Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with laptop and ibook

Re-purposing laptops: I want more than a picture frame.

alexherder — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 08:30:15 -0800

When it comes to re-purposing old laptops, it seems like the only option people really talk about is to turn it into a picture frame. There's got to be more that an old iBook can do... right? My girlfriend has a 5-year old iBook G4 running OS 10.3 (Panther) which has simply outlived its usefulness as an every day, primary computer. It's got 256mb RAM and a small-ish hard drive but can't handle Office, iTunes, or Firefox (let alone any 2 of those at once) without breaking out the color-wheel-of-death.

I bought her a new MacBook last month which she loves but she is refusing to get rid of her old iBook. I have a slightly newer (about 4-years old) iBook of my own that I am selling on eBay but she is not interested in parting with her "old friend." I don't understand her need to hold onto this old laptop, nor do I seek to dissuade her of the notion. I asked her if we could possibly try to figure out some way to re-purpose it rather than let it sit on a shelf gathering dust and she agreed, now the question is, what to do with it?

I've seen threads about this in a number of places (including here and on lifehacker) but it always seems to come down to file server or picture frame. Our house has a server (Ubuntu 8.04, reasonably speedy) and we have no need for a digital picture frame. I was thinking about using it as a firewall (but it only has one NIC) or as a thin client but I'm not sure where to start. I used to run Ubuntu PPC on my old iBook but kept running into issues due to the x86 vs PPC architecture. The other idea I had was as a "kitchen" computer for recipes and watching TV/streaming radio while cooking, but we already use her new MacBook to do this and that seems to work fine.

In the end, I think we've got enough computers in our house, but she wants to keep this one. So... I turn to you, dear readers. What possible use can we squeeze out of my girlfriend's "old friend"??

My computer is having some difficulties.

Brachiosaurus — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 00:16:26 -0800

Is my iBook G4 dying? The most pressing problem is that, while working on it, without the power cord, the computer will abruptly turn off, with no warning. It can even be when the battery indicator on the top of the screen isn't even that low, maybe a quarter left. Afterwards I can just plug it in and turn it back on with no problems. This is happening more and more regularly.

The next biggest problem is that the front (closest to me) left corner gets super hot sometimes. I'm guessing that this is hard drive. I've backed up my data recently but I should probably again- maybe right after I'm done typing this.

Also, the wires within the power adapter may be starting to fray. It isn't too touchy but to keep the indicator light illuminated I have to keep it still. Also the box thingy that goes to the wall will get really, really hot while it's charging- but not if it's just plugged in. I don't know if it's always done this.

The only other problem is that four keys no longer work on the keyboard thanks to my cat spilling a martini on the computer about 2 years ago. I should have replaced it then because I can do it myself and I've heard that the replacement keyboard would only be about 50$. All of the letters still work (though I imagine that it would be funny if I had to avoid words with certain letters) and only one of the keys that I tend to use has been effected. I called Apple to ask them once but they said they don't sell just the keyboard.

So I'm looking at about 300 in replacement parts (outside of the hot hard drive problem, 'cause I don't know what that's about) and I'm thinking that even if I repair these and the thing lasts 8 months my utility per dollar wouldn't improve that much because I'm spending 20% of the cost to get another ~15% of life from it.

I choose 8 months because it would be awesome if I could get this thing to last until I finish school in Dec.

So it sounds like I should just replace it but I don't think I'd be able to swing that for another 2 or so months and I kind of need it (what I mean by need is that my roommate lets me use his spiffy iMac but having a laptop [and my own computer] improves my productivity).

So I guess my questions are, can this thing last 2-3 months without putting money into it? 8+ months without repairs? 8+ month with the repairs listed above? And how much would a new 100gb HD cost? Has anyone had this battery problem before? I know that none of you can predict the future but I just need some reasonable advice.

