A reader named Stephanie writes:
Hi Charles,
I am doing some year-end clean up and cannot let go of
my Apple Pismo
PowerBook. The hard drive failed a few years back, and of course I
was told by the Apple dealer that it would not be worth it to try and
replace it, that Safari wouldn't even run on it. Of course, I am a
librarian by training, and I know there no such thing as "the answer",
so I found you via a Google search.
Okay, the bottom line is could I replace the hard
drive and use this computer in my kitchen for just web surfing for
recipes? Could I do this myself, and would it be prohibitively
expensive? It is a beautiful machine, and it is a shame that it just
sits on my desk gathering dust.
I also have one of the first generation iPods, and
after one battery replacement, it still works fine. Someone laughed at
it once and asked me where I got the "brick". I was proud, because I
consider myself a relic too, one of the last generations to be taught
to respect and take care of your things, so if I can fix it I will be
glad to try.
Anyway, I would appreciate your expert advice if you
are so inclined.
Thanks,
Stephanie
Hi Stephanie,
Absolutely the old Pismo is worth reviving. I'm not one to give up
on a tool that still can do what I require of it just because it's got
some age on it either. I love old stuff!
!'m still using two Pismos for my utility composing and editing
(involves a lot of Web surfing too) and "road" computers, respectively.
Not sure what the Apple dealer was about, telling you Safari won't run
on a Pismo. It works just fine on my machines running Mac OS X 10.4.11, and at this
writing a currently supported version of the browser too, although I
prefer Opera or SeaMonkey for most surfing I do
in the Pismos.
Recipes should be a breeze.
The Pismo hard drive is very easy to replace (relatively speaking).
It's a 20 minute job for someone who's done it before, a bit longer if
you're feeling your way. Good on you for wanting to bring this great
old laptop back to life.
Incidentally, I also had one of the original 2001 iPods, and it
outlasted its original battery, which I replaced, but the hard drive
finally died, and I handed it off to my techie daughter to use for
parts for a same vintage iPod she had.
Back to the Pismo.
First you will need a hard drive. Other World Computing offers
a nice selection of ATA hard drives for PowerBooks. A couple of
examples:
- 80 GB Hitachi/IBM Travelstar 5K160, 5400 RPM, 8 MB data buffer,
ATA/7, 9.5mm, $57.99
- 80 GB Western Digital "Scorpio", 5400 RPM, 9.5mm, 8 MB data buffer,
$63.99
Tools necessary are a Torx T-8 screwdriver, a small Philips
screwdriver, and maybe a bent heavy-duty paper clip. If you
don't have the Torx and can't find one locally, both the needed
screwdrivers are included in Other World Computer's handy $4.99
five-piece Mini Tool Kit.
I could give you a detailed explanation of the disassembly process,
but better to recommend that you check out iFixit's illustrated
guide to Pismo teardowns - and specifically
the section on replacing hard drives.
Personally, I never bother removing the keyboard ribbon cable and
just leave the keyboard inverted on the palm rests and trackpad. This
saves a couple of disassembly reassembly steps and eliminates the
possibility of damaging the cable while disengaging the connector,
which, as iFixit notes, can be stubborn to remove. The heat sink screw
nearest the palm rest may be slightly hidden, but that's easy to work
around. I don't remove the AirPort Card either if I'm just changing the
hard drive.
If the plastic pull tab to unseat the processor card is still
intact, which it probably is if your Pismo has never been apart, all
well and good. I've often found the tab missing on processor upgrade
cards, in which case I insert a straightened paper clip, with about
3/16" of its tip bent at a right angle, into a small hole in the
nearside right-hand corner of the processor card and gently but firmly
pull upward, which disconnects the card from its multi-pin connector
socket. iFixit specifies a nonmetal tool, but I'm not sure what that
would be. With care, the paper clip has worked fine for me in many
Pismo processor card removals.
You'll need your Torx T-8 screwdriver to remove and replace the four
screws that fasten the drive to its mounting cage. One step the iFixit
guide fails to mention is disconnecting the old hard drive from its
ribbon cable and removing it from the cage. Care must be exercised when
connecting the cable to the replacement drive, making sure the
multi-pin ganged connector is properly lined up with the pins on the
drive before pressing it home. Once the drive cage is back in and the
logic board end of the drive connected, put the processor card back in
its place and press down gently but firmly home to seat in its logic
board connector socket. Replace the processor heat sink. (it's a good
idea to make sure the heat sink and processor contact pads have a
very thin coating of thermal paste. You should be able to get
the tiny amount you need from a local computer repair shop, but if not,
it's available here.
If you can't find any, it probably wont be a problem anyway. Just
don't wipe any old grease off either contact surface.
This somewhat prolix explanation probably makes this job sound more
complex than it really is. It's mostly pretty intuitive.
I hope this helps, and let me know how it turns out.
