detour12
Level 1 (1 points)

Q: can I put a ssd in a 2005 ibook g4

to make it faster

Posted on Jun 28, 2014 8:36 AM

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detour12

Q: can I put a ssd in a 2005 ibook g4

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  • by Allan Eckert,

    Allan Eckert Allan Eckert Jun 28, 2014 8:42 AM in response to detour12
    Level 9 (54,112 points)
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    Jun 28, 2014 8:42 AM in response to detour12

    Only if you can find an SSD that is comparable with ATA/100 which I seriously doubt.

  • by Roger Wilmut1,

    Roger Wilmut1 Roger Wilmut1 Jun 28, 2014 8:53 AM in response to detour12
    Level 9 (78,557 points)
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    Jun 28, 2014 8:53 AM in response to detour12

    Even if this was in fact possible, it's really not a good idea to throw money at such an old Mac. The upgrade would cost you many times the value of the Mac without really adding to its value, and the Mac itself may become unreliable with age. SSDs of any size are horrendously expensive - and in practice I doubt you would see much of a speed increase as you would still be limited by the processor - much of the waiting time you are probably experiencing is likely to be due to the processor rather than the disk access.

  • by Allan Eckert,

    Allan Eckert Allan Eckert Jun 28, 2014 8:54 AM in response to Roger Wilmut1
    Level 9 (54,112 points)
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    Jun 28, 2014 8:54 AM in response to Roger Wilmut1

    To say noting about the ATA/100 bus used it that Mac for disk access.

  • by Roger Wilmut1,

    Roger Wilmut1 Roger Wilmut1 Jun 28, 2014 9:27 AM in response to Allan Eckert
    Level 9 (78,557 points)
    iTunes
    Jun 28, 2014 9:27 AM in response to Allan Eckert

    As you mentioned before, which indeed is why I said 'Even if this was in fact possible'.

  • by Allan Eckert,

    Allan Eckert Allan Eckert Jun 28, 2014 9:31 AM in response to Roger Wilmut1
    Level 9 (54,112 points)
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    Jun 28, 2014 9:31 AM in response to Roger Wilmut1

    It appears we might have scared him off.

  • by Roger Wilmut1,

    Roger Wilmut1 Roger Wilmut1 Jun 28, 2014 9:48 AM in response to Allan Eckert
    Level 9 (78,557 points)
    iTunes
    Jun 28, 2014 9:48 AM in response to Allan Eckert

    Well, I think he could spend his money in better ways.

  • by Allan Eckert,

    Allan Eckert Allan Eckert Jun 28, 2014 9:52 AM in response to Roger Wilmut1
    Level 9 (54,112 points)
    Desktops
    Jun 28, 2014 9:52 AM in response to Roger Wilmut1

    Amen

  • by K Shaffer,

    K Shaffer K Shaffer Jun 28, 2014 12:38 PM in response to detour12
    Level 6 (14,587 points)
    Desktops
    Jun 28, 2014 12:38 PM in response to detour12

    There are examples online, some at OWC:

    For most 2.5" portables which use an ATA/IDE (parallel ATA) hard drive:

    http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/SSD/OWC/Mercury_Legacy_Pro

     

    Select a product to see more detailed specifications on the SSD & computer

    models they are said to be intended for use in. (They also fit PC builds.)

     

    If I were to upgrade my mid-2005 12" iBook G4 (last model) I'd consider an

    SSD such as these, since the iBook shipped with '40GB' (36GB) capacity.

    And my iBook G4 is a lot like new, and nearly a perfect candidate...

     

    However there isn't much to do with the iBook once it gets upgraded. Then

    a new battery (while available) is a necessity; like buying fresh eggs, these.

    A limited shelf life, the batteries can't really be bought ahead of time. And

    unlike an egg, there is no promise of a chick anytime soon.

     

    Since the iBook G4 (mid-2005) upgrades to 1.5GB RAM (one SO-DIMM)

    over the 512MB base on-board chip, that gives it some umph, first.

     

    Have fun, if you choose to go that way. Be sure someone qualified does it.

     

    Good luck & happy computing!

  • by detour12,

    detour12 detour12 Jun 28, 2014 12:49 PM in response to K Shaffer
    Level 1 (1 points)
    Jun 28, 2014 12:49 PM in response to K Shaffer

    Hi I got this a while back and never used it

    will this work

     

    http://www.ebay.com/itm/261462111326?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m143 9.l264

    9

  • by Allan Eckert,

    Allan Eckert Allan Eckert Jun 28, 2014 1:11 PM in response to detour12
    Level 9 (54,112 points)
    Desktops
    Jun 28, 2014 1:11 PM in response to detour12

    No. That is a SATA SSD. Since your Mac needs ATA/100, you will not be able to connect the two incompatible things together.

     

    I concur with Roger that your iBook G4 is not worth upgrading.

     

    Allan

  • by K Shaffer,

    K Shaffer K Shaffer Jul 1, 2014 9:56 AM in response to detour12
    Level 6 (14,587 points)
    Desktops
    Jul 1, 2014 9:56 AM in response to detour12

    If you had an Intel-based MacBook the Samsung SATA SSD, as listed in your link

    may have a possibility of working; but not in a PowerPC iBook or PowerBook series

    where ATA/IDE (PATA) is the drive interface.

     

    This example is for use in an ATA/IDE (PATA) computer with 2.5" size hard drive:

    http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/SSD/OWC/Mercury_Legacy_Pro

     

    Also you have to consider the data speed rate; that is why I posted a link to a most

    likely and plausible fit to an older portable computer with 2.5" size ATA compatible.

    Read the specs in the link (select an item, example: 60GB SSD there) and see.

     

    Note the area of this page where it says what Mac portable computers the product

    is compatible with; there are pictures and specs for them as well. Example 2:

    http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Other%20World%20Computing/SSDMLP060/

     

    These are mostly likely the best fit product for such a conversion. I have an iBook G4

    (mid-2005) last model and if I were to upgrade, the reference link I posted would work.

     

    However, I also mentioned the RAM upgrade of 1024MB above the on-board amount,

    as an affordable upgrade at that level. It helps and is not an involved process to do.

     

    Mine has the RAM upgrade as stated. Sure, an SSD would make it really fast, but why?

     

    A modern 5400 RPM 160GB 2.5" HDD could perform nicely, if you needed more storage

    capacity and work space in the computer, at less cost per GB than an SSD. IF the job

    were performed by an experienced technician, the project could be a novelty upgrade

    to have an SSD installed. The 120GB SSD from OWC is relatively inexpensive, but to

    get it done correctly would require a qualified Apple Trained service technician.

     

    And then have an externally enclosed (FW400) hard drive for backup and to make/use

    bootable full system clones; the OWC company also has fair examples for this purpose

    and look for 'oxford-type' chipsets to facilitate booting OS X systems from the FireWire.

     

    Good luck & happy computing!

  • by Ronda Wilson,

    Ronda Wilson Ronda Wilson Jul 5, 2014 1:50 AM in response to detour12
    Level 8 (41,572 points)
    Jul 5, 2014 1:50 AM in response to detour12

    When I hopped from an iBook G4 to a MacBook, it seemed like lightning was at my fingertips.

     

    Great as the iBooks were, there is simply no comparison to the Intel processors in newer Macs. It was a phenomenal upgrade when I went from the iBook G4 to a MacBook. I strongly recommend this move over anything you try to do to speed up your iBook.