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Powerbook Graveyard? What do you do with a dead PB?
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Dedicated MacNNer
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: DC
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I'm wondering what you would do with an older PB G4 that is quite dead?
It was given to me about two years ago at which time it did start but made a lot of fan noise. (The prior owner was easy on it.) Then suddenly it didn't start at all so I parked it in my cupboard where it has sat ever since.
I've called around to see if it's worth getting it to work, but two different opinions say no. Cost would be $500-$700 and advise I just get a new Macbook or ???
It seems such a shame to not be able to bring it back to life as it was over $2k in it's day:
Powerbook G4, 17"
500 Mhz, 1MB256MB
256MB/30GB/8MB Video DVD
So any suggestions? I wouldn't mind tinkering with it if someone can send me some instructions.
But what should be done with these out-dated, still good-looking laptops? Donate or cremate? Curious to hear how others recycle or find uses besides using as paperweights or starting my personal Mac Museum. (Also own a dead Pismo.)
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Dedicated MacNNer
Join Date: Jan 2005
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It really doesn't matter what price electronics...or ANYTHING were purchased for back in the day. All that matters is their value now, and the specs on that are not that all impressive.
I would personally part it out for parts or sell the entire thing as-is for someone else to cannibalize.
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Mac Elite
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Quetzlzacatenango
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Are you sure on those specs? The processor speed in the 17" started at 1 GHz.
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Forum Regular
Join Date: Jan 2005
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I wouldn't bother fixing it, It would be barely worth more than the cost of the repair, assuming it's a 1 gHz machine.
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g4/1.5 GHz 12 inch powerbook / 1.25 RAM / 80 gig / Superdrive / 10.5.6
g3/400 MHz Pismo / 640 RAM / 40 gig / Combo Drive / 10.3.9
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Mac Enthusiast
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Palo Alto, CA USA
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Based on those specs, it sounds like you have a Powerbook G4 (Titanium) 15", not 17".
The worth salvaging is the Airport Card, you could sell it on eBay. Provided it has an Airport Card.
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Fresh-Faced Recruit
Join Date: Dec 2007
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Or since it's titanium you could use it to stop bullets?
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Clinically Insane
Join Date: Dec 1999
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The keys from the Titanium work on the newer PowerBooks & MacBooks. You can replace the keys on the newer laptops and have black, transparent keys.
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"…I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer god than
you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods,
you will understand why I dismiss yours." - Stephen F. Roberts
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Forum Regular
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Spokane, WA
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That's a pretty neat trick, I must say, though probably a good bit of work, no?
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Clinically Insane
Join Date: Dec 1999
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Originally Posted by acorder
That's a pretty neat trick, I must say, though probably a good bit of work, no?
A little, but the keys just pop off, then you snap em back in. It is missing one key, though, the "eject" key. You could put two F12s on.
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"…I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer god than
you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods,
you will understand why I dismiss yours." - Stephen F. Roberts
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Mac Elite
Join Date: Oct 2002
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You've most likely got a PowerBook Titanium... probably one of the originals. They started at 400MHz and 500MHz. And it sounds like you have a bad logic board if it's not powering on... but, "suddenly it didn't start at all" could mean a lot of different things.
Does it power on at all? Screen turn on? Errors messages? Noises? Etc? Those would all be things that would make a difference in a possible diagnosis.
If you take it to an Apple Store... barring any obvious physical damage, you can send it in for a flat rate repair at about $325. They will replace whatever is wrong, so long as it wasn't caused by any sort of abuse (drops, cracked screens, dents, spilled liquids... those are considered abuse).
You can donate it... it will probably go to a Goodwill Computer Store.. where some Mac tinkerer will buy it to tinker with perhaps... or you can fix it and use it as a backup machine... or give it to someone on these forums (I'm sure there would be many takers... including me).
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Mac Elite
Join Date: Oct 2002
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Oh, BTW, it's only worth $300 at the most in my opinion... but to some, it's worth that to get it fixed...
