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HWA AFI · Nov 17, 2005, 10:24 PM

I'm sick of this thing being slow so it's time for a 7200 RPM drive with tiger but I have some questions:
how long does it take to pull this thing apart and put it back together? Not that I care how long it will take but I'm curious...
How much of a battery drain will this be?
What's the BEST 7200 RPM drive? All I found at newegg were hitachi drives.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822146047
It's labled 7k100 but there's a 100gb 7k100 there and googling the 7k100 shows all 100gb drives. Was that a 7k80 or something they mis labled? Why is it 4 dollars cheaper than the 7k60? I have a 60gb drive in here now with 34gb free but I'd rather have the extra space...

brokenjago · Nov 17, 2005, 10:45 PM

I hear that putting a new HD in an iBook G4 involves a lot of screws.

Like, a lot.

mduell · Nov 17, 2005, 10:53 PM

The difference in battery drain is trivial.
Hitachi and Seagate both make good 7200RPM laptop drives. There is a rather amusing disagreement among various members of these forums on which is quieter (the specs say they're within a decibel of each other).

7K60 was the old line of performance laptop drives (60GB 7200RPM was the only model). 7K100 is the "new" line of performance laptop drivest which includes 60, 80, and 100GB drives.
Since the 7K60 line has been discontinued, I'm not surprised to see prices up. I've seen that happen with a lot of computer parts, where the new faster/better version is cheaper than the discontinued old version (like the Pioneer DVD burners: 110 is cheaper than 109 is cheaper than 108 is cheaper than...).

chefpastry · Nov 17, 2005, 10:57 PM

Yes, brokenjago is right. There are lots of screws involved. I've done it several times and it doesn't get any easier with experience. It really is a pain to do. As much as I want to replace the hard drive in my iBook, I won't do it unless there's something wrong with it and I MUST take it apart.

If you do decide to take on this endeavor, I suggest that you clearly mark down where each and every one of those screws came from. Also, try to find some sort of soft spatula (or something similar) to pry the casing apart. Good luck.

HWA AFI · Nov 18, 2005, 12:01 AM

I got stuff to take it apart with, just need to find a good guide. Putting it back together can't be that hard, I read it's ONLY like 40 screws...

hookem2oo7 · Nov 18, 2005, 12:31 AM

if you go to pbfixit.com there's guides for most every apple laptop...i've used their guides for disassembly of a clamshell and my new ibook g4 to do exactly what you are wanting to do...

wataru · Nov 18, 2005, 02:09 AM

Replacing the hard drive on your own is pretty difficult, and will void your warranty. That said, I've done it before using the guides at pbfixit with no problems.

HWA AFI · Nov 18, 2005, 04:13 PM

pbfixit THATS the site I remembered! Thanks man

I've been building PCs and overclocking/volt modding them for 5 years. I think I can remove some screws. The warrenty will be up within a month and I void the warrenty on everything I own anywhy so who cares...

Pogomwg · Nov 19, 2005, 07:48 PM

adding ram doesnt void your warranty does it?

mduell · Nov 19, 2005, 08:25 PM

Originally Posted by Pogomwg

adding ram doesnt void your warranty does it?

No.

Big Mac · Nov 19, 2005, 09:51 PM

If you're in doubt about warranty-safe installations, consult Apple's DIY Service page.

galarneau · Nov 20, 2005, 10:58 AM

CompUSA will install hard drives for $29

iREZ · Nov 20, 2005, 03:57 PM

does that go for all compusa's?

galarneau · Nov 20, 2005, 06:08 PM

I'm not sure, but I imagine that it's their standard rate amongst all stores.

The guy I talked to said they had an Apple trained service tech and their service center had a sign saying they were an Apple authorized repair center, so I'd feel pretty good about having them do it.

Of course, I found this out AFTER I installed a new drive in my iBook G4. Wasn't too bad if you take your time... though I am a Doctor... I should be able to take things apart and put them back together again without too many parts left over ;-)

twocows · Nov 21, 2005, 08:58 PM

damn i cant believe the drive in my ibook is a 4200 toshiba (blah blah part number) [[TOSHIBA MK6025GAS - HARD DRIVE - 60 GB - INTERNAL - 2.5 INCH - ATA-100 - 44 PIN IDC - 4200 RPM - BUFFER: 8 MB (MK6025GAS)]]

i hate it when apple cuts corners. ya i am going to look at the local market here in IRAQ to try to find a replacement drive.

questions:

1) how much of a performance increase will i notice? I already upgarded the ibook to 1gig ram so i guess this is the next step.

