Un-Photogenic Macs (Battle-Scarred But Bootable)

[QSDP-User]

OK, here's a hat-tip to Gamer9430's Photogenic Macs thread.
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/photogenic-macs.1955506/

Many of us like these "Post your [Mac/Apple-related subject]. I know I do.
And many of us have beat-up older Macs or Apple devices that still boot (whether fully fit or half-witted).

1) So post a pic of a dirty, scratched-up, cracked, duct-taped, band-aided Mac BUT
one that STILL BOOTS to a desktop that will show something pleasing to the eye
(to offset that it's seen better days), or perhaps something relevant to that Mac itself.

2) Laptops & All-In-Ones are easiest to show themselves & the desktop. Towers will need a monitor in the pic (same pic or an additional pic) for the desktop boot requirement. Pathetic Apple keyboards (or mice even) will add visual bonus points

3) This is NOT eBay or craigslist so every single blemish disclosure is NOT REQUIRED to document.

4) Even though this is a PowerPC Forum, 68k pics have been posted in similar threads. I'll leave the Apple model/cpu type open.

5) Please don't post a pic of a stored stockpile of old Macs. Another thread could be started for that

My examples are sure to prove unspectacular, but here goes.
I'll start with my "found-somewhere-outside", abandoned 12" iBook G4 [1 GHz 512 RAM Tiger]
It's dirty, scratched-up with missing keys & funky lid hinge alignment. OK, not the best vid snap of Camilla Luddington, but I'm too lazy to redo. Video was downloaded with Dronemaker's YouTube PPC necessities.

Color Classic with 570 series motherboard upgrade [68040@33MHz 68MB RAM OS 7.6.1]
Originally $10 acquisition from recycle place, didn't turn on. Unknown to both seller & myself, it needed keyboard to do so. This Mac may have fallen off a desk. Cracks at both top corners.
Gouges/scratches on case sides. Horz/Vert monitor alignment currently off. Don't think the CRT is gonna last much longer. Old Netscape can't deal with https websites.

 

[eyoungren]

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/frankenbook-g4-the-quest-for-more-hertz.1975852/#post-22970468

PowerBook G4/400mhz TiBook. 1GB ram, running Leopard 10.5.8 at the time.

This Mac had two logicboard replacements. By the time of this photo the second logic board was dying. The binder clips applied pressure in certain spots allowing the Mac to function.

This Mac's screen is trashed (hinges broken) and the case is not perfect. PowerBook G4, 1.0Ghz DVI. Running Leopard 10.5.8 with 1GB ram. I replaced the screen with the one from the above TiBook when it finally died (the third time).

My son used this Mac for a couple of years when it died. I sent it to @128keaton who managed to get it working for a while until a reflow cooked the final logicboard.

 

[LightBulbFun]

"but lieutenant dan you ain't got no legs"

this old girl survived a trip across the UK in a box with a 17 inch Studio Display CRT and hardly no packaging... sadly the CRT did not make it (dumb ebay sellers FTW) it had lost its legs before the trip tho (since then the right handle in this picture has cracked even more and has lost a chunk of plastic :/ ) overall its quite battle scarred... (im sure @eyoungren approves of the OS )

 

[eyoungren]

"but lieutenant dan you ain't got no legs"

this old girl survived a trip across the UK in a box with a 17 inch Studio Display CRT and hardly no packaging... sadly the CRT did not make it (dumb ebay sellers FTW) it had lost its legs before the trip tho (since then the right handle in this picture has cracked even more and has lost a chunk of plastic :/ ) overall its quite battle scarred... (im sure @eyoungren approves of the OS )

You're going to have to step it up.

I want to see Sierra running on an Apple IIe.

But yes, Leopard is eyoungren approved.

 

[QSDP-User]

This Mac had two logicboard replacements. By the time of this photo the second logic board was dying. The binder clips applied pressure in certain spots allowing the Mac to function.

I like the MacGyver touch.

This Mac's screen is trashed (hinges broken) and the case is not perfect. PowerBook G4, 1.0Ghz DVI. Running Leopard 10.5.8 with 1GB ram. I replaced the screen with the one from the above TiBook when it finally died (the third time).

I like your mad persistence & recycled resourcefulness.
Kinda reminds me of the facial expression of your current avatar

My son used this Mac for a couple of years when it died. I sent it to @128keaton who managed to get it working for a while until a reflow cooked the final logicboard.

Now that's like squeezing every last breath of life from a logicboard.
Maybe it's now a lurking zombie, awaiting the right horror genre found footage.

