New superdrive for PB

[persep]

Hi,
I have a Aluminun Powerbook 15" with a combo drive. What are your opinions on changing it for a superdrive and which one. There are so many out there i don't know which is the fastest and cheapest.
Thanks

 

[tyroja00]

Hi,
I have a Aluminun Powerbook 15" with a combo drive. What are your opinions on changing it for a superdrive and which one. There are so many out there i don't know which is the fastest and cheapest.
Thanks

Are you just wanting to change out the drive? If you have the know-how, that would be the cheapest (that's what I did). As far as which drives you can buy, I think you may be limited to a handful by the OS (i could be wrong though).

 

[GimmeSlack12]

If you have the know-how, that would be the cheapest (that's what I did).

For a competently technical person how difficult was this to do? Scale of 0-10(high)? Cause I want to do this with my iBook when I get time for it and am slightly skeptical (only slightly).

 

[persep]

Are you just wanting to change out the drive? If you have the know-how, that would be the cheapest (that's what I did). As far as which drives you can buy, I think you may be limited to a handful by the OS (i could be wrong though).

I'm thinking in doing it myself, but the price of the superdrives are a bit high and I always seem to find there are problems with every one of them

 

[tyroja00]

For a competently technical person how difficult was this to do? Scale of 0-10(high)? Cause I want to do this with my iBook when I get time for it and am slightly skeptical (only slightly).

I don't have experience with the iBook, but only with the aluminum laptops. I can't see it being that much harder. However, it still isn't for the light-hearted. You will have a butt-load of screws that you will have to keep track of. There are several guides online with step-bystep maps and places to keep all your screws in place. (I don't suggest my method of keeping track of the disassembly in your head). At least draw a map of parts and screw placements.

I would rate the difficulty at an 8, that is that there is only a handful of things that are more difficult or involving than this because you basically will have to totally disassemble the bottom case. There is an easier way but it requires some elbow grease and prior knowledge of how to fiddle with the drive in and out.

If you get a guide, it isn't hard, but it is involving.

 

[tyroja00]

I'm thinking in doing it myself, but the price of the superdrives are a bit high and I always seem to find there are problems with every one of them

Have you tried the Panasonic UJ-845?

 

[GimmeSlack12]

I would rate the difficulty at an 8, that is that there is only a handful of things that are more difficult or involving than this because you basically will have to totally disassemble the bottom case.

Yeah I have a guide but wanted to hear it from someone who has done it. Your rating is what I expected. Thanks for the info.

 

[yippy]

I replaced the hard drive in my 15" PowerBook. Exactly the same as the optical drive only at the last moment you pull out a different drive. It was definitely by far the hardest computer work that I have done. There are a couple of latches that you have to blindly unhook and I thought I was going to break them. The hardest part was when I encountered a stuck screw that I ended up stripping. Had to drill it out, talk about scary.

That said, if you print off and follow the instructions at ifixit.com exactly you you should be ok. Just do lots of prep work and take your time. I hear that the iBooks are harder.

As for what drive, I don't know but for the PowerBook there aren't many choices as you need a slim slot load drive. I doubt you will find one for less than $100. If you want a reliable drive I would recommend buying from iFixit or Other World Computing.