Frankenbook?

jobjob
Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited January 2014
I have a Wallstreet Powerbook (it's a Rev. B, with the 66Mhz bus and L2 cache.)



It is currently running OS 8.6 (more stable than any version of OS 9 oddly enough) and has 233Mhz and 96 MB of SDRAM.



Now while this isn't my main computer I still use it quite often for word processing, etc. However, I was considering upgrading it just for the hell of it. I like refurbing older computers and giving them a new lease on life.



Here was my plan:

- Bluechip G4 WS - Powerlogix, $299

- 40GB HDD (TOSMK4019GAX) - Toshiba, $112.95

- 2*256MB PC100 CL2 SO-DIMM - OWC, $135.98

- Aerocard Wireless Card - MacSense, $82.95



All of these things I can buy from OWC, so supply of parts isn't a problem here either. The G4 upgrade is 500Mhz with 1MB of backside cache. I have four batteries for the thing as well. I should also explain that a friend gave me this computer about a year ago. He included numerous drives and Wallstreet specific doo-dads, including a combo Firewire/USB card that have helped me maximize the use of the computer.



I don't want a new laptop, and I'm obviously quite content with running OS 8.6 on it. But I did want to know if it would be worth it to install OS X on a seperate partition. I know about the 8GB install limit, etc. I just want to know if after the upgrades if the laptop will be adequate for word processing and surfing the 'net.



I'll say again for the record, this isn't my main computer nor will I be doing anything really intensive. I just want to know if an install of OSX will be worth it. Looking at the upgraded specs, it seems similar to the original 400/500Mhz TiBooks, albeit slightly constrained by the bus speed.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 9
    splinemodelsplinemodel Posts: 7,311member
    You'll honestly do better by selling it and using the money you would have spent on upgrades towards newer used powerbook.
  • Reply 2 of 9
    regreg Posts: 832member
    If you do upgrade parts I still would not jump to OS X. You do not have enough ram to make it work. I ran 9.1 on my Wallstreet and it did everything that I needed as long as you are not using it for photoshop.



    reg
  • Reply 3 of 9
    I agree with Splinemodel. Sell it on eBay, then take the money that you would have used for the upgrades and the money from the sale and put it toward a new iBook G4 or used PB.
  • Reply 4 of 9
    johnqjohnq Posts: 2,763member
    Quote:

    job posted:

    I don't want a new laptop, and I'm obviously quite content with running OS 8.6 on it.



    He doesn't want a new laptop.



    ...



    I would, if anything, bring things up to date with the latest Mac OS 9.x unless you know of specific reasons not to.



    If you have the cash, go for the upgrades. Nothing wrong with having a tricked out Mac OS 8/9 secondary Mac if only for the principle of keeping an old Mac kicking



    But I wouldn't bother with Mac OS X for it whether or not it would work (I'm sure it would but not well enough to do it justice).
  • Reply 5 of 9
    formerlurkerformerlurker Posts: 2,686member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by \\/\\/ickes

    I agree with Splinemodel. Sell it on eBay, then take the money that you would have used for the upgrades and the money from the sale and put it toward a new iBook G4 or used PB.



    Bingo.

    Do not spend $600+ on upgrading the G3 PB,, unless you want to do it for the pure hobbyist fun and joy. Spend the $600 plus what the PB nets on eBay, on a more up to date replacement.
  • Reply 6 of 9
    lucaluca Posts: 3,833member
    Well, I had a Wallstreet like that for a while. I'd say go for something in between upgrading the hell out of it and selling it. As you said, you don't want to sell it. Personally, I think selling it would be better than spending hundreds of dollars to upgrade it, but why not just keep it mostly how it is? You can pick up an 802.11b card for far less than $80 - anyone charging you that much is ripping you off. Try more like $40. Bring the RAM up to 192 MB or 256 MB (you don't need 512 MB if you're not running OS X), and get a 20-40 GB hard drive for it. Also, Toshiba's hard drives aren't as good as Hitachi's, or so I've heard. Apparently Toshiba is louder.



    I did some searching at NewEgg.com, and I think these would be some better options:



    Hitachi 30 GB 5400 RPM hard drive with fluid dynamic bearings (super quiet) - $97

    Kingston 256 MB PC133 SODIMM - $78



    Unfortunately I am not sure which brands of 802.11b cards work for Mac. But just getting a bigger hard drive and a bit more RAM will help out, and you can keep running 8.6. Don't upgrade to OS 9 - 8.6 is better than any version of 9. And don't bother upgrading to X either, because it'll be really slow and frustrating. That computer is designed to run 8.6, and it runs it well, so just let it stay with 8.6.



    If you really want a faster laptop, then I do think you should sell this one and buy a better one. G3 iBooks are cheap these days - a 700 MHz one should suit you well if you want to run OS X.
  • Reply 7 of 9
    jobjob Posts: 420member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by johnq

    I would, if anything, bring things up to date with the latest Mac OS 9.x unless you know of specific reasons not to.



    If you have the cash, go for the upgrades. Nothing wrong with having a tricked out Mac OS 8/9 secondary Mac if only for the principle of keeping an old Mac kicking




    Yeah, it's more of a hobby thing that anything else.



    Can't let an old Mac die.



    Quote:

    Originally posted by Luca

    Don't upgrade to OS 9 - 8.6 is better than any version of 9. And don't bother upgrading to X either, because it'll be really slow and frustrating. That computer is designed to run 8.6, and it runs it well, so just let it stay with 8.6.



    Yeah, I've noticed that 8.6 runs far, far better than any version of OS 9. I had a removable HDD that had OS 9.2.2 installed and the Wallstreet was extremely unstable.



    Actually now that I think about it, 8.6 is extremely *snappy* even with just 233Mhz. A RAM increase and faster HDD might be just what I'm looking for.
  • Reply 8 of 9
    aquaticaquatic Posts: 5,602member
    Wait you're going to love this. Imagine if it was the new aluminum PowerBook. Would that make it an Al Frankenbook?
  • Reply 9 of 9
    lucaluca Posts: 3,833member




    It's bad enough that there is a cereal called "Frankenberry."







    Not only that, but the Frankenberry guy actually kind of looks like Al Franken. I've never tried the cereal myself.
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