Need an SSD upgrade for your iBook G4? We carry out this work in-house at our London workshop, with a fixed quote before we start.
The iBook G4 takes a 2.5-inch parallel ATA (IDE) drive, and reaching it is one of the longest disassemblies of any Apple notebook: the drive sits under the top case, behind dozens of screws and the EMI shielding. Because new IDE hard drives are no longer made, we fit a solid-state drive on an IDE adapter. The improvement is not raw speed (the ATA-100 bus caps that) but silence, lower heat and far better reliability than a 20-year-old spinning disk. We clone your existing system across first if the old drive still reads.
Signs it needs an SSD upgrade
- Clicking or grinding from the original Toshiba or Fujitsu drive
- Grey screen with a flashing folder at start-up
- Beach-balling in Mac OS X Tiger or Leopard
- Drive not seen in Open Firmware or the Startup Disk pane
How we do it
Because IDE solid-state drives are no longer manufactured, we use a modern SSD on a tested IDE/ATA adapter. We check the adapter fits the drive bay without pressing on the logic board, which matters on these tightly packed machines.
Once fitted, we install Mac OS X Tiger or Leopard (whichever suits your software) or restore your existing system, then run a full surface and read/write test.
If you’d rather move to a new Mac instead, our data migration service (from £79 + VAT) transfers everything across.
At a glance
| Years | 2003–2006 |
|---|---|
| Processor | PowerPC G4, 800MHz–1.42GHz |
| Storage | 2.5-inch IDE (parallel ATA) hard drive |
| Memory | Socketed, upgradeable |
| Battery | Removable |
| Power / charging | Round barrel DC-in |
Before you bring it in
Tell us how much data is on it now and how much you expect to add, so we can recommend a sensible capacity. Bring your Apple ID and login passwords; we need them to check everything works after the upgrade.
Which model do you have?
This page covers the iBook G4 (12-inch & 14-inch, 2003–2006) (PowerBook6,3 / 6,5 / 6,7; A1054, A1055, A1133, A1134). Apple System Profiler (Apple menu > About This Mac > More Info) shows the exact machine model. Not sure? Bring it in and we’ll identify it for you.
Price
We give you a fixed quote for your exact model after a free initial assessment, before any work starts. All prices are subject to inspection, and nothing is done without your approval.
Questions we’re often asked
Will I lose my files?
No. We clone or back up your data before any upgrade and check everything is in place afterwards.
Is it worth upgrading this model?
If the machine is otherwise healthy, yes. Storage and memory upgrades are the cheapest way to make an older Mac noticeably quicker, and we’ll tell you honestly if we think a replacement would be better value.
How much does it cost?
See the price section above. We always quote before starting, and if we can’t fix it, you don’t pay for the repair.
Book a repair
For a free, no-obligation quote, call 020 7394 2528 or email info@mac-repair.london.