What fun things can I do with my old iBook Clamshell?

gonzo_ID — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 05:34:30 -0800

I've got a iBook G3(i think) blueberry clamshell which can just about handle running photoshop 4 and appleworks on it. think it has OS 8 on it too. The battery is pretty much shot on it and so only runs off the mains power supply. Currently it is sitting on my shelf doing nothing. Give me some fun / interesting / unusual ideas with what I could do with it. The more creative the better.

Okay, so plate spring on vocals only?

Cantdosleepy — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 01:22:48 -0800

Please help get my old iBook to be as fast as possible! Hey all,

I've had an iBook G4 14" 1.42GHz for a few years now (bought it about a month before they switched to Intel chips). I haven't treated it super-kindly (the day-to-day account is also the admin account, since I didn't realise you were meant to make yourself a limited user account; I've installed and uninstalled all sorts of software of varying quality; and I've made it a bittorrent packhorse for days at a time) and the battery was on the point of dying. I recently put a new battery in, and now that I'm not permanently tethered to the wall I'm enthused about fixing the machine up to get it as fast as possible.

I've been using the DAW Reaper for a few months now and like it a lot. Unfortunately my computer isn't fast enough to do any audio effects work - every channel has to be clean or the program judders and overloads.

My goal for this project is to be able to use Reaper and Reason ReWired together for recording sketches in my bedroom. Nothing too ambitious - I'm not talking about running bitcrunchers, choruses and delays on dozens of channels - I'd just like the ability to use panning, compression and reverb on four or five tracks to make things sit nicely together.

So how do I squeeze out the speed? Will reinstalling the OS help? I've already got the maximum amount of RAM that this computer will hold. What processes run in the background that I don't need? Does the Quicksilver launcher eat up a lot of memory (I currently use it)? Would installing Leopard be a bunch faster, or would that money be better spent elsewhere? Can I tell the computer to prioritise one program at the expense of others? Should I set up a separate user account for recording that has almost everything disabled that isn't needed for ReapsonWire?

Aside from music making I'll be using this machine to cruise the internet, watch '.avi' files and write bits and pieces - so nothing too demanding.

Any and all tips considered. Thanks!

Resell an ibook: fix it?

The Esteemed Doctor Bunsen Honeydew — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 16:09:03 -0800

A question about reselling an ibook g4 with a broken screen. I'm in the market for a new laptop (probably looking at a macbook, yes I will wait until after WWDC), most notably because the screen on my ibook g4 is horribly broken. But here's the question: is it worth it to try and replace the screen before I resell it? I can probably manage this for around $130, but don't know if the resell value will be boosted enough to make it worth my while.

also, what is a fair price to ask for a 14'' ibook g4 running Tiger with a 60g HDD, 512 MB RAM and a 1.42ghz processor? (both with good screen and a bum screen, if possible). I'll most likely be selling on craigslist or ebay.

What to do with an old iBook and iPod?

methylsalicylate — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 08:00:13 -0800

What to do with an old iBook and iPod? The iPod is an original 5GB model, FireWire only, and still has good battery life. iBook is one of those non-G4 white ones, has had a battery replacement, and the DVD drive doesn't work (I use an external LaCie drive but otherwise everything is hunky dory).

I bought a new MacBook to cope with work needs and a new iPod because the old one is too big to take running. I hate throwing things away. I think recycling is dangerous, inefficient and in terms of the people who handle doing it, only borderline ethical. I've seen this page and have no problems being hands-on with hardware. Unfortunately the only option there I would consider is making a new external hard drive, but couldn't I do something with the iPod to make it suitable for essential backups and do something better with the iBook instead? Keep in mind I'm in the north of England before suggesting places to donate it. I lead a reasonably stripped-down life and use no computer other than a laptop so have no desire for a second laptop running linux or working as a home server or whatever. Ditto a digital photo thingy. Any ideas?

Lap pad for iBook?

Brocktoon — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 20:08:26 -0800

Where can I find a laptop lap pad for a 14" iBook that has room for a wired mouse? Thanks!

How to fix a malodorous laptop?

speek — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 18:23:36 -0800

How do you remove an odor from a laptop without killing the laptop (or yourself)? I recently bought a new-to-me iBook G3 from somebody in the middle of Massachusetts. I didn't notice it when I got it, but I realized that the computer smelled like barbecue sauce. It isn't that big of a deal, but it's sooooo annoying.

