Upgrading Macs
in [UK Mac]
|
From: Rowland McDonnell on 8 Apr 2010 22:57 Colin Harper <colinharper(a)x.com.invalid> wrote: [snip] > It's like the council worker > proudly proclaiming he's had the same broom for 20 years and it's only had 15 > new heads and 11 shanks. Once upon a time, we talked about Daniele's axe[1]. > I wonder if I'm unusual in upgrading Macs like this? I think I probably am a > bit. I've upped the RAM and HD on most of the Macs I've bought new, over their lives. Nothing else, though. Aside from one which had a replacement graphics card added (the original died) and an added PCI USB2/FW card (which caused kernel panics, bloody pile of wossname). Rowland. [1] Well, he's a philosopher, innee? -- Remove the animal for email address: rowland.mcdonnell(a)dog.physics.org Sorry - the spam got to me http://www.mag-uk.org http://www.bmf.co.uk UK biker? Join MAG and the BMF and stop the Eurocrats banning biking
From: David Empson on 9 Apr 2010 02:07 Colin Harper <colinharper(a)x.com.invalid> wrote: > Recent posts have got me thinking about the hardware upgrades I've done to > the Macs I've owned since I switched about 8 years or so ago. > > eMac G4: Inside this, I upgraded the hard drive, added RAM, swapped out the > original combo optical drive for a DVD writer (a NEC one, IIRC) and > overclocked the CPU. The eMac is one I haven't attempted (beyond memory upgrades). How difficult is it to access the hard drive and optical drive? Are there safety risks due to exposing the back of the CRT? > That's quite a bit of tweaking. This eMac is still in use, running 10.5 quite > happily with its 1.3GHz G4 and 1GB RAM. > > iMac G5: Upgraded the RAM again, and upgraded the hard drive. Both very > simple jobs. Retired. Early iMac G5 with the removable back? Done that for other people. Later ones are apparently much harder. > Intel Mac Mini Rev.1 : Swapped out the Core Duo CPU for a Core2, added RAM, > upgraded the HD. Still in use. I've done a couple of PowerMac Mac Minis for others, but haven't opened an Intel one yet. Mine only has a few months until its AppleCare expires, after which I may bump the hard drive and memory (currently 160 GB and 2 GB). I've also done hard drive upgrades to various iMac, iBook, PowerBook, MacBook and MacBook Pro models for other people. > So over those years, I've started with low end configurations and upgraded my > way to a much longer useful life out of these machines. All using off the > shelf parts. The only thing you can't really change is the graphics or > motherboard, but then this is the same on this ION Windows 7 nettop I have > (akin to Mini, I guess), and on things like the Sony all in Ones VIAO VGC > range (iMac, ish, a bit) so the integrated graphics is more of a form factor > thing. The graphics are perfectly upgradable on a Mac Pro. [...] > I wonder if I'm unusual in upgrading Macs like this? I think I probably am a > bit. My list is a bit mixed. I've sometimes bought low end or second to bottom models and then done upgrades after a while, while in other cases I've bought the high end model, which gets upgraded at a later point if I keep it long enough. I've done memory and hard drive upgrades in almost every computer I've owned. In the slotted ones I've often added other cards, but haven't replaced video cards. The only computers of mine in which I didn't upgrade the hard drive were my iBook G3 (didn't keep it long enough - got a PowerBook G4 instead), Mac Mini (secondary computer, and it will probably be upgraded) and Mac Mini Server (fine and unlikely to change). I also added an Airport card to my Titanium PowerBook G4. -- David Empson dempson(a)actrix.gen.nz
From: Dr Geoff Hone on 9 Apr 2010 05:28 On Fri, 9 Apr 2010 18:07:04 +1200, dempson(a)actrix.gen.nz (David Empson) wrote: >The only computers of mine in which I didn't upgrade the hard drive were >my iBook G3 (didn't keep it long enough - got a PowerBook G4 instead), >Mac Mini (secondary computer, and it will probably be upgraded) and Mac >Mini Server (fine and unlikely to change). > >I also added an Airport card to my Titanium PowerBook G4. I did the Airport card mod (having bought a card, in a used Mac place in the suburbs of Orlando, FL), and upped the memory, and the hard drive. A nice little machine to work on is the TiBook G4. Since I only got one card, and I needed two (second was for a 450mhz G4) I tried a Belkin V2000 PCI card. On boot-up the card was recognised as an Airport card and connected flawlessly to a d-Link router/modem. Swapped a few graphics cards on Windoze machines, but never on any G3 and G4 Powermacs. Geoff
From: Phil Taylor on 9 Apr 2010 06:16 In article <0001HW.C7E445E901518909B02919BF(a)news-europe.giganews.com>, Colin Harper <colinharper(a)x.com.invalid> wrote: > Recent posts have got me thinking about the hardware upgrades I've done to > the Macs I've owned since I switched about 8 years or so ago. > > > I wonder if I'm unusual in upgrading Macs like this? I think I probably am a > bit. Mac Plus - upped the RAM IIci - RAM, HD, Graphics (Millions of colours yay) and Ethernet cards Quadra 840 AV - RAM and several HDs PB 140 - nothing (but I did replace a fuse on the motherboard). 8100/80 - RAM Beige G3 - RAM, HD, USB card, G4 processor upgrade Wallstreet - RAM TiBook - RAM G4 Mini - nothing Intel iMac - RAM Apart from the PB140 which I sold on, and the 8100/80 which died, I still have all of these machines and they are all still working; the last three are still actively in use. Phil Taylor
