Recs for New IDE/PATA Drive and Addl Memory for 2005 Powerbook G4 Mac Laptop

[br1]

Recs for New IDE/PATA Drive and Addl Memory for 2005 Powerbook G4 Mac Laptop

Looking to see if it is worth upgrading an old Apple laptop. I have some nice old versions of licensed software and some of the old Apple/Mac games. It can be horribly slow and the back surface does get very hot. (LOL)

It has 512 MB x 2 PC2700 DDRs. I think it can be upgraded to 2 MB total, but 1 GB units are $66- each at Crucial - v v expensive.

It has an 80GB HD. I have mult partitions and mult versions of OS X (10.3 and 10.4) on the different partitions. I would like to get a much larger hard drive. But what little I can find for over 80 GB ATA/PATA HDs are either about 50 cents/GB shipped from Asia on ebay or about $1.00/GB from a US source. So also v v expensive, esp compared to SATA drives. I really do not want to use an external drive, though I guess that could be an option. I do have a "spare" 500-1000 GB backup USB 2.0 drive. I think the Powerbooks' USB bus is High speed, ?USB 2.0.

I assume converting a 2.5" SATA drive to IDE is either not possible or not pratical is this setting.

Any suggestions for current sources for new or "lightly used' IDE / PATA 2.5" HDs over 100 GB and PC2700 1GB laptop DDRs?

Thx

 

[Insert_Nickname]

Any suggestions for current sources for new or "lightly used' IDE / PATA 2.5" HDs over 100 GB and PC2700 1GB laptop DDRs?

Western Digital still make PATA HDDs. I don't know where to purchase them in the US though. For RAM you should properly look for some used DIMMs. New DDR memory is frightfully expensive.

 

[Anteaus]

Any money you put into updating it will be more than the worth of the entire system. If it's something you want to do for nostalgia, then just call it that and buy what you need. Otherwise I'd avoid putting a cent into such an old platform.

My .02

 

[iaco]

Where are you getting $67 DDR SO-DIMM? I have the same laptop and bought 1 GB of crucial RAM for 20 something dollars on amazon. Expensive compared to modern RAM on a /GB basis, but it's cheaper than the last time I bought it.

As for a hard drive, PATA hard drives are too expensive so I'm trying to fit an SATA hard drive using an adapter and removing the dvd drive. Hopefully it works.

 

[br1]

Crucial.com was my source for the RAM price. I have since seen $25-35 per 1GB stick, with 2 GB needed, 1 GB in each PC2700 stick, so about $50-70. Not cheap, but better than $67 each.

The 4 HD choices I have seen so far:
1. Buy a new PATA HD.160GB would be about $80.00 from Asia. But good luck trying to return it to China if it is DOA. Cost would be about $150 from a US e-retailer. Swap out the older and smaller PATA (IDE) drive.
2. Try to find the proper SATA to IDE adapter - and here is the issue - that will also fit inside the PowerBook. Just swap out the older PATA drive for the newer and larger (GB) SATA drive in the same slot. Many adapters look clearly too large. Attach a SATA 2.5" HD (maybe 320 or 500GB). Some have noted the need for a 1.87" drive (whatever that is). I have seen some postings about this at various bulletin boards. But there are very few specifics re adapter mangling to get it to fit inside the PB, although I have some idea as to what others have bought off Ebay (along with pics from the listings). Lack of specific info for this method is likely due to the lack of room and/or lack of specific information (and no pics) for bending or twisting the SATA IDE converter device. The converter devices certainly look small enough for a desktop solution, and some cost under $10.00. For me, this might be best, if I can figure out how to do it.
3. There are caddy, sled or tray devices that fit into the space from a to-be-removed optical drive. 12.7 mm height might be the size. However, although pics from different retail sites and Ebay listings all look the same, many specifically indicate that these are not for PowerBooks, like mine from 2005. While others state that this is what I want. Some, but not all, include the SATA to IDE convertor - which is required here. In this solution, you keep the old HD in place, but you do loose the internal CD/DVD player, for the newer and larger (GB) SATA (2nd) drive. Caddy cost is $10-45. I could use an external USB CD/DVD player as needed.
One site notes a way to keep the vent hole(s) open on the newer SATA drives too. My Mac is not bound by the 128 GB rule for max drive or partition size.
4. Add the SATA drive via an external enclosure. Then connect via FW (likely FW 400) or USB (likely 2.0). USB 2.0 2.5" ext encl is likely less expensive. I am not sure which is faster. I would prefer that is all powered via the laptop itself, and not externally.

 

[iaco]

I have 2 GB and don't feel it's really needed. 1.5 GB is probably enough, but I don't know what you are doing on your laptop. I would just buy 1 stick and buy another if you need it. As you probably know it is very easy to upgrade RAM on your powerbook. You don't have to open up the whole computer like on current MBPs. I had an SATA SSD connected for a few hours and the performance improvement was noticeable especially when launching apps. Office 2008 launches very quickly.

Don't get those DVD-SATA caddies. The optical drive connection runs at 16.7 MBs.

The adapters don't fit so I will be using an IDE cable with SATA drive in the optical bay. Get a horizontal adapter and one with jumpers. Adapters without jumpers may not detect the HD. I've had trouble getting it working since IDE cables don't seem to work. I know the pins were correctly aligned so my plan is to use a gender changer with a Female-Female cable.

IMO, I would sell the powerbook. You can get at least $100 on ebay. I decided to stick with my powerbook because the new 13" retina MBP is overpriced.

 

[Charlie98]

I bought a new 160GB WD Blue PATA drive off eBay last year for my old Dell... $60 They are out there, you just have to be patient if you want the best deal.

I've considered replacing that with a PATA SSD, but that's expensive...