I actually *have* replaced the HDD in my powerbook. In fact, I was such and idiot that I went through the process twice in about an hour (nothing was bent, so it was easier).

After the first time, the computer wouldn’t recognize the drive, so I took it apart and reassembled to make sure all the connectors were on. Again, it didn’t recognize it. But that’s because I wasn’t using the right utility. After I figured out Apple’s “find my drive and format it” utility, everything was fine. to self: “idiot!”

CPU scaling works if you use cpudyn instead of powernowd

So what to do with the old PowerBook G4? Well, it was the perfect netbook form factor: 12″ screen, full size keyboard, 1.5Ghz G4. I just needed to replace the hard drive and battery, and install linux.

If you have ever tried to replace the hard drive on a iBook or powerbook G4, you know where this is headed. Fifty tiny screws of various kinds, the tiny connectors that you have to carefully pull from the mobo. I *swore* I would never replace another G4 HD myself after a botched attempt at bob’s ibook G4, and I would take it to the Powerbook Guy instead who can do it for a hundred bucks.

Well, this particular machine was physically mangled. It had been dropped a bunch and the frame was badly twisted. I didn’t think the powerbook guy would touch it, so I decided to replace the HD myself.

Somehow, I got all the tiny screws out. Some of them were located in the bent parts of the frame, and didn’t want to budge, but I still got them all out. It took hours. Now that the frame was taken apart, I could just swap out the HD!

I took off the first screw holding the HD bracket on. There was only one more screw left. It was large, and located in the middle of the mobo, far from the mangled frame.

That last screw wouldn’t budge. I spent at least half an hour on that screw alone. I put so much torque on it that I started to strip both the screw and my screwdrivers. Eventually, frustrated and delirious, I gave up. I grabbed my drill and drilled it out in a few seconds. Done.

I pulled the old HD out and put the new one in. Did I mention that the new one had a bunch of bent pins that I had to straighten by hand?

Eventually I get the frame back together, and now I just had to put in the new battery, which should just pop in. It does not just pop in. The frame is too mangled, and the old, dead battery was mangled in the same way, so somehow it fit. The right thing to do at this point is to spend a few more hours trying to un-mangle the battery compartment. I just start bashing the battery until it somehow makes a connection. It still doesn’t fit, but at least it works.

Now I just need to install Linux and I’ll have a shiny new (old) netbook! First I try a Fedora 10 PPC DVD, that turns out to be a bad burn. Fortunately I have a Ubuntu 9.04 Jaunty PPC CD, hot off the presses. I try to do a fresh install, and it fails about an hour in, 80% of the way through the ‘Install and Configure Software’ phase. First, I think this is due to the fact the machine can’t reach the net. On the fourth installation attempt, I finally have 9.04 installed on my powerbook! Yay! I get Ubuntu 9.04 to boot, except I now can’t log in.

It’s now 1am and I’m giving up on 9.04. I pull down a 8.10 Intrepid PPC CD, and it installs on the first try. Another ten minutes and wifi is working too, and I’m chatting with shag on jabber!

tl;dr Lessons learned:

• Every time you replace a G4 laptop HD, swear you will never do it again, but know in your heart that you will be doing this shit for the rest of your life.
• Do not hesitate to use a giant drill to remove tiny screws.
• Ubuntu 9.04 PPC CD installer does not work. Give up now.