2) forgot my other question. will ask it later. hehe

wataru · Nov 22, 2005, 12:40 AM

Yeah, boo freakin' hoo that the cheapest consumer laptop Apple sells has a slow drive. It's downright shocking

harrisjamieh · Nov 22, 2005, 03:01 AM

If they put a 5400 RM drive in it, it'd be even closer in speed to the powerbooks, especially the 12", as the only thing that could then make the powerbook faster would be the 170mhz speed difference and the 32v64 graphics. (thats the 12" ibook v 12" PB)

twocows · Nov 22, 2005, 04:50 AM

ok i am going to try an experiment using a ata drive i have laying about ... i'll connect it through firewire (borrowing a dvd writer external case)

ok so i ran xbench on the internal and the firewire connected drive and here are the results. i assume larger numbers are better? ia m not sure how to decrypt these.

Internal

Drive Type TOSHIBA MK6025GAS
Disk Test 23.79
Sequential 38.12
Uncached Write 34.33 21.08 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Write 32.67 18.49 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Uncached Read 58.66 17.17 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Read 35.52 17.85 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Random 17.29
Uncached Write 6.12 0.65 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Write 32.58 10.43 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Uncached Read 50.12 0.36 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Read 57.39 10.65 MB/sec [256K blocks]

firewire connected

Drive Type Maxtor 6 Y060L0
Disk Test 33.42
Sequential 26.95
Uncached Write 12.00 7.37 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Write 56.54 31.99 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Uncached Read 30.01 8.78 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Read 71.02 35.69 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Random 43.97
Uncached Write 18.90 2.00 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Write 83.85 26.84 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Uncached Read 67.16 0.48 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Read 88.99 16.51 MB/sec [256K blocks]

next step would be do run disk image, do a restore to the external drive and boot off it to see if its faster.

Bryanmc · Feb 8, 2006, 10:17 PM

So what would you recommend?

A 100GB 5400 drive or an 80GB 7200 drive?

mikochu · Feb 8, 2006, 11:02 PM

oh man..that install looks like hell...and I'm experienced mod-man.

wataru · Feb 8, 2006, 11:41 PM

Originally Posted by Bryanmc

So what would you recommend?

A 100GB 5400 drive or an 80GB 7200 drive?

I didn't notice much of a speed increase with my 7200RPM drive. I guess I'd go for the 100GB 5400RPM model.

Pogomwg · Feb 9, 2006, 11:17 AM

ive got a friend whos ibook HD just died. hes so tempted to just buy a new computer

e-dard · Feb 9, 2006, 12:13 PM

Originally Posted by twocows

ok i am going to try an experiment using a ata drive i have laying about ... i'll connect it through firewire (borrowing a dvd writer external case)

ok so i ran xbench on the internal and the firewire connected drive and here are the results. i assume larger numbers are better? ia m not sure how to decrypt these.

Internal

Drive Type TOSHIBA MK6025GAS
Disk Test 23.79
Sequential 38.12
Uncached Write 34.33 21.08 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Write 32.67 18.49 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Uncached Read 58.66 17.17 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Read 35.52 17.85 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Random 17.29
Uncached Write 6.12 0.65 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Write 32.58 10.43 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Uncached Read 50.12 0.36 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Read 57.39 10.65 MB/sec [256K blocks]

firewire connected

Drive Type Maxtor 6 Y060L0
Disk Test 33.42
Sequential 26.95
Uncached Write 12.00 7.37 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Write 56.54 31.99 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Uncached Read 30.01 8.78 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Read 71.02 35.69 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Random 43.97
Uncached Write 18.90 2.00 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Write 83.85 26.84 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Uncached Read 67.16 0.48 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Read 88.99 16.51 MB/sec [256K blocks]

next step would be do run disk image, do a restore to the external drive and boot off it to see if its faster.

isn't the drive going to be slower using firewire thus making the results useless???

edd

Dr.Michael · Feb 9, 2006, 12:48 PM

Originally Posted by Bryanmc

So what would you recommend?

A 100GB 5400 drive or an 80GB 7200 drive?

Look here. I have discussed this right before I bought my seagate momentus.

QuadG5Man · Feb 9, 2006, 12:57 PM

CompUSA installs hard drives for $29..............

I would stear clear of this. Trust me.

wataru · Feb 9, 2006, 10:03 PM

I agree. I replaced the hard drive on a friend's iBook that had previously been sent in to CompUSA for a new drive. There were missing screws, misplaced tape and foil, and scuff marks on the case. I would never trust them with my iBook.