From: T i m on 9 Apr 2010 08:11
On Fri, 9 Apr 2010 18:07:04 +1200, dempson(a)actrix.gen.nz (David Empson) wrote: >The only computers of mine in which I didn't upgrade the hard drive were >my iBook G3 (didn't keep it long enough - got a PowerBook G4 instead), >Mac Mini (secondary computer, and it will probably be upgraded) and Mac >Mini Server (fine and unlikely to change). > >I also added an Airport card to my Titanium PowerBook G4. But it's not always just about the bits you can just unplug / replug is it? Part of why I feel very comfortable around (most) desktop PC's is that you can generally replace *everything* and do so very cheaply. I think it was Andy H who *had* to pay over �100 for a *refurbished* Apple PSU, 'had' as in they were rare on eBay for anything cheaper / known working and he needed one etc). Then it's all the choices of video cards, even if there have been a few sockets over the years you still have loads of choice, ie, not just the ones with the 'special' BIOSes etc. I just repaired daughters / bf's home Dell desktop by fitting a brand-new-stock non-Dell motherboard off eBay for a delivered cost of 30 quid. It fitted straight in his existing Dell case and all his existing components worked with it. XP did actually work straight on the new motherboard but we took the opportunity to re-install from scratch and make it dual boot with Ubuntu at the same time. I had a PCI WiFi card spare so stuck that in (someone had given it to me out of a half height box as they had used a std height PCI card and just cut the backplate in half!). *We* replaced the backplate and made work like new again. ;-) I was advised against buying an Airport card for my Dads old CRT iMac and bought a generic Ethernet to WiFi box new for less. I have just given away my very old beige full height ATX tower case that must have seen 3 motherboards numerous other 'upgrades' over it's time. It went to a lad who was looking to build himself a server and the case looked and would have functioned as new. It would also take any PSU (or 2 off even) loads of combinations of fans, motherboards from micro to full sized ATX and 7 external 5-1/4" devices (all the bays were full when I had it). ;-) The point is, whilst I'm sure most people don't upgrade their machines and if they do it's probably more like the examples we have seen here (RAM, HDD etc), for some it's not always about simply 'upgrading'. For me it's nice to know that I can make anything out of anything ... that I can fix anything easily (should I need to) and would more often as not have such a part kicking about here to be able to do so at the drop of a hat. My CRT iMac was 'written off' because the PSU failed. 'PC' Laptops are a different story though but again, because of their low purchase cost and use of many generic parts (like WiFi cards) may still be easier (or were easier) to upgrade / fix than an Apple equivalent (that and they are sold into Corporate sites by the bucket load so appear on the refurb market in equal numbers some years later). I've just picked up an old Dell Latitude D520 for daughter. It came an extra battery in the multi-bay dock (giving it 5+ hours battery life) and I've just picked up a matching modular DVDRW for �20 delivered (and I had a choice of many). How much would it cost to fit a DVDRW drive in this Mini or a MacBook? If I wanted to fit a 'N' std Wifi card I could, cheaply and easily and (new) PSU's are �10 to your mat. Not saying some of this isn't possible with Apple (or Sony <g>) kit, just not as common and hence, cheap (if that is important to you as it has to be here to a degree). I'm actually in what I call "The Apple predicament' <g> at the moment with a dead Toshiba Qosmio E10 laptop I've just been given ("Ere Tim, want this or should I chuck it in the skip" sorta thing). Looks like new, fully loaded and came with a remote control and cables to do everything (it's a 'Media Centre' machine) but because it's a bit rare (because it was expensive and not particularly reliable) there are few spares available for it cheap so I'm probably going to nick the bits out of it that I can and stick the remains on eBay in the hope someone needs a case or display etc). I still think the MacMidi would be a good seller, especially if it provided for a generic video solution (PCIe?) a couple of drive bays and a couple of PCI slots. All those of us looking for quiet low power servers would be happy, as would those just wanting a bit more storage without resorting to a putty knife or (slower) laptop components. But till Steve thinks it's a good ide we'll have to make do with a tablet (or not). Practical solutions are so 'last year' I guess. ;-( Cheers, T i m p.s. In case anyone is confused, I offer the above as my opinions, I do not suggest they are facts. ;-) |