On Tuesday, August 12, 2003, at 10:01 PM, Steve Bell wrote:
On 12/8/03 10:06 am, "Sebastian Payne" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
I have been given a clamshell iBook (original model) and I would like to run OS X with Photoshop 7, In-Design 2 and Dreamweaver MX. I have decided that I will have to give it a well needed boost to run these.
Forget. I've been there and tried on a 300MHz iBook and it's a waste of time. Using Adobe apps is like watching paint dry on any machine that old, never mind one with a very poor graphics chip and only 4MB of VRAM. Ave your pennies for a 12" Powerbook, or something similar.
If you do insist on upgrading it however:
1. Upgrading the memory to 192mb RAM (128mb Upgrade)
On an older iBook I would max out the memory with a 256 MB SODIMM.
This makes a stack of difference, I have 288MB (256MB + 32MB on the board) and it's OS X performance is acceptable for internet etc.
2. Upgrading to hard drive to 20gb
Definitely, but make sure you buy a drive no deeper than 9.5mm. The IBM Travelstar 2.5" drives are all this depth.
The largest TravelStar (60-odd GB) used to be 12mm - i don't know if it still is, regardless you'd almost be wasting your time and money with a drive that big. 20GB is probably about right if it'll be a main computer, I have a 10GB in mine but it only gets light use.
3. Upgrade the CDROM to a CDRW Drive
Not worth doing, use an external CD-RW.
This is a slow solution, but it'll work. *However* I urge caution. I am hearing more and more reports of iBooks 'losing' the CD drive. Mine's done it, and other people's seem to be too. I have also noticed on mine, and have corroborating reports from others, that the lack of frame in the clamshell iBook leads to twisting f the whole thing in the middle if you pick it up with the lid open. My theory therefore is that the main circuit board is flexing in the iBook at a certain area that is causing a track in the PCB to crack and the IDE circuitry to the CD drive to fail. If it works perfectly now just make sure you look after it, if you get any kind of symptoms of the CD Drive struggling to read CDs then take action before it dies completely. For those who think I'm jumping the gun, I replaced both the CD drive and the cable inside the iBook to no avail.
BUT, the main problem is that the keyboard is missing two letters, the 'J' and '.' keys. Does anyone have any idea where I could find these keys in the UK?
Your only chance of getting the individual key caps is from a scrap iBook,
or else buy a new keyboard from VIS at www.applemacparts.com.
http://www.pbfanatic.co.uk/ - this guy always has stuff like that floating around and he's a very reasonable guy to deal with.
I know that MCE Technologies will upgrade the HDD to 20gb but I don't really want to pay �100 and sent it to the USA
If they will supply and fit for �100 you have a bargain. The hard disk isn't
very accessible, I've replaced 2 and pulled another from a dead iBook to get
the data off it, certainly not a 5 minute job.
I had to dismantle mine a few times to deal with the CD drive and I estimate it would take the same time again to get to the hard disk. It's seriously well buried! It's doable though if the correct amount of caution and the correct tools.
and
Wegetech will upgrade the CD to CDRW for �150 but I don''t want to sent
it away to the USA. Does any one know of some instructions which could
tell me how to do these myself?
Cheers
Seb
There are details on a web site somewhere, I saved them as a pdf and can
email them if you want them. The Apple service manual for the Firewire
version of these iBooks also gives a complete breakdown.
There are a few 'take-aparts' around.
I wouldn't compare the iBooks speed to a B&W G3, the B&W has a faster buss
and hard disk. Another limiting factor of the early iBooks when used with
OSX is the 800 x 600 screen resolution. You'd struggle for space with the
applications you want to run.
You will struggle for speed, space on the screen and at times to cope using the trackpad, esp. in Photoshop. The 300MHz iBook is not fast by any means, it about copes with running 10.2, Mail, Safari etc. but it can't handle heavyweight OS X apps, it was never deigned to after all.
-- Mark Benson
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