[bbales]

Yesterday morning, my powerbook (12-inch) froze and wouldn't boot. I finally got it to boot from my Disk Warrior CD, which found critical errors on the volume wrapper. But I couldn't get that fixed, b/c I didn't have enough space. OK, fine, got it to boot from the Tiger install disk and repaired permissions and repaired the disk. And I was able to get the computer to boot. In the midst of backing everything up, that program stalled; tried to restart and could not.

This morning, repaired the disk AGAIN (though nothing was found) and was able to get the disk up again. Am currently making sure everything's backed up to an external. (This is not my main machine, and I'd done a full backup a month ago, but still ... better to be safe. I may run DW on it again, now that I've trashed some files and created space as well.

The drive, when I was trying to start it the normal way, is really making loud noises, as though it's trying hard to find the will to start up. Can I assume this drive is about to go on me? The PB is 4 years old, just this month in fact, and is on constantly. It's used constantly.

I'm wondering if I should keep using it until it goes belly up or take it somewhere and just put in a new drive.

And that's another thing -- aren't laptop drives hard to install? I can do a desktop drive, but I'm pretty leery about opening my laptop.
Thanks.

[jack2kings]

bbales,

Just a fyi that Apple charges $309 bucks to replace the hard drive on the 12-inch Powerbook. My HD is "Failing" (per Disk Utility); so, I brought it to a local Apple store yesterday, and that was the quoted cost. Um, no thanks.

I basically want to sell my notebook anyway, to get some cash for a new Macbook. I just ran into this hard drive problem a few days ago. (installed Tech Tool Platinum; hard drive goes boom)

I'm in the same boat on if I should try and install a new hard drive myself and if it's worth the trouble.

Visited CompUSA today and asked the Apple Rep there and he said that it would be very difficult to replace the hard drive. (lots of screws to deal with, tape, time, etc...) His advice was not to bother and just sell the Powerbook "as is". He mentioned to note that the hard drive is failing and that the system is being sold "as is" or for parts. In your case, I'd sell it before you get the "failing" note (if you plan on getting a new one that is)

If anyone has changed out a hard drive and can chime in (good or bad), it would be appreciated.

[bbales]

I did a search and found some instructions for replacing the drive (after seeing your post). It's listed as "advanced user" kind of stuff. I may ask a friend to help, and see what he says.

My drive is listed as verified -- though I may run some diagnostic stuff off the CD. I did Disk Warrior on it yesterday and it is working (and, most importantly, everything is backed up) now.

I really wonder if maybe something I did prompted its spasms. I installed a program for one of my daughters (assignment planner, I think it was called) and a widget that goes with it Friday afternoon. The computer started acting up Saturday morning. DW did find some critical errors in the volume wrapper and that is presumably fixed now. In addition, I'd upgraded to 10.4.8 a month or so ago, and the computer froze after the installation; I had to forcequit and it did boot up, and has since then. I wonder if something started going wrong then, and it finally caught up to it.

At this point, I just may keep using it until the drive dies, if in fact it does. (Backing up along the way, of course).

This has been a great computer and it still serves my needs well. I'm getting a new desktop this year (the present one is 6-plus years old -- just waiting for updates from Apple) and really do not want to buy two new machines this year.

I also had no idea, until you posted, that it would cost so much for Apple to replace the drive. Ouch.

[SierraDragon]

[QUOTE=bbales;3311012]...But I couldn't get that fixed, b/c I didn't have enough space.

Allowing a hard drive to get 80%+ full can lead to drive instability in addition to substantial slowdown. Offload half the data then run Tech Tool Pro Micromat - Home and see what happens.

If the drive still behaves anomalously replace it, especially if it makes makes noise. Don't wait for it to fail unless you intend to retire the 'book anyway.

-Allen Wicks