 

[eyoungren]

I like the MacGyver touch.



I like your mad persistence & recycled resourcefulness.
Kinda reminds me of the facial expression of your current avatar




Now that's like squeezing every last breath of life from a logicboard.
Maybe it's now a lurking zombie, awaiting the right horror genre found footage.

I don't like letting the Macs I like die if there is anything I can do about it.

Parts are still fairly easy to get for the right price if you know how to look. My first A1013 (17" PowerBook G4, 1.0Ghz) went through two logicboards, a screen, a data cable, a sound board and an optical drive. By the third logicboard replacement I realized that I pretty much had an entirely new Mac.

But the third replacement was such a beaten up Mac that I let it go. Only to replace it with a mint condition A1013 that I am currently using.

 

[1042686]

The moral of this story is to know when to let go? Anyhow, now Im kinda bummed out that I dont have any neglected scummy beaten up macs that still run. Wish I still had my wifes old bondi that my cat knocked off the top shelf of our closet (about 8ft drop or so). The interior had cracked bits that rattled around but the thing took a lickin' and kept on tickin' - no repairs necessary.

BTW that color classic is badass I've always wanted one to make my wife a little crazy with.

 

[eyoungren]

The moral of this story is to know when to let go?

Well…in my case the new logicboard came in a bent case where you couldn't get the lid closed. Which was fine. I would have transplanted the board only the connector for the trackpad ribbon cable broke off the logicboard.

I'm ok with toting around a power supply everywhere I go for my laptops, but having to bring a keyboard and mouse along defeats the purpose.

 

[QSDP-User]

The moral of this story is to know when to let go? Anyhow, now Im kinda bummed out that I dont have any neglected scummy beaten up macs that still run.

Well, I think part of this story is keeping only the cremé de la cremé of the beat-up scummies
I've recycled with relief Spindler-CEO-Era Performas (gotten years ago either free or $5 - $20).

And this PPC forum is good for learning about the hardware shortcomings of different models which keeps me calm on many a craigslist deal.

I don't buy like I used to, but I do like seeing others post their "new" PPC acquisitions.
Maybe some will be posted in here for a "Scummy Hall Of Fame", beat-up-but-still-boots award

 

[128keaton]

I think I have an end all Mac. A holy grail of both sorts. A PowerMac G4 Cube that survived a fire.

I have a picture of it posting and booting somewhere but I can't find it! The insides were decently clean.

 

[dustinschings]

I had an iMac G4 that lost it's neck and screen. It booted up just fine and was used as an all powerful Mac Mini G4 "Dome". Then I got another iMac that had a dead dome. You can guess what happened. Dome got a new lease on life with a new head, and the bad dome got a new lease on life too!

 

[bunnspecial]

I present to you the GlitterBook™

This computer is now mostly free of glitter, and actually has a G4 upgrade.

 

[128keaton]

I made this at work to zero Pata drives

 

[AngerDanger]

This is the bottom of the computer I've been using for the past eight years. I dropped it a couple days after getting it, and the battery swelled up over the years, bending the shell in different places.

…Aaaaaand I just realized this is in the PPC forums.

 

[QSDP-User]

…Aaaaaand I just realized this is in the PPC forums.

I sure a lot of us won't know what model laptop yours is until you post a desktop screenie or an "About This Mac" or ...PC
But what about a side view showing the shell swelling?

 

[SkyBell]

I'm gonna have to find the adapter for my clamshell iBook G3 - it's quite dirty and cracked around the bezel on the screen, but it still boots up and runs (to my knowledge at least, it's been a while).

 

[AngerDanger]

I sure a lot of us won't know what model laptop yours is until you post a desktop screenie or an "About This Mac" or ...PC

I just thought the shiny shell and uniform finish were sort of a giveaway.

But what about a side view showing the shell swelling?

I tried photographing it like that at first, but it didn't show up well. Taking a top-down shot with light to the side to emphasize bumps seems to work better. Maybe this one is clearer:

The largest area where the anodization has been worn off is where the bulge is worst.

 

[yurc]

"but lieutenant dan you ain't got no legs"

this old girl survived a trip across the UK in a box with a 17 inch Studio Display CRT and hardly no packaging... sadly the CRT did not make it (dumb ebay sellers FTW) it had lost its legs before the trip tho (since then the right handle in this picture has cracked even more and has lost a chunk of plastic :/ ) overall its quite battle scarred... (im sure @eyoungren approves of the OS )

I'm spotted G5 behind the monitor.