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Moving Powerbooks around.
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Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Jan 2001
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In the handy, dandy "getting to know your Powerbook" booklet that came with my new 'book, it advises the user to always sleep the machine before moving it at all, let the hard drive be damaged by jostling whilest spinning.
I know that a while back, some Apple exec. made a statement to the effect of "they're 'notebook' computers, not 'laptop' computers" as if to draw a distinction, because they didn't want the things moved around.
How much attention do I really need to pay to this? Obviously, I don't want to use the thing while bull riding, or mudding in my monster truck, but can it take being moved around a bit? I mean, like sitting up in bed, can I get comfy without sleeping my powerbook, or will I crash the drive handing it to someone, or moving it across the desk or room without sleeping it? Or maybe a bit of turbulence in flight?
What kind of experience do you all have here?
CV
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When a true genius appears in the world you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are all in confederacy against him. -- Jonathan Swift.
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Moderator  Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: San Jose, CA
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Yes, of course. Apple just says that so they won't be blamed if you do the things you mentioned while the machine is not asleep. I walk around with my open 12" all the time. Just don't go shaking or jarring it when it's awake and you should be fine.
Steve
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Most of the time it's fine to move it about gently. I would recommend that you not move the machine around in the following scenarios:
1. You are doing something intensive that is constantly accessing the harddrive (even then it's probably safe, but you could always slip or trip and then it _is_ a problem).
2. You are burning a CD/DVD. The #1 solution to failed burns is to just walk away from the machine while it's burning.
3. You are transferring a large file over a wireless connection (you could end up dropping your connectivity).
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Addicted to MacNN
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So has anybody actually fried a hard drive by jostling a Powerbook? And if so, just how hard did you jostle (or drop, or whatever) when it happened?
CV
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When a true genius appears in the world you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are all in confederacy against him. -- Jonathan Swift.
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Mac Enthusiast
Join Date: Mar 2003
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I've ridden in cars and the driver hit potholes, swerved in and out traffic, abruptly stopped (I live in Milan), meanwhile I'm running Kismet and providing music, no problems.
Also hit some pretty nasty turbulence in plane rides over the years, no problems.
It's just a CYI (cover your ass) by Apple.
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If a group of mimes are miming a forest and one falls down, does he make a sound?
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Dedicated MacNNer
Join Date: Dec 2001
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I have made a coaster while burning a DVD by moving the PB during the process, but I have never had a HD failure. I generally go by the following guideline: If I'm moving my ass, I sleep the PB; if I'm staying in the same place but just adjusting the PB, etc., I don't sleep it. That being said, I have carried the PB open and not sleeping from upstairs to downstairs while downloading files, etc. But I've never fallen down the stairs in the process, either. If you'd be willing to underwrite the replacement cost should anything happen, I'd be happy to perform the experiment for you.  
Originally posted by chris v:
In the handy, dandy "getting to know your Powerbook" booklet...
Wait a minute--you actually took the time to RTFM? 
MM
(Last edited by MountainMac; Mar 26, 2004 at 06:43 PM.
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Plato--what's a "Chickie Run"?
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Dedicated MacNNer
Join Date: Dec 2001
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Originally posted by Crusoe:
(I live in Milan)
'nuff said. Only place I've seen crazier drivers is Buenos Aires.
MM
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Plato--what's a "Chickie Run"?
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Senior User
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Cabin john, MD
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my friend has dropped his ibook while open and it still worked. the only inflicted damage that ever happened to one of my computers is when a biker ran into me.(ahole didn't even say sorry or pay just left while saying dam people standing in the road when we were waiting for the bus.)
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Superhero Of The Computer Rage
MacBook Pro 2.16 Ghz, PowerBook G4 12" 1 Ghz (DVI) Dell 24" monitor
Porsche 944, Mercedes 240D (running on Waste Vegetable Oil)
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Fresh-Faced Recruit
Join Date: Mar 2004
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although this isn't directly related to powerbooks (I think it's on topic), a friend of mine knackered an HD whilst moving the table it was sitting on. It was a Hitachi 20GB and the vibrations from a wooden table juddering across a wooden floor caused a head crash and loss of the boot sector in a WIntel laptop - upshot 70 UKpouns replacement. Not good.
I mean to say: if it's going to minimise the risk, it's not a lot of bother to close the lid, send things to sleep for a few seconds and bear the trouble of waking it when you reach wherever you're going...
: P
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Addicted to MacNN
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I moved my iBook all the time when it was open, shifted the way I sat moved it from bed to lap to desk, never violently, but it's also fallen while open and what not... that said the logic board went... though that was repeatedly even without me touching it. Fortunately I'm getting a 12 inch powerbook tomorrow 
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