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I got a new HD for my iBook this morning.

Oct 19, 2007 1:02AM PDT

I intend on installing it myself. Ifixit has great instructions for this, which includes a guide for keeping the various screws you remove sorted by type and location.

Question that came to me was raised by someone else recently asking a similar question. Do I need to worry about upgrading the firmware for this drive? How would I even determine what the firmware version is? If the firmware does need upgraded, do I do it before I reinstall the OS?

I've upgraded firmware in windows machines and digital cameras but this is my first hardware experience with a mac.

The new hard drive is a Toshiba MK1234GAX 120GB ATA-6 (I picked it from a list of HD's that iFixIt gave as replacements they would install for my model iBook)

The computer is an iBook 12" 1.2 ghz G4

Thanks for any info...

grim

Discussion is locked

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Rev up and go
Oct 19, 2007 9:15AM PDT

I have never felt the urge to update the firmware on a HD so I would have no idea of how that would be accomplished.

It is a topic that has never raised its head since I started to use any of Apple's computers.

Wind it up and let it go.

P

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Curious that you may ask this for a Mac
Oct 19, 2007 11:32AM PDT

because if you take a look at the Power Macs and Pros, you'll notice that you just have to stick a drive in them and go. Of course an iBook isn't the same, but same principle in a way... LOL. I've never even heard of updating HD firmware for computers, but my PCs are from the Pentium era, so there's not much to work with. I would think that once you install the system, the iBook will do everything it needs to for you.

What HD are you upgrading from? My MBP has a 120GB HD, and I find it to be a tad small, though I haven't used up half of it... yet. Surely it can go a bit bigger, but maybe 120GB is plenty for you. I have never owned an iBook but the G4 models are still pretty good, considering that a lot of the good ones were produced a little over two years ago. I've seen a friend's iBook and he just loves it. Too bad he got it the day before the MacBook came out LOL Wink. Cheers.
-BMF

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I upgraded from 30 gb to 120 gb.
Oct 19, 2007 1:06PM PDT

It was a reasonable price (around $77 US). It's a 5400 rpm drive. I thought about a faster drive but decided against it, in favor of longer battery life.

I won't be using this computer for anything more than basic graphic design, and web design while on the go. If I need more room I also have a portable 120 gb usb drive.

I will need to get a new apple sometime in the near future capable of decent speeds for video editing.

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In that case, good choice. Increasing the size by four
Oct 19, 2007 3:46PM PDT

times is pretty good, LOL. Well, enjoy.
-BMF