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Mac Elite
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Madison, WI
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I'd dump it on eBay...that's your best option for getting some money back.
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Professional Poster
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Near Antietam Creek
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If you're buying a new Mac, Apple will recycle one old one for free. Apple will also recycle computers for a fee if not purchasing a Mac.
Apple - Environment - Recycle
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I am stupidest when I try to be funny.
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Dedicated MacNNer
Join Date: Jan 2004
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Hey,
Thanks for all the great ideas. I like olePigeon's suggestion for using the keyboard on the Macbook should I ever purchase one. One of the things I'm not liking about the newer machines is the keyboard--I love how my old ibook feels.
And yep, I was wrong. It's a 15" Titanium NOT 17".
It's really bullet proof?
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Addicted to MacNN
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Forum Regular
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Sounds like a Mythbusters experiment in the making...
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Mac Elite
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Downtown Austin, TX
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Originally Posted by ClaraT
Hey,
Thanks for all the great ideas. I like olePigeon's suggestion for using the keyboard on the Macbook should I ever purchase one. One of the things I'm not liking about the newer machines is the keyboard--I love how my old ibook feels.
And yep, I was wrong. It's a 15" Titanium NOT 17".
It's really bullet proof?
The keys are interchangeable, not the keyboard itself. Changing the keys won't change the feel of the keyboard (mostly).
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Professional Poster
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Columbus, OH
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If it powers on and thus generates some heat, my cat would love to have it as a bed.
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Professional Poster
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: London, UK
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Originally Posted by jamil5454
The keys are interchangeable, not the keyboard itself. Changing the keys won't change the feel of the keyboard (mostly).
...and you can't change them on the MacBook like this anyway, only the MacBook Pro
Could it be a hard drive failure? If so, then it would be very cheap to replace the HD if you don't mind disassembling the Powerbook yourself.
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Mac Elite
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Truckee, CA
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Take it to an Apple store or ship it to Apple and pay to get it diagnosed. In any event let us know what happens because I too have at least one dead TiBook in a closet somewhere.
-Allen Wicks
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Mac Enthusiast
Join Date: Nov 2005
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I would definately try to sell it either on craigslist or on ebay. That laptop still has plenty of value to it.
For example: Our school ditched a PB with about the same specs as yours, but it had a bad motherboard. I bought a motherboard off of ebay for $50, installed it in less than an hour, and ended up selling it for $260 on craigslist (I could have gotten more for it but I wanted to sell it fast)
Whatever you do, don't just give it to someone without realizing that its not worth anything. If you give it away to someone, please realize that its a gift, and that they are getting something valuable.
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Mac Elite
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Memphis, Tn. USA
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Originally Posted by ClaraT
I'm wondering what you would do with an older PB G4 that is quite dead?
It was given to me about two years ago at which time it did start but made a lot of fan noise. (The prior owner was easy on it.) Then suddenly it didn't start at all so I parked it in my cupboard where it has sat ever since.
I've called around to see if it's worth getting it to work, but two different opinions say no. Cost would be $500-$700 and advise I just get a new Macbook or ???
It seems such a shame to not be able to bring it back to life as it was over $2k in it's day:
Powerbook G4, 17"
500 Mhz, 1MB256MB
256MB/30GB/8MB Video DVD
So any suggestions? I wouldn't mind tinkering with it if someone can send me some instructions.
But what should be done with these out-dated, still good-looking laptops? Donate or cremate? Curious to hear how others recycle or find uses besides using as paperweights or starting my personal Mac Museum. (Also own a dead Pismo.)
Before you try everything expensive!
Is the power light coming on when plugged in? In storage battery could have drained completely. Power adapter may be bad and not recharging! If you have another PB try its power supply!
Good luck!
If that doesn't work part out for Airport card, HD, Keyboard, power supply, Battery, ....
the sum of the parts is much more than resale price of computer!
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