I did read about the burning glue issue on iBook G3s, but I don't think that's the issue as
a) the whole computer smells like bbq sauce and
b) the cords that came with it smell like bbq sauce.

Thanks!

Brand New Ibook Battery Won't Charge

ilyanassa — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 10:46:36 -0800

My new off-brand battery for my ibook G4 won't charge past 49%. Help! I just bought a new battery for my 14" ibook G4 from batteryheads.com. As per Apple's instructions, I installed the new battery and left it plugged in overnight, intending to fully charge it and then fully discharge it.

Well, it's been plugged in for almost 12 hours now, and it's still only charged to 49%, according to the computer. All four of green lights on the battery itself are lit, apparently indicating full charge. I have tried restarting the computer and resetting the PMU, but no change.

Should I let it discharge? Will this reduce the battery's power? Do I have a bad battery? Help! I have so much work that needs to get done on upcoming plane flights!

How to remove broken power adapter stem from inside laptop?

GPF — Tue, 24 Apr 2007 11:53:43 -0800

The tip (inside stem) of my power adapter broke off in my wife's computer (White iBook G4). Thus, its unable to recharge. How do I get it out? What are these parts called so I can look it up at an appropriate place? I'm headed out of town in the next couple of days and I'd like to not leave one of us without a computer. The Apple store is too far away. Local techs would charge this stingy guy too much.

All the data is backed up sufficiently.

I'm not afraid to open the computer up, but would rather not go rooting around without at least a guide. Too, if there's a clever or magical fix I'd love to hear about it. Searches haven't been fruitful. Am I using the right terminology?

The male part of the power adapter -- the thin stem -- broke off near the tip and is now lodged in the female power reciever in the side of the portable computer.

does apple's warranty cover this?

thinkingwoman — Sun, 18 Mar 2007 15:56:58 -0800

does apple's 1-year warranty cover damage caused by static electricity? i got a strong shock from my ibook when pressing the space bar to wake up my computer from sleep. the shock caused the computer to turn off; when i restarted it all my files were intact but the computer no longer recognizes my battery and there is something wrong with the keyboard--i have to type very slowly (about one key per second) or else i'll start "losing" letters (it's not a delay--it just skips the ones that are input too quickly). so far nothing else seems to be amiss.

anyway, i'm taking my notebook into the applestore tomorrow for a diagnosis, but am sort of hoping to get some advance warning on what to expect, costwise. the apple website is, perhaps intentionally, a little unclear about its warranty terms.

How to fix my iBook trackpad after water seeped in?

jbb7 — Sun, 05 Nov 2006 05:26:03 -0800

iBook trackpad problems: after cleaning with a barely damp cloth, my trackpad is all jumpy. Reboots and trying to "massage" the trackpad haven't helped. Any other home remedies for this? This all started when I ran a heavily squeezed-out kleenex over the surface several hours ago. Very little water could have seeped into the trackpad, and I've done this very many times before.

The trackpad fluctuates between responding to some of my finger movements and completely ignoring them. The sides are noticeably better than the middle section. Also, going horizontally works much more often than going vertically. But that said, the trackpad is essentially unusable.

I would normally run to the Apple Store with a problem like this, but I'm in Beijing for another month and sending it to the AppleCare depot here will be a bit more involved.

Server on an iBook

RobotHero — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 20:37:06 -0800

Help me put an interactive web site on an iBook. I have a web site that I created, which uses PHP and SQL, running on an Apache server. I'm applying for jobs, and it could be nice to bring along my iBook on an interview and demonstrate the site.

Now, of course the site is available on the web, but I can't count on hooking up anywhere I'm interviewed. What do I need to know to set up the whole functionality of the site within the confines of one Mac lap top?

I've done next to no configuring on a Mac before, so beginners level stuff is good.

