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    Please Help! Hard Drive swap? PowerBook G4 1.5GHz 12" to 17"

    Discussion in 'Apple and Mac OS X' started by EdwardaBodnar, Dec 3, 2009.

  1. EdwardaBodnar

    EdwardaBodnar Newbie

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    So I have a PowerBook G4 1.5GHz 12" DVI Titanium which is now from what I can tell has a busted board. I have some sensitive material on my hard drive and I would prefer not to take it to a repair store for privacy. I would also like to go a little bigger. So the only thing I could come up with is to purchase a 17 or 15" G4 Powerbook Titanium and swap the hard drive. My question to all of you is if the 12" and the others of the same class are using the same hardrive. Will I many any complications in trying, is it even cross compatible. Am I going through too much trouble entirely? does anyone have any better suggestions? if I have a shop swap it for me can they even access the contents of my hard drive with out the password. Any help is greatly appreciated.
     
    EdwardaBodnar, Dec 3, 2009
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  2. EdwardaBodnar

    EdwardaBodnar Newbie

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    Do I just buy a new laptop all together which I would kinda prefer to get something newer and better. But how can I transfer all the files from the old laptop which wont boots hard drive? Can I make into a external drive and move files over via USB or something? Am I able to even get into the harddrive and view folders or not as it is loaded with Mac OS??
     
    EdwardaBodnar, Dec 3, 2009
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  3. EdwardaBodnar

    EdwardaBodnar Newbie

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    I might even not buy a new laptop at all if I can transfer all the files, photos, mpegs, mp3, etc to my desktop which is Windows...can I? Is it possible to take the hard drive out of my 12" G4 and put it in an external box and transfer the files?
     
    EdwardaBodnar, Dec 3, 2009
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  4. crazycanuk

    crazycanuk Notebook Virtuoso

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    Yes you can pull the drive, and use an external adaptor. a universal pata/sata unit is nicest.
     
    crazycanuk, Dec 3, 2009
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  5. EdwardaBodnar

    EdwardaBodnar Newbie

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    Thank you Very Much!!!
     
    EdwardaBodnar, Dec 4, 2009
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  6. EdwardaBodnar

    EdwardaBodnar Newbie

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    So when I use this a universal pata/sata can I just take selected files or must it be a complete transfer over the new computers OS, etc. If I can just select certain files, will it be just like when I use a regular external HD or not because I have an OS on it?
     
    EdwardaBodnar, Dec 4, 2009
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  7. EdwardaBodnar

    EdwardaBodnar Newbie

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    I'm about to buy a Acomdata Samba 3.5-Inch USB 2.0 Enclosure for PATA/SATA IDE Hard Drive SMBXXXU2E-BLK (Black)
     
    EdwardaBodnar, Dec 4, 2009
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  8. wave

    wave Notebook Virtuoso

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    You need a 2.5 inch enclosure.

    And no it makes no difference that an OS is installed on the drive. When you boot and got something lıke rEFIT installed you will see it as a 2nd boot option. You can even try booting it if you like.

    otherwise it will just show up as a normal external drive in finder and on your desktop. You might have some problems with permissions depending how your drive is configured.
     
    wave, Dec 4, 2009
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  9. blue68f100

    blue68f100 Notebook Virtuoso

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    MS Windows may try to format the HD so it can use it. So be aware. You may want to find another mac to hook the HD up to, to transfer the files with.
     
    blue68f100, Dec 4, 2009
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