Mac Forum / General / Portable Macs / February 2005

As an alternative, why not get the 30Gb now, and later spend the
difference on buying a fast 80Gb to put in a cheap USB2 enclosure - then
you have increased storage AND an external backup, in a package the size
of an iPod.

But if your first two options are preferred, get the larger/faster drive
if you can afford it.  The machine's operating speed is limited by its
HDD speed in many cases.

I have replaced an iBook HD from the first dual-USB series (the second
all-white model I think) and it was, accurately, a bitch.  Took about
ten or twenty fiddly steps and a lot of alignment to get it back
together.  I've done that kind of upgrade on a 1400, Duo 2300, 3400,
5300, Lombard and G4 Titanium, and the iBook was more hassle than all of
them.  If you have done that kind of thing before it's feasible, but I
wouldn't do it as a learning experience!  There are online take-apart
guides and of course Apple's Service Source PDFs are out there, which
describe the recommended procedure.

     Cheers,

        MK.

Hi, if you intend to do it yourself, take a look at :

http://www.sterpin.net/uk/ddibookg4uk.htm

I upgrade mine, it took me two hours. It was not too difficult, just
remember to put all the screws in different boxes (at every step)

Thierry

Ringo,
Which HD to get now is a matter of need... if you expect to need it
within a year go for it now, else wait as they get better & cheaper. I
just put an 80 GB in that did not exist when the machine was bought 2
years ago.

As for replacing it yourself, the 2-hour estimates I have seen are
tight, IF you are familiar with futzing in such a machine. Give yourself
a lot more if you are not. But do NOT try it w/o manual, which you can
find through Gamba's site, http://home.earthlink.net/~gamba2/index.html.
Apple recommends sorting screws in an ice-cube tray. DO JUST THAT! I
actually placed little tags in each well; in this way I could resume the
next day when interrupted, an enormous stress-reducer. You need some
specific tools (see the above manual), make sure you have them before
starting (don't skimp, you WILL need them!). Also, use an antistatic
wrist strap. There is also a picture guide by a guy named Kodawarisan,
but I like the Apple manual much more.

There is nothing inherently impossible with doing this job yourself but
it is risky, delicate work. Get your screws messed-up, or a cable munged
& you'll be in for some real trouble. Under no circumstances I would try
this without the manual's take-apart guidance (& I am quite familiar
with such work).

Uli