How to get my iBook to see the internet?

bilabial — Wed, 30 Aug 2006 09:31:38 -0800

My wireless router and my iBook G4 aren't playing nice. Our iBook G3 connects wirelessly without fail. This started not very long after we moved to the new apartment: my airport icon shows a full signal connection, or sometimes minus one bar, but when I try to load a page the result is a page that says I am not connected to the internet. When I turn off the airport and then turn it back on, sometimes it will be able to load the page. Lately that doesn't work, so I move onto the step of restarting the router and the modem. This isn't working lately either. So, sometimes it lets me on and bumps me off randomly whlie other times it won't let me online at all.

The router is a NetGear MR814v2, which the Apple store Genius Bar people say isn't the best model. They suggest I turn to a Linksys.

We have an iBook G3 that never has any problem getting online or staying online wirelessly. The fun part is that we have an ancient (five years old) Gateway that we plug into the router for downloading. At first, it seemed that the iBook G4 would get bumped when the Gateway went online, pointing maybe to an IP conflict. All three machines have their own IPs assigned, however. Now the Gateway is not necessarily downloading, or even on/connected to the router when we have this difficulty getting or staying online with the G4.

Do I really need to trash this router, or is there something else that can be done so I can go back to reclining on the sofa with my computer? (I'm tethered to a table that is just the wrong height for computer work and a new table is out of the question for quite some time.)

Looking to buy a MacBook, but...

blueberry — Fri, 07 Jul 2006 00:49:40 -0800

Looking to buy a MacBook. Wanting to make sure it's ready for primetime. Buy now, buy later?

So, I'm set to buy a new mid-range MacBook to replace my four-year-old G3 iBook. I want to buy before mid-September (so that I can take advantage of the Buy a Mac and get a free iPod Nano student special) but, before I do, I am wondering about a couple of issues I've heard about. Those issues are:

A. a certain mooing sound—that's fixed now, yes?

B. high temperature perhaps compounded by excessive thermal paste, fixed? (my old iBook would get a bit toasty so I'm used to hot, I just don't want the MacBook to get too hot or so hot that it's having trouble)

C. a discoloration of the plastic near the trackpad, apparently a reaction with oils from people's hands or something. Fixed or no?

Finally, a perhaps unpredictable bonus question: I know that occasionally Apple will "silently update" their processors, bumping the speed up without actually coming out with a new model. As I expect this to be my computer for the next few years I'd like it to be as speedy as possible for as long as possible. MacRumors' Buyers Guide notes that the MacBook only debuted 52 days ago so a bump in the next month or two would seem a bit premature, but... what do you think the odds are they'll bump it up this summer?

cracked LCD, new computer?

mustcatchmooseandsquirrel — Sun, 07 May 2006 17:37:32 -0800

My iBook's LCD cracked. I am a poor college student. What is my next step computer-wise? I have a 12" iBook. Yeterday when I got home from essay writing, I toook iBook out of its case and saw a black splotch with cracks on the upper left side of the screen. [the cracks look sort of like when hail hits a car windshield and it shatters] Now half of my screen does not work.

I know that replacing the screen would cost too much money to be reasonable.

Should my next computer be a Mac? I love OS X, I love Apple, but I don't know if I should get myself into a lot of debt for a Mac, and I don't know if a PowerPC Powerbook/iBook is the better idea or is an Intel MacBook Pro would make more sense in the long run.

The other option I am considering is getting a cheaper PC notebook, installing Linux, and spending the summer learning to use Linux. The problem with that is I know nothing about PC laptops - I don't know which ones have a reasonable weight/battery life/price or how easy it would be to use wireless internet with Linux.

What should I do?!

Also, what should I do with my iBook after all of this goes down?

Help save my beloved iBook!

synecdoche — Wed, 26 Apr 2006 08:40:52 -0800

Help save my laptop! I was using my G4 iBook last night, and suddenly the screen went black. Nothing else happened-- no noises or anything-- and I had been using it for about a half hour or so. It has never done that before.

