upgrade ibook hdd

Ok, just to clarify (**** engineer in me!). So I can skip anything to do with removing bottom screws, battery compartment screws, bottom plastic case and bottom shielding.

But I can go right to part where I remove KB, memory, airport card, top screws, top plastic case and top shield????

Also, I thought you could boot from CD, format drive and then install OS-X. I have done this before with my PowerMac when installing new OS drive. Is the iBook any different?

Macman said:

I mentioned it cause most new hd's, including laptops, arent pre formatted to HFS+.
theres no need to remove the bottom, everything is pretty much accessed by removing the keyboard.

Click to expand...

jbsengineer said:

Wondering if anyone else has accomplished this. If so did you use a spudger to split the case or some other tool? I really want to upgrade. I'm at 30gig's right now and i have a 2.5" toshiba 60gb just sitting here in my desk... will the apple store put it in??? I can do it. just want to have my research down before i attempt.... any input is welcome,

Click to expand...

I used a thin plastic card (size of a credit card) but thinner. It was a phone number card for my car insurance company. Your can use an old CC too, just sand down one end to make it more tappered. It's not as flexible as the card I used though. The thin card I have was able to wrap around the corners of the case. Makes the take apart flawless, no marks what so ever.

ed7214

djsaint said:

Ok, just to clarify (**** engineer in me!). So I can skip anything to do with removing bottom screws, battery compartment screws, bottom plastic case and bottom shielding.

But I can go right to part where I remove KB, memory, airport card, top screws, top plastic case and top shield????

Also, I thought you could boot from CD, format drive and then install OS-X. I have done this before with my PowerMac when installing new OS drive. Is the iBook any different?

Click to expand...

The ibook G4 1.2ghz (12in) is made such that you don't really need to remove the bottom. The older G4's may be different, and I know on the G3's you have to remove the bottom.

ed724

yea, newer g4's, you just pop off the kb. you can boot from a cd and format, it doesnt always work though.

I am doing the install on a newer iBook - 1GHz G4. The question (that is not getting answered), do the bottom screws also hold the top to the case? Or are the bottom screws only relevant to the bottom case? Does this make sense?

Thanks,

- Chuck

Ok, just installed my new drives and only stripped out one screw. The hardest part was getting the top plastic case seperate from the internal frame. A couple notes below:

- I did not have to remove any pins from Hitachi drive, straight from anti-static bag to install
- Recommend making a drawing of screw locations as you go along, made re-assemly super quick
- Take your time and do not pull too hard on any parts.
- New iBooks do not have to remove lower case parts at all (plus no tape!!)

Well, I am loving the new drive. Time to re-install and move files.

Cheers,

Chuck

since everyone has to money to upgrade to nice big drives anyone looking to unload the old one cheap? my 20gb is down to 4gb (had to split it into three partitions to make it accept osx without clicking, just closed off the other ones) and on its way out

the HDD in my ibook just failed, I happened to have a spare kicking around, so I used the instructions from http://www.pbfixit.com/Guide/50.0.0.html, and its not as hard as it seems, if you keep track of the screws, you should be fine. It took me about 25 minutes to install the new drive, now I'm installing OS X. Don't be afraid to take a screwdriver to the computer, its not as bad as it looks..

-Dave

How did you format the HD? Did it format from the CD or did you do it from another Mac?

dasa01902 said:

the HDD in my ibook just failed, I happened to have a spare kicking around, so I used the instructions from http://www.pbfixit.com/Guide/50.0.0.html, and its not as hard as it seems, if you keep track of the screws, you should be fine. It took me about 25 minutes to install the new drive, now I'm installing OS X. Don't be afraid to take a screwdriver to the computer, its not as bad as it looks..

-Dave

Click to expand...

I installed the drive and then used the OSX installer to format the drive.

One annoying problem, I have noticed with formatting from the OSX installer. If you format the drive and then continue through the install, the installer show your drive an unusable HD for install (big red X through it). You have to quit installer and then when it gets to portion of choosing the drive it will then be valid. I have noticed the behavior both on my iBook and PowerMac, I figure their is some kind of checking going on early in the installer start-up.

Good luck with install.

Cheers,

Chuck

Sorry to steal this thread with my problem, but I was wondering if it's possible to upgrade an iBook g3 hdd?

My system specs are as follows:

600 mhz
640 mb
30 gig hdd
dvd
mac os x 10.1.5 (soon to be panther)


I wanted to get atleast a 60gig for my iBook, but i'm not sure if the g3 series would support that?

iphix said:

Sorry to steal this thread with my problem, but I was wondering if it's possible to upgrade an iBook g3 hdd?

My system specs are as follows:

600 mhz
640 mb
30 gig hdd
dvd
mac os x 10.1.5 (soon to be panther)


I wanted to get atleast a 60gig for my iBook, but i'm not sure if the g3 series would support that?

Click to expand...

It will.

ed724

ed724 said:

It will.

ed724

Click to expand...

Really?

Also if I upgraded my hdd would my ibook be faster?

iphix said:

Really?

Also if I upgraded my hdd would my ibook be faster?

Click to expand...

Yes Really, if it's a 5400 or 7200 rpm drive your drive access will obviously be
quicker, not the computing. Also your battery time is going to be decreased due to the higher pwr consumption unless you get a 4200 rpm 60gb drive then it will probably be close to the same as your 30.

ed724

If you get a faster drive - then yes.

If you get another 4200rpm drive, then not really...

My iBook has been de-virginized. I installed the 60gb Hitachi 7200rpm today. It's installing OSX right now! The hardest part for me was removing the top cover. I had to take a break because it was starting to stress me out. I really didn't want to break anything. My only regret is that I should have ordered a superdrive at the same time and installed that while I had it open.

I also had a problem using the Mac installer at first. Until I quit installer and restarted, then the drive was usable just like djsaint said above.

The inprogress pic from earlier today.

that pepsi is too close for me.. im clumsy

yeah i got my 100GB drive in and working last saturday after i used an external caddy to format the 100Gb drive then popped it in.

Any cooling issues with 7200rpm drives? I know the faster drives tend to run hotter. I run a lot of hard drive intense programs (ie. final cut, photoshop) for hours at a time. Would hate to see my iBook start melting.