Macbook Pro 2007 Project or Not?

[mata.morrison]

Hi all, I'm pretty new to this forum hello! I have never owned a Mac or MacBook, got an iPad 1, iPhone 3gs and a few iPods but never a machine so this is really new to me.

I have just picked up a faulty MacBook Pro 17inch, with the intention on getting it up and running (hopefully cheaply) as I got it for nothing, so it’s a good start already. I'm not really sure where to start, I think it’s a 2007 model, whether it's an early or a late I don’t know. Under the battery cover it says it's '2.4Ghz/2x2g/250/sd/hi-res glsy/fce/aex-gbr'. So I know the cpu speed, RAM it had and hard drive, hi-res glossy screen but not sure of the rest.

What I have been told about it from the previous owner (another techie in the office, who got it to repair and didn't ever get round to it) is that the Motherboard is finished, battery is finished, no power supply and no RAM. Also there is no HDD in it so I assume I would have to acquire a license of OSX? Or will there be a license sticker similar to windows somewhere?
Basically is there any point working on this or am I better off just leaving it alone? I want to try and do this to a small budget. At the moment I have a 2008 Dell Vostro 1700 CORE 2 DUO, 2.00GHz with 3Gb Ram and with 256 MB NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT, so that's not a bad laptop, will the MacBook be more powerful? I know it all depends on the specs etc.

As I am new to Mac there may be a good few stupid questions! Be gentle haha

 

[miles01110]

It's not worth your money or time to fix that machine.

 

[Moriarty]

If you have to come here to ask, then it's probably not a good idea... especially if the motherboard is gone. Though if it isn't, it's a cheap fix. Here's how to find out...

It's almost certain that your Dell's RAM is compatible. Pop a stick of RAM into the Macbook Pro, and find a friend with an OS X installation DVD (retail version) and borrow their Magsafe adapter. See if it will boot up with the DVD. If it does, all you need is to get your own power adapter, battery if you want to run it off the wall, some RAM and a hard drive. If it doesn't, the motherboard is probably fried so you're out of luck.

If the above sounds out of your depth, then just sell it on eBay.

 

[d3bruts1d]

It sounds like a late 2007 MacBook Pro BTO based on this information: http://support.apple.com/kb/SP13

If that is it, then MacBook Pro has a faster CPU and same GPU as your Dell. So on those two components, it would be more powerful. However, you have to take into consideration the memory and HDD you add to it. You are looking at a few hundred bucks to finish it up, with no guarantee that it will actually work. In the end, it's still a 5 year old system.

As far as the OS is concerned, the MacBook should have included a OS X DVD which is model specific. If you don't have that, you will need to pick up the OS X Lion USB thumb drive or Snow Leopard DVD... or wait 3-4 weeks and hope they release a OS X Mountain Lion thumb drive when it is released.

If it works it wouldn't be a bad system for you to use to get familiar with OS X. Then you could give it to a family member for surfing / school and get you a new system.

 

[mata.morrison]

Ok thanks so far guys.

Well I still haven't been put off doing it... yet! So HDD I can pick up for nothing, should have one lying around, RAM I should be able to find around the place. So needs will be PSU, MOBO/Logic board, and OS X.

Reading on the Mac store, I would have to buy OSX Snow Leopard (10.6) and then upgrade to Lion... so that would be about £81 (I think 10.6 would be fine for starters)

 

[MagicBoy]

No harm in borrowing some DDR2 ram and a PSU to test it.

If the logic board (motherboard) is busted then skip it, or break for parts.

 

[d3bruts1d]

So needs will be PSU, MOBO/Logic board, and OS X.

Ahh.. when I read the OP I thought you had a motherboard. You would probably end up spending more than you want just to get the motherboard for the system. As MagicBoy I'd borrow a power supply, and pop in some memory and a hard drive just to see if you can get it to do anything or verify the motherboard is dead.

If it is, then I'd trash it.

 

[mata.morrison]

Hi there, yea I do have the board, I'm not used to the terms for these things and the fact CPU/GPU is comes pre-installed haha.

So will see how it goes, away on holiday for the next few days so when I'm home will see if I can gather together a PSU and memory. It's highly likely this won't be going very far at all....

 

[MagicBoy]

Odds are it's a late 2007 machine, with the infamously unreliable GeForce 8600M GT. Most machines went back for a replacement logic board under recall, off the top of my head it was a 4 year extension so it'll be out now.

There's no upgradable/replaceable parts on the logic board - CPU/GPU are soldered on.

 

[charlieroberts]

search on these forums, people have put those boards into the oven, and they get another couple of months out of the machines, even longer.

Its pretty easy, and a lot of fun.

 

[medi.freak]

please keep this thread updated! I love these stories. Hope you'll get it to work!

 

[mata.morrison]

search on these forums, people have put those boards into the oven, and they get another couple of months out of the machines, even longer.

Its pretty easy, and a lot of fun.

Been away on holiday for a while and just come back to this, will have to do a bit of digging. I do hope to get it up and running even if it is just to sell.

I have also managed to pick up a Powerbook G4 for nothing, should only need a hard drive and OSx put on to get going (Will OSx work? I'm not sure) It's a 15" 1.6Mhz.

 

[charlieroberts]

Been away on holiday for a while and just come back to this, will have to do a bit of digging. I do hope to get it up and running even if it is just to sell.

I have also managed to pick up a Powerbook G4 for nothing, should only need a hard drive and OSx put on to get going (Will OSx work? I'm not sure) It's a 15" 1.6Mhz.

Its none of my business, but if you do try to sell it, do inform the buyer of the procedure that was done on the laptop, it may not last too long. Or sell it to best buy

The powerbook will work with OSX, up to leopard. Its still somewhat useful for certain things.

 

[mata.morrison]

Its none of my business, but if you do try to sell it, do inform the buyer of the procedure that was done on the laptop, it may not last too long. Or sell it to best buy

The powerbook will work with OSX, up to leopard. Its still somewhat useful for certain things.

Thanks for the comment, at this moment I have had to put the project on hold, just too much money involved in something that may not be worth it in the log run with a baby due in three weeks time I can definitely put the money to better use!