Dr.Michael · Feb 10, 2006, 06:10 AM

Originally Posted by wataru

I agree. I replaced the hard drive on a friend's iBook that had previously been sent in to CompUSA for a new drive. There were missing screws, misplaced tape and foil, and scuff marks on the case. I would never trust them with my iBook.

I agree too. For 29 $ they cannot take their time like you can.

I have installed a drive several times in my Powerbook 12 inch. If you are careful and follow pbfixits manuals it will work. Get the right screwdrivers, keep away all kids, find a scheme to remember which screws belong in which holes and make sure you ground yourself (often!) and your tools before you touch chips (or don't touch them at all). Then nothing weird will happen.

Oh yes - don't remove the heatsink from the cpu and gpu because they have a special paste or adhesive on them to optimze heat contact. After removal it has to be replaced or your machine will produce ugly fan noise. But thats only a side note - you don't have to touch the heatsink if you only remove the drive.

Bryanmc · Feb 10, 2006, 09:05 PM

I'd love to do this upgrade myself, I've looked at all the instructions and it looks like fun.

But, I've got no choice but to go with Compusa if I want to preserve my Applecare on the rest of the system. Sucks, but there's no way around it (that I know of).

Based on Dr.Michael's thread he linked to, I'm planning on going with the Seagate Momentus 100GB 5400RPM drive.

Thoughts?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822148090

Hi I'm Ben · Feb 11, 2006, 12:47 PM

It's really not a hard upgrade. Sure there's a lot of screws, and when I put it back together I had 5 extras. But now my laptop is lighter! So not only did I get a bigger hard drive I got a lighter laptop.

In all seriousness though. In terms of computer ugprades, it's incredibly time consuming but not hard. At no point is there anything you're doing where you feel like you may break something by forcing it... Some what at the bottom of the case but. not really.

I want to try that Bluetooth USB adapter upgrade... That looks a little more challenging.

Dr.Michael · Feb 13, 2006, 05:34 AM

Originally Posted by Bryanmc

I'd love to do this upgrade myself, I've looked at all the instructions and it looks like fun.

But, I've got no choice but to go with Compusa if I want to preserve my Applecare on the rest of the system. Sucks, but there's no way around it (that I know of).

Based on Dr.Michael's thread he linked to, I'm planning on going with the Seagate Momentus 100GB 5400RPM drive.

Thoughts?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822148090

The only thought is that the 120GB momentus is substantially faster (but also substantially more expensive).

scottlinux · Feb 13, 2006, 11:01 AM

I just had a Hitachi 100GB 7200rpm drive (from new egg) installed in my 12" 1Ghz iBook G4.

Here is the xbench info:

http://db.xbench.com/merge.xhtml?doc1=155461

Disk score of 37.09
Overall score: 33.79

I'm a heavy computer user (lots of audio apps, moving around big audio files) and the 7200rpm drive makes this iBook fly like a new computer. The CPU and FSB speeds on this iBook lack vs. the powerbooks which is too bad, and holds the iBook from being a big contender with them in CPU power.

Battery life with previous stock 4200rpm drive: 4hrs, 20min.
With new 7200rpm drive: 4hrs, even.
The drive is silent.

And I paid a local apple service center for the install, $45. After searching Lowes, Wal-Mart and other stores for a size T8 Torx screwdriver with no luck, I took that as a sign that I should just let the apple techs do it for me, in my case.

ghporter · Feb 13, 2006, 12:27 PM

I got a "Huskey" brand Torx driver bit set with a miniature driver handle from Home Depot for about $9. It included most of the small sizes, including T6 which I needed for replacing a Nokia phone case for a friend. That said, these things are all over, you just have to ask the right question of the right person (which is the real trick here!).

Given a whole day and all the right driver tips, I would go for it with a good guide (as in the one linked above) without any experience. But I've got something over 25 years of experience in electronics maintenance in general. And I already know that you MUST organize the screws as you take them out or you'll never figure out where to put them when you're putting it back together. Be careful!

Bryanmc · Feb 13, 2006, 07:07 PM

Originally Posted by scottlinux

And I paid a local apple service center for the install, $45. After searching Lowes, Wal-Mart and other stores for a size T8 Torx screwdriver with no luck, I took that as a sign that I should just let the apple techs do it for me, in my case.

Did you actually take it to an Apple store or some third party?