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You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Mac Notebooks > Dead G4powerbook. Rescue Hard Drive?

Dead G4powerbook. Rescue Hard Drive?
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joolsd
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Aug 19, 2006, 05:56 AM
 
Hi

My G4 is dead RIP. It needs a new logic board and DC board. It will NOT start up. These parts are expensive and I may as well buy a new mac. Sooo the rest of the mac is ok including my HD. Can I transfer my HD from this dead Mac to a new Mac ?? Also can I use the memory to upgrade a new mac. Also the airport card. If anyone knows of a cheap way of getting these parts please let me know. But my real question is about the HD.

Many thanks

Julian
     
cms
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Aug 19, 2006, 06:40 AM
 
You can certainly reuse the Airport card in another Mac, but not in a MBP, as it is not a customer-installable part and comes as standard in any case. The memory from your old powerbook will not be compatible with the MBP -- different specs/speeds -- but you could take it out and reuse in another G4 or sell it to someone who has one and is looking for a cheap way to upgrade.

As for the hard drive, you can take it out of your G4, pop it in a cheap USB enclosure and retrieve the data that way. Once the data has been taken off, you would then have a very useful and handy pocket-size external hard drive to use to back up yuor files, transport data, etc., or you could use it to upgrade/replace a hard drive in another laptop.
     
amazing
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Aug 19, 2006, 09:30 AM
 
Which G4 do you have? That's a pretty important piece of info that's missing! For example, the 11b card in an old Titanium could be worth $100 (scarcity), but the 11g card in an Aluminum is in plentiful supply.
     
romeosc
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Aug 19, 2006, 10:46 AM
 
Originally Posted by amazing
Which G4 do you have? That's a pretty important piece of info that's missing! For example, the 11b card in an old Titanium could be worth $100 (scarcity), but the 11g card in an Aluminum is in plentiful supply.

Look around I bought an TI550 with airport card 1 GB ram and 80GB HD with a screen with lines for $150. If you are a DIYer then swap MBs
     
SierraDragon
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Aug 20, 2006, 01:47 AM
 
The Apple Store told me it was a flat $349 to repair my blown mobo and hard drive on my 16 month old 1.67 GHz PB G4. Apparently because it was just out of warranty. I have not done it yet because I am still trying to get the data recovered, and Apple will only wipe the hard drive.
     
CharlesS
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Aug 20, 2006, 01:59 AM
 
Is it so completely dead it won't even chime, or can it get far enough that if you hold down the T key you can get to FireWire Target Mode? If so, I'd recover the data using that method and a FireWire cable. If not, cms's suggestion of getting a FireWire enclosure is a really good one. I think that iPod Batteries & Power Adapters at OtherWorldComputing.com has a bunch of enclosures that are supposed to be pretty good.

edit: why the heck is the forum doing that to my URL? The link text was supposed to be just the address, www dot macsales dot net.

Ticking sound coming from a .pkg package? Don't let the .bom go off! Inspect it first with Pacifist. Macworld - five mice!
     
amazing
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Aug 20, 2006, 02:40 AM
 
Originally Posted by SierraDragon
The Apple Store told me it was a flat $349 to repair my blown mobo and hard drive on my 16 month old 1.67 GHz PB G4. Apparently because it was just out of warranty. I have not done it yet because I am still trying to get the data recovered, and Apple will only wipe the hard drive.
If it's 16 months old, then it's 6 months out of warranty. $349 is about the cheapest I've ever heard Apple quote towards a blown mobo, so I'd immediately do that and then sell it right away. You'll be able to recoup your mobo $ when you sell. Apple usually quotes something like $50 for data transfer to another HD, is that a possibility in your case?
     
Freeflyer
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Aug 20, 2006, 07:33 AM
 
I just had my 4 year old Tibook die this week when I spilt a drink in it. I pulled the hard drive out, put it into the cheapest firewire enclosure I could find (£25) and last night plugged it into my friends imac, where I could see all my data and then I booted off the drive and turned his imac into my powerbook.

