[drainyoo]

Are there any faster HD that can be installed in a 17in PB? If so has anyone installed one and are there any issues? For example over heating? How difficult are they to install?

If there are any available could someone point me in the right direction?

Thanks.

[Luca Rescigno]

Availability shouldn't be a big problem. There are plenty of 7200 RPM laptop drives out there, and they will provide you with a major speed boost. Also, from what I've heard, they don't really generate a lot more heat and noise than their 4200 RPM counterparts.

The main problem is the installation. I'm quite sure that you can't replace the hard drive in a 17" PowerBook without voiding your warranty.

Anyway, if you are interested in a drive, here's a 60 GB, 7200 RPM one: link

[drainyoo]

Originally posted by Luca Rescigno:
Availability shouldn't be a big problem. There are plenty of 7200 RPM laptop drives out there, and they will provide you with a major speed boost. Also, from what I've heard, they don't really generate a lot more heat and noise than their 4200 RPM counterparts.

The main problem is the installation. I'm quite sure that you can't replace the hard drive in a 17" PowerBook without voiding your warranty.

Anyway, if you are interested in a drive, here's a 60 GB, 7200 RPM one: link

Thanks Ill check that out.

I have the very first model, the 1ghz, so I think by now my warranty is up correct? I dont have Apple Care either.

[SEkker]

I have a 60 GB 7200 rpm drive in my revA PB 17, no problems at all.

[drainyoo]

Originally posted by SEkker:
I have a 60 GB 7200 rpm drive in my revA PB 17, no problems at all.

Did you install it yourself? Was there a noticeable different in system response and speed?

[Luca Rescigno]

Originally posted by drainyoo:
Thanks Ill check that out.

I have the very first model, the 1ghz, so I think by now my warranty is up correct? I dont have Apple Care either.

Yes, the 1 GHz 17" PowerBook was replaced with the 1.33 GHz model in the fall of 2003, so it's been more than a year since it was last sold. Unless you bought it as a refurb after the 1.33 GHz ones were available, it'll be out of warranty.

I'm not sure where exactly you can get directions to replace the hard drive, but I'd suggest starting at www.xlr8yourmac.com.

A faster hard drive should provide you with a noticeable increase in speed. Bare Feats performed a test to compare the stock 4200 RPM drive to 5400 RPM and 7200 RPM drives. There's also another benchmark here.

[SEkker]

The speed increase was very noticable from the 4200 stock drive.

I had it installed to keep Apple Care intact.

[iDaver]

Originally posted by Luca Rescigno:
A faster hard drive should provide you with a noticeable increase in speed. Bare Feats performed a test to compare the stock 4200 RPM drive to 5400 RPM and 7200 RPM drives. There's also another benchmark here.

Luca, thanks for the links. I've been thinking about replacing the slow drive in my PowerBook too. Looks like a good idea, based on those benchmarks.

[M.A.S.]

Ive also got a 1Ghz 17"PB and i replaced the 60GB 4,200rpm HD for a Travelstar 80GB 5,400rpm one. I found it pretty easy, you just have to take your time. Also then with the HD you pull out you have a nice external HD!

Here's a comprehensive guide, it's been translated from a japanese site.

17" HD exchange

hope this helps!

[drainyoo]

Originally posted by SEkker:
The speed increase was very noticable from the 4200 stock drive.

I had it installed to keep Apple Care intact.

Who did you have replace it?

[Bostic]

I recently replaced the stock 4200rpm drive in my Rev. B 12" Powerbook with the Hitachi 60gig 7200rpm from Newegg. I did it myself with the instructions from the pbfixit website. The warranty had just expired so that was not an issue. It was not too much of a pain to take apart, just had to be very careful to not strip any screws and keep them organized in a bunch of dixie cups. The new drive is much faster and quieter than the stock drive. Doesn't run any hotter from what I can tell, but the battery does not last as long. I'll do a more accurate test but it is noticeable.

[daiSho]

The main problem is the installation. I'm quite sure that you can't replace the hard drive in a 17" PowerBook without voiding your warranty.

is this true, no way to do the job yourself if you are technically-savvy w/out voiding your warranty? are there stickers or tags inside that must be broken to get at the drive?

any reason why you couldn't just pull the new drive and put the old one in before sending in for warranty work..?

[f1000]

Originally posted by daiSho:
is this true, no way to do the job yourself if you are technically-savvy w/out voiding your warranty? are there stickers or tags inside that must be broken to get at the drive?

Adhesive RF shielding foil that's hard to peel back without tearing or otherwise wrinkling is present in several locations.

[SEkker]

Originally posted by drainyoo:
Who did you have replace it?

I called a local Apple Store and went with a recommended and approved third party technical service company.

[junebug630]

Would you mind telling us about how much it cost for the actual installation ?

[SEkker]

Originally posted by junebug630:
Would you mind telling us about how much it cost for the actual installation ?

No problem -- I've posted this before.

They charged me $40 (plus tax) here in Minneapolis for the install, which was completed in less than 3 hours total time between drop-off and pickup.

I did the software install (just cloned my internal HD to the new HD temporarily in an external FW case) before I dropped it off. They said that was an additional cost (I think that was another ~$30).

[vancenase]

is there an 80GB or 100GB 7200rpm drive?

[bentoon]

i dont think there are 80 or 100's yet, but from what I've heard, they are forthcoming

[iDaver]

Originally posted by vancenase:
is there an 80GB or 100GB 7200rpm drive?

I think Seagate is working on a 100 but hasn't released it yet. For now, if I'm not mistaken, there are one or two 80s available at 7200 and one 100 that's 5400.

Check out what's available in mobile hard drives here:
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/Home.jsp

[SEkker]

Beware: there are some 100 GB internal HDs labeled as 7200 rpm from Seagate, but they are really 5400 rpm.

[sovereign]

Originally posted by iDaver:
I think Seagate is working on a 100 but hasn't released it yet. For now, if I'm not mistaken, there are one or two 80s available at 7200 and one 100 that's 5400.

Check out what's available in mobile hard drives here:
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/Home.jsp

Who makes a 80gb 7200rpm drive?

[iDaver]

Originally posted by sovereign:
Who makes a 80gb 7200rpm drive?

I can't find one. I guess I was wrong. I seem to remember reading an article about Seagate that said they had just released a 7200 rpm 80GB 9.5mm drive and would soon release a 100GB version of the same but maybe I was dreaming. Seagate does have two mobile 100GB drives but they run at 4200 and 5400 rpm.

[uv23]

Just today I replaced the stock 4200rpm 40 gig drive in my 12" Rev B PB with a 5400rpm 80 gig Fujitsu 2080AH.

Following the xlr8yourmac instructions made things pretty straightforward to take the PB apart. Basically I bought an external firewire enclosure, inserted my old drive into it and the new drive in my powerbook, then booted off the Panther CD and restored from my old drive onto the powerbook's new drive. So simple it's not even funny.

I ran xbench and the difference doesn't seem that high, particularily the disk write numbers, but the last test I ran was a year ago so it's possible all the updates and installs I've done since then have slowed the machine down some. Regardless, I've got 40 gigs more space and that's a good thing as I was down to 1 gig remaining.

My powerbook does seem to be running a bit hotter, though, which is a bit of a concern. It could be my imagination. Perhaps it always ran this hot but I've had temperature monitor open for a while and I'm averaging around 50 C with only mail, itunes, safari, and a couple chat clients open.