instant. However, make sure you don't buy one of the king spec drives with a JMicron controller. The one I bought said SM controller (which is a Samsung) and it has it's on garbage collection built in and stuff so the lack of TRIM support won't be a factor.

 

[Buffsteria]

I'll certainly need a new battery as the original one no longer holds a charge.

I don't know if the $99 battery sold by OWC is any better than the Chinese ones selling on eBay for $20.

 

[quasinormal]

10.4 or even 10.3 will run much better than 10.5.

 

[MAC MAN JW]

I've already installed Mac OSX 10.5.8 Leopard, RAM is maxed out...what else can I do to accelerate this Mac? I'm thinking SSD. I wonder if it'll improve a lot?

I just found out about TenFourFox so I'll be replacing Camino with it.

I'm guessing there's no CPU upgrades of any kind?

Disable spotlight and dashboard if you don't use them that will free up the ram and cpu. you can disable them with onyx (Make sure to download the leopard version) http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/11582/onyx

 

[Imixmuan]

I've already installed Mac OSX 10.5.8 Leopard, RAM is maxed out...what else can I do to accelerate this Mac? I'm thinking SSD. I wonder if it'll improve a lot?

I just found out about TenFourFox so I'll be replacing Camino with it.

I'm guessing there's no CPU upgrades of any kind?

TenFourFox has taken a major hit in speed since version 8. Not Kaiser's fault, likely has to do with Mozilla's Javascript interpeter. Tenfourfox will be more up to date but you might find Camino zippier.

If you haven't already you also might want to check out Omniweb 5.11. It has a more modern webkit. On Tiger I find it the fastest stable browser. And since you have 10.5 you also have Leopard webkit and even Stainless.