Aren't Mac's great.

all my data's good and when I get my next powerbook in a couple of weeks when they release the merom update I'll be able to plug the drive in and just recreate all my settings etc.

Definitely get a caddy, it's well worth it. I would also think that you could strip and sell the powerbook for a decent amount in spare parts on ebay etc which would cover at least some of the cost of a new one.
By all means let's be open-minded, but not so open-minded that our brains drop out - Richard Dawkins
     
joolsd  (op)
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Aug 20, 2006, 08:47 AM
 
Hey

Thanks very much for the advice. I think Im going to get an enclosure it seems like the best plan of action. I looked at some prices, I guess around $100 should do it. It was a Titanium G4 so I guess Ill strip it down and sell what I can of the parts on Ebay. The screen is also fine is that worth anything on its own? What about other parts?

Cheers

Julian
     
cms
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Aug 20, 2006, 08:55 AM
 
$100 sounds expensive for a firewire enclosure kit for a 2.5" hard disk. You shouldn't need to spend more than about $50, I would think. USB kits can be had for less than $20.
     
Freeflyer
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Aug 20, 2006, 09:31 AM
 
get the firewire enclosure, not usb, as you can boot off firewire only.

The screen, if it's working is the most valuable part of your powerbook.
By all means let's be open-minded, but not so open-minded that our brains drop out - Richard Dawkins
     
romeosc
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Aug 20, 2006, 11:27 AM
 
     
Freeflyer
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Aug 20, 2006, 11:56 AM
 
That's for a 3.5" drive, ie a desktop drive, not a laptop. You need a 2.5" enclosure for a laptop drive. THis one would work

Hiro 2.5" USB 2.0 Firewire Aluminum Hard Drive Enclosure H50028 at TigerDirect.com
By all means let's be open-minded, but not so open-minded that our brains drop out - Richard Dawkins
     
JKT
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Aug 20, 2006, 12:09 PM
 
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joolsd  (op)
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Aug 20, 2006, 11:42 PM
 
Hey

Ok it was the 12" Titanium Powerbook 1.3GHz ? 80GB Superdrive.

If you can tell me aprx how much the parts are worth eg Screen, DVD Superdrive, Mem, Airpoort card, etc. Im really not a DIY man neither so Im gonna have to get someone to break it down for me.

Thanks

Julian
     
Freeflyer
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Aug 21, 2006, 01:49 AM
 
iFixit - iBook & PowerBook Parts

Select your model and it will show you how to strip out all the parts. You will need a set of 'torx' screwdrivers, but that's about all the tools you'll need. HOpe this helps.
By all means let's be open-minded, but not so open-minded that our brains drop out - Richard Dawkins
     
joolsd  (op)
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Aug 23, 2006, 06:40 AM
 
Hi again

I know the 12" titanium Powerbook is quite rare so can someone please tell me how much the parts are worth. Its 1GHZ/256MB/80Gb/Sd Im getting an enclosure for the hard drive. But how much is the screen, Keyboard, airport card, mem board etc worth.

Thakyou mucho
Julian
     
joolsd  (op)
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Aug 23, 2006, 06:41 AM
 
Does anyone want to make me an offer for the whole works ??
     
romeosc
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Aug 24, 2006, 10:34 PM
 
Under $9 FW/USB shipped


http://meritline.stores.yahoo.net/ad...drive-kit.html

ADS 2.5" USB2.0 / Fireiwre Combo Hard Drive Enclosure, Dual Link 2.5" HDD Case, DLX-188, USB 2.0 and Oxford 911 Firewire Connection, Turns a 2.5" Laptop Hard Drive into an External USB 2.0/FireWire Drive,Free Standard Shipping

Item Code: 197-124-001
$8.99 Shipped after $19 Mail-In Rebate!!
$27.99 QTY: Free STANDARD Shipping to USA Continent
Availability: Usually ships the next business day.
     
   
 
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