old g3 466mhz ibook questions

[moderniste]

My ibook g4 is dying slowly, but I can't afford a new laptop for another 2-3 months. The combo drive doesn't work and neither does the fan, which means the computer shuts itself off whenever it gets hot. It's off warranty and the repair is too expensive to be worthwhile.

I noticed the old graphite 466mhz g3 ibooks are inexpensive and can handle extra ram to run os X. I think one would meet my short-term needs for web surfing and email, but I have a few questions:

-- Are they cumbersome to use with an external hd? Would it take longer to move files from the laptop to the hd & vice versa? Could I play video files straight from the external hd?

-- It's a longshot, but is there any chance of replacing the screen with the one from my 12" g4 to get a higher resolution? (I know the answer is probably no, or someone would have done it already.)

-- Is it feasable to use photoshop or edit small movies from my camera on it? Not high-end work, just basic editing on digital photos/30-second home movies so I can put them online.

Thanks in advance for any answers!

 

[wdlove]

I have an iBook G3 500 MHz that runs Panther just fine, so it should be no problem.

Not really technical so not sure about the screen. You should check with Apple.

 

[LimeiBook86]

I have an iBook G3 500 MHz that runs Panther just fine, so it should be no problem.

Not really technical so not sure about the screen. You should check with Apple.

Apple would just tell you to buy a new iBook, haha. You can probably find the part for the fan and replace it yourself (if your into doing that sort of thing). I have a 466mhz iBook G3, the 800x600 display barrier is awful, if your going to be editing photos or video I think you should go for a G4. Maybe you can get your iBook repaired, http://www.pbparts.com and http://.wwwpbfixit.com are good sites for doing it yourself. Although Apple would charge more you can at least bring the iBook G4 to an Apple store and they can probably examine it for you and give you a repair estimate.

Good luck, hope you fix your iBook one way or another. The Clamshell G3 iBooks are nice but, I'd say try and fix the G4, it will DEFINETLY last you longer than a G3 iBook. Trust me I know

 

[kalisphoenix]

I have one. 800x600 doesn't bother me, but USB1.1 does. I do almost all of my work on it, no matter where I am... probably 90% of what I do with computers, I do with this one. So really, for your needs, a G3 iBook will be fine.

My suggestion is to 1) send me the G4

Nah, just rip it up a bit, switch out the combo drive, and trade fans. The worst that can happen is that it won't really be portable anymore, in which case you have a flat and wide Mac mini with a built-in screen. Sorta. I dunno. Anyway, that's what I'd do.

 

[moderniste]

Thanks for the input everyone!

I've already taken the g4 to Apple; they estimated over $550 for the repair. This ibook has been in and out for repairs ever since I bought it, and I don't think this particular machine is worth investing in. (The logic board has already been replaced twice!) I am definitely going to try to fix it myself -- thanks for the links! -- but in the event I cant get it working again, I'd like to have some backup until I can buy a new one.

So, I'll be pondering the g3. It's great to hear some of you are still using them! USB 1.1 does sound seriously annoying though...

 

[LimeiBook86]

Thanks for the input everyone!

I've already taken the g4 to Apple; they estimated over $550 for the repair. This ibook has been in and out for repairs ever since I bought it, and I don't think this particular machine is worth investing in. (The logic board has already been replaced twice!) I am definitely going to try to fix it myself -- thanks for the links! -- but in the event I cant get it working again, I'd like to have some backup until I can buy a new one.

So, I'll be pondering the g3. It's great to hear some of you are still using them! USB 1.1 does sound seriously annoying though...

Yeah USB 1.1 is horrible, I can't believe my Powerbook G4 12" doesn't have USB 2.0.

If you know what your doing you can repair the parts yourself. I just got an iBook G3 logic board off eBay for $80 which isn't bad. The only thing is opening the iBook is sort of a pain, I don't know abou the G4 iBooks but just be careful. If you use google you can find a iBook G4 service manual easy. There are a LOT of screws when opening laptops so just don't lose any...Oh and the video cable is VERY fragile (at least for the G3 models)...I broke mine and it's like $70 for a replacment. Good luck and be careful!



Also http://www.macresq.com and http://www.macsales.com sometimes have good parts too.