Anyway, I held down the power button to shut it down as it was not responding to anything else. I turned it off, then turned it on again. Now when I try to boot it, the start up chime does not sound. Instead the screen stays off and the fan comes on full power.

The battery was partially drained so I tried re-charging it fully. The computer come on long enough for me to see some of my startup programs boot, and then the screen went black again. Now I can't get that far again.

I've tried it with the adapter and battery in, with just the battery, and with just the adapter. Same result each time. When the fan comes on, it seems like it'd sit there running forever if I let it (I left the room and came back about 15 minutes later and it was still going).

Can anyone help? I got the iBook about a year and a half ago and have had no other problems with it. It isn't on warranty and there is no way I can afford a new one, not to mention that there are some files I really need on there (I do back up regularly, but there are some that hadn't run through my backup cycle yet).

Help Me Pick Out A Clamshell

willmize — Mon, 17 Apr 2006 12:38:20 -0800

I'd like my gateway mac to be a 'clamshell' G3 ibook. Is this a wise decision? I've decided to finally give in an buy a mac, but being the cautious type, I want to get the best experience for the minimum amount of scratch. I need a new laptop (just for writing/wordprocessing) and thought that getting one of the very cool 'clamshell' style ibooks would be just the ticket to a) get me used to the mac before I finalize my decision to buy a mini and b) get me something inexpensive and portable to write with. Well, besides using a pencil and an index card.

I found these - the price is right, they come with a 60 day warranty, and extra RAM and a new battery is available.

Were these trustworthy machines?
What should I look for?
Minimum RAM?
Minimum hard drive?
Operating system version?
Mandatory software?
Some models better than others?
Am I throwing good money down the drain?
What do I need to know?
What questions should I ask any vendor?

Please feel free to lecture/scold/mock/praise/warn me.

Is my iBook hosed?

Emperor Yamamoto's Eggs — Sat, 08 Apr 2006 22:30:10 -0800

Possible water spill on the trackpad and button; is my iBook damaged? This evening when we were out, my mother-in-law was using my G3 iBook, and she accidentally spilled about half a glass of water on our kitchen table, very close to the iBook. She said she didn't think any water got on the machine and said it was "acting ok". However, I used it for a few minutes earlier and I noticed that the button seemed very stiff and the trackpad did not respond as quickly. Also, I have had two "spinning wheels of death" where the entire machine just completely locked up. I thought I heard a soft crackling noise on reboot as well. After this I shut it down and I am posting from another machine. Are these just amazing coincidences or are these things symptomatic of water actually getting into the machine? If it is, what is going to happen and how long will it take to notice if something is truly amiss? I have an hours-old backup and she has offered to replace the machine if it is indeed damaged. What do you think?

Should I invest in a Mac?

charmston — Tue, 27 Dec 2005 10:18:03 -0800

I'm a longtime PC user who is considering purchasing a Mac laptop for personal use. I'm relatively unfamiliar with Macs, and need advice! I'm a 20-year-old student in the Twin Cities, double-majoring in psychology and english, with plans on immediately pursuing a doctorate in developmental psychology upon graduation. I'm somewhat of a computer nerd, and I'm considering purchasing a Mac for personal- and school-related usage. I currently use an inconviently-sized and relatively sluggish Sony Vaio PCG-K25, which will probably need to be upgraded within the next year or so anyways. It's large (11 lbs), has practically no battery life (less than an hour on a full charge), and is becoming relatively slow, even after reformatting.

The primary uses for my computer include:
- Organization/Task Management (kGTD appeals greatly to me, and is one of the biggest reasons I am considering buying a Mac)
- Web browsing/instant messaging/e-mail
- Listening to, organizing music (I am the proud owner of a 5G 60gb iPod)
- Web design (Photoshop and TopStyle are my programs of choice on PC)
- Internet poker (large drawback: Pokerstars doesn't have a Mac version)

I'm also unsure of which model would suit me best. Portability and battery life are both issues with me, so I likely would get a 12" model, whether I go with the iBook or Powerbook. I'm not sure if my computing uses, and their subsequent needs of computing power, would justify spending the additional cost. I would need at least a 60gb hard drive, and would prefer at least 1gb of RAM. iLife would be a necesity, and iWork would be practically useless to me.

