iBook Question

[sparkleytone]

dude its just not worth it to buy it from crucial. its damn near $200 for a 512MB module and $100 for a 256.

i got my 512MB module from http://eshop.macsales.com

right now its at $100. guaranteed.

[Slacker]

Alright... the iBook will take both pc133 and pc100... You might as well go with the pc133 cause the prices are about the same. Maxing out the RAM is a good idea because all apple computers love RAM and will thank you for it by causeing less problems and rewarding you with speed bursts.

For what you are discribing, a large hard disk is not necessary, especially if you are getting an iPod.... Remember, the iPod can be used as a storage device too!!!

IF you are getting an iPod... get the 10gb. The new scroll wheel makes it life about double that of the 5gb.

DEFAINATELY get the combo drive. You neve know when a CD writer will be handy and even if you only use it rarely, you will thank yourself each time you pull out a finished CD on the spot.

There is only one downside to getting non apple RAM, if you call in for tech support, be prepared to yank out the RAM cause we may ask you to do it. Better yet, if you call Apple Tech support, pull out that RAM before calling and have the computer in stock configuration.

One last idea.... Get an AppleCare Plan. I know that it's an added $250, but with a portable computer it's a cheap insurance. It will gurantee you a working computer for 3 years unless there are signs of abuse. Repairing the LCD screen after a year is up could cost you $1000 EASY!!!! Even if you never use the call service, it will pay for itself if you need any hardware service. THERE ARE LOTS IF TINY MOVEING PARTS IN THE CD DRIVE.

If you are wondering about configuring the computer.... Keep OS 9 Installed, I konw it's going to die, but you never know if a friend will pass you a CD with an old but good program on it.

Here is my suggestion.... Make two partitions, section off the first partition to be about 500mb - 1gb. Put OS 9 on this first partition. The reason for doing this is simple. OS 9 will boot in many situations where OS X may not. If you get directory corrpution in OS X, the computer will revert to the first partition and OS 9 will most likley boot up. Once booted to one partition, you can safely run different tools on the OS X partition to fix it up.

Another option!!!! you can put OS 9 on the iPod. It will be a bootable device. The only downside is that it will not work good as a classic system folder.

Getting an external mouse is a good idea because those touch pads can get dumb.

Having an extra firewide cable is a good idea too, you never know when it might be handy to boot the computer into target disk mode and hoot it up to another computer. (For those4 who don't know, Target disk mode turns the computer into a firewire hard disk and can be mounted on another computer, and the files can be manipulated as if the iBook were an external hard disk)

Good stuff...