PowerBook G4 Upgrade advice

[oldg4]

Hi folks:
I have a 2001 PowerBook G4, aluminum, 256 MB RAM/20 GB HD, OS 9.2.2.It doesn't have an Airport card.

I’d like to use it for basic wireless stuff like getting my email and web surfing.
What's the least I can do to get (nonweb) email and web surfing?
(It's got some issues so I'd rather not put a lot of $$ into it).
(I currently also use a ThinkPad for home use, but want to use the Mac for travel, so much lighter and so sleek!)

Can I use a regular Airport card (or Extreme?).
Do I need to upgrade to OSX, or can I still use 9.2.2?
Thanks for your suggestions!

 

[max¥¥]

Hi folks:
I have a 2001 PowerBook G4, aluminum, 256 MB RAM/20 GB HD, OS 9.2.2.It doesn't have an Airport card.

I’d like to use it for basic wireless stuff like getting my email and web surfing.
What's the least I can do to get (nonweb) email and web surfing?
(It's got some issues so I'd rather not put a lot of $$ into it).
(I currently also use a ThinkPad for home use, but want to use the Mac for travel, so much lighter and so sleek!)

Can I use a regular Airport card (or Extreme?).
Do I need to upgrade to OSX, or can I still use 9.2.2?
Thanks for your suggestions!

Put a bit more ram (786mb to 1gb) in + a airport card (regular, extreme won't work) and OSX 10.4 and it will fly for what you want to use it for, heck im using my 500mhz ibook g3 for just what you wan to use it for and it works grate, just don't expect to be able to play youtube on it

 

[jchase2057]

Definitely max out the ram. New hard drive would help. Airport cards are kind of expensive these days at like 30 or so bucks. If its a 2001 powerbook then its titanium not aluminum. Depending on your budget you can make that a very capable machine. Biggest downside would be the video card.

 

[kellen]

Ram is going to make the biggest difference in that machine. HD only if you need the space.

 

[oldg4]

Thanks!

Thanks, you guys are great! You're right, it is the Titanium. It looks like I can get an Airport card for about $35, I can add 512 MB RAM for about $30. Not sure best way to upgrade to OSX, and can I do any OS X, or does it need to be a specific version?
Any tips on where I can buy stuff (used is fine,as long as it's legal) much appreciated.
This should be fun! : )

 

[jchase2057]

Macsales.com or newegg.com is a good place to get parts or craigslist for used stuff. You could run leopard using leopard assist although it would be kind of slow. What is the cpu clockspeed? 10.4 would probably be best unless you need 10.5. If you want to try leopard definitely max the ram. I know people that use 10.5 on their tibooks but ive never used one to say first hand. If your powerbook has a dvd drive then thats the easiest way to install os x. If not then target disk mode with another mac will do the trick.

 

[tom vilsack]

Ram is going to make the biggest difference in that machine. HD only if you need the space.

wrong on hd....

ram yes (the max the better),but also a newer harddrive will make a world of difference....example: on my macmini 1.25 with it's stock 40 gig hd ,leopard was slow...but with new samsung 160 gig drive it made all the difference...leopard became very useable....and tiger flew....don't underlook the difference a new drive will make....

 

[jchase2057]

wrong on hd....

ram yes (the max the better),but also a newer harddrive will make a world of difference....example: on my macmini 1.25 with it's stock 40 gig hd ,leopard was slow...but with new samsung 160 gig drive it made all the difference...leopard became very useable....and tiger flew....don't underlook the difference a new drive will make....

Same with the ibook in my sig

 

[sim667]

M powerbook g4 is painfully slow, do you reckon its worth chucking a load of ram in, its got a gb in at the moment?

 

[jchase2057]

A good rule of thumb is if it can hold more then add more.

 

[zen.state]

I would say that out of all the operating systems on the planet that OS X is the one that benefits from RAM upgrades the most. Simply because it likes to gobble it all up to make everything you do as fast as possible.

As some have also mentioned a newer/bigger/faster hard drive will help the performance and give you more space to breathe.

You never mentioned the CPU speed..

 

[max¥¥]

Thanks, you guys are great! You're right, it is the Titanium. It looks like I can get an Airport card for about $35, I can add 512 MB RAM for about $30. Not sure best way to upgrade to OSX, and can I do any OS X, or does it need to be a specific version?
Any tips on where I can buy stuff (used is fine,as long as it's legal) much appreciated.
This should be fun! : )

You will want 10.4 on it, take a look on ebay for it, also make sure you don't get a gray disk (as those are machine specific)
you want one that looks like this:

Not like this: