How to connect a PowerBook G4 hard drive for data recovery?

The item in the photos is an optical drive, not the hard drive.

The PowerBook G4 in question would probably be a Ti model.

https://everymac.com/systems/apple/powerbook_g4/index-powerbook-g4.html

The hard drive would be placed next to the optical drive. A web search for something like PowerBook G4 Titanium hard drive replacement should give you an idea where to look and how to remove the drive.

The removed hard drive could then be connected to a bare-drive adapter like the one in your link.

Later, please post back with details for the removed hard drive and information about what kind of computer (and operating system) you wish to use for data recovery.

Thank you for the update. The following web page lists three A1010 models, all 12".

https://everymac.com/ultimate-mac-lookup/?identify=A1010

The hard drive removal procedure is different from the 15" in the video.

maisiemara wrote:

Thank you Jan. I've taken off the battery cover and discovered it's the first one on the webpage, a 12-Inch PowerBook G4 (Early 2003) (Model: A1010) with an 867 MHz CPU and a 40 GB Combo drive. Upon looking up a video to remove that hard drive (posted here in case of interest to others: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ynotn4h6teQ) it looks a lot more complicated, involving removing specific keyboard buttons, and risking damaging soft metal screws and being unable to remove the casing without a drill, for instance. I have ordered a new (old) power cable for it and will just check whether I can bring it to life and go in via the front rather than the back door. If that doesn't work I'll just go for it and post back. Thank you for your help so far, much appreciated!

FYI, while I have occasionally encountered extremely tight screws from the factory on Apple products....most times they can still be removed if you pay very close attention to the screw driver & stop as soon as you see the first sign of the screw driver slipping on the screw head.

If the screw is too tight, then I prefer to take a small hammer and while pressing the screw driver as hard as I can into the screw while also applying as much torque to the screw driver that I can manage......I will tap the handle of the screw driver with the hammer. Usually the application of torque & the hammer taps (sometimes may need to be somewhat significant taps) will usually loosen the screw. Very rarely have I had to resort to drilling/grinding out overly tight screws. It can take a bit of practice depending on the screw driver involved.

Make sure the screw driver tip fits properly in the screw head. If it doesn't, then try using a different screw driver. Apple seems to have the oddest screw heads I've ever seen....they also tend to be very shallow.

Hopefully that old HD will still spin up after sitting all these years.

I've found in working on Macs of that generation that sometimes a standard Phillips driver does not quite fit in the shallow holes on some screw heads, even thought the blade width is correct. Using a file to reduce the driver's tip length—basically blunting it slightly— seems to overcome that.

File a little off the tip and then test for fit in the screws that are being defiant. If you file too much off, there may not be enough blade contact left to get traction.

Allan