Given my needs, an iBook would cost $1,149, and a Powerbook would cost $1,549. I plan on taking out a loan to pay for it, so cost isn't a huge issue; I'd just like to get my money's worth if I'm to spend an additional $400. I could pay for it with cash, but the loan serves two purposes: it minimizes my initial cost and it also will help build myself credit, which is important to me.

My questions to you all are these:
- What benefits would buying a Mac present to me? Would they outweigh the drawbacks?
- If you believe I should indeed buy one, which model would you recommend?

Any other comments or suggestions based on personal experience would be highly appreciated. Thanks everyone, and merry Christmahannahkwanza!

Where to find a sleek laptop backpack?

crack — Fri, 02 Dec 2005 18:32:34 -0800

Looking for a sleek and compact woman's laptop backpack for the 14" ibook. This is going to be a gift for my sister who has been having a hard time finding an elegant and compact backpack for her laptop. Most of the bags I've found have been slightly too small for her 14" ibook. Here are a couple of bags that approximate what I'm going for: Ellington and Sumdex.

Qosmio: worth the cash?

ClanvidHorse — Tue, 15 Nov 2005 07:19:54 -0800

Is a Toshiba Qosmio Laptop F20-136 worth the money? I am seriously considering purchasing one as the chance to have Freeview digital tv is a big plus for me. I just want to know if there is anything to be wary of with these machines and whether I should go for something else a little less flashy but better under the bonnet.

I have seriously thought about an Ibook but have given up as it doesnt link with either my mobile phone or my mp3 player Creative zen.

Any ideas? its a lot of cash for me so dont want to end up with a duffer.

Jammed iBook audio jack

inksyndicate — Wed, 19 Jan 2005 09:06:54 -0800

I have an iBook whose audio jack has been accidentally jammed inwards. The jack still works, but the internal sound won't play -- because now it always thinks headphones are on. Is there a software workaround, or a remedy using tweezers? P.S. Apple says it's a $700 repair, and that popular sound-direction program "Detour" won't do it.

Thinking of a new laptop. Should I switch to Mac/Apple?

coriolisdave — Sun, 21 Nov 2004 20:37:14 -0800

I'm thinking of getting myself a new laptop to play with. Do I want to switch? [~~Intel~~ More Inside] I don't _need_ a new laptop, but it would be useful to have for home use. I have a Toshiba for work, but if the argument is strong enough it could be replaced with a Mac. I'm a sysadmin for an almost pure Win2k/2k3 network, but most of that work is done remotely (i.e. RDP). I play with some webdesign (teaching myself PHP, etc) but am not a web- or code-monkey. I do travel somewhat, so this beastly heavy Toshy is a pain. I have a PC for (very light) gaming at home, but would like to be able to watch avi's etc on my television from the laptop. I detest IE with a passion unholy, and Opera is having my baby.
Price-wise, the AppleBooks are fairly equivalent to the IBM offerings which I've played with extensively. I like their X-series (particularly the X40) mainly for size/weight reasons (tiny, 1.6kg) and the excellent battery life (6hrs on main batt alone).
In realistic terms, how does a G4 1.33 stack up against the Intel boxen? What's the battery life like on an iBook? Is the PowerBook's battery better? How heavy is the iBook? What sort of gaming performance will they give me? Most importantly, Will the Apple do what I need it to do, and how long will it take me to be up-and-running?

iBook Noise

scarabic — Mon, 16 Aug 2004 22:00:13 -0800

I'm hearing a horrible sound from my iBook all of a sudden. It sounds like the lever that moves the HD heads snapping back and forth repeatedly. It doesn't wholly interfere with the operation of the computer or crash it or anything (yet). It does seem to be coming from the front left side of the laptop, where the HD is located. What is happening? What sort of repair am I looking at, worst-case? Anything I can do? It's a 600MHz / white / firewire version and I'm in the US.