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Should I save this Apple PowerBook 150?

Win20004lifeWin20004life
edited December 2015 in Hardware
Greetings friends,

Found an old Apple PowerBook 150 on Gumtree (kind of life Aussie Craigslist). Seller has $20 AUD on it.

I feel sorry for it :-( I'd like to save it, and I've been looking for an early Mac laptop for very basic tasks (namely writing).

The seller reports it has no operating system installed, and thinks the drive has been reformatted. However I want to make sure the thing is not dead, I'm looking for a computer not a paperweight.

Does anyone know of a way to work out whether it is dead or weather it's simply been reformatted?

I'd be tempted to buy it if it works. Then again I was hoping for a colour screen at the very least...

Comments

  • garirrygarirry
    This computer is from 1994, and is quite collectable, so just buy it and keep it until a real collector wants it. You're not going to do much with this computer though (it only reaches Mac OS 7, barely any applications run on this).
  • TCPMetaTCPMeta
    Turn if it powers on and get the Mac logo with a boot error or if it even works at all then buy it.
  • Win20004lifeWin20004life
    Thanks guys, you've convinced me. I'll buy it :-)

    I'll keep you updated.
  • thiekusthiekus
    IMO, still worth to buy, even their processor not capable to PowerMac applications. If you want to test drive, you can try Basilisk II and test some application you want.
  • Win20004lifeWin20004life
    Bugger ... the seller has removed the ad without explanation AFTER I offered to buy it for the asking price.

    Ah well, maybe he got advice that it's worth a little bit more...

    Instead I've bartered some unwanted hardware for a NEC VERSA 2650CDT laptop. Nice little thing, Win 95, very retro block aesthetic. CD-ROM, Floppy, 32MB RAM, 1.3GB HDD. Win 95! :D I thought it was dead at first, kept getting 'hard disk controller 1 failure' or something. Turns out the hard-drive, which can be unclipped from the front of the unit, just needed to be pressed in really hard...

    I'll be using it for some work on Office 2000 without internet distractions ;-)

    Only thing, it has no USB ports. Without using the floppy, does anyone have a clue as to how I can get stuff on and off the thing? Can I get a USB adapter or something? No ethernet or phone-line in either!

    Otherwise it's a pretty neat unit. I like old school comps :-D
  • Alex_themanAlex_theman
    Win20004life wrote:
    Bugger ... the seller has removed the ad without explanation AFTER I offered to buy it for the asking price.

    Ah well, maybe he got advice that it's worth a little bit more...

    Instead I've bartered some unwanted hardware for a NEC VERSA 2650CDT laptop. Nice little thing, Win 95, very retro block aesthetic. CD-ROM, Floppy, 32MB RAM, 1.3GB HDD. Win 95! :D I thought it was dead at first, kept getting 'hard disk controller 1 failure' or something. Turns out the hard-drive, which can be unclipped from the front of the unit, just needed to be pressed in really hard...

    I'll be using it for some work on Office 2000 without internet distractions ;-)

    Only thing, it has no USB ports. Without using the floppy, does anyone have a clue as to how I can get stuff on and off the thing? Can I get a USB adapter or something? No ethernet or phone-line in either!

    Otherwise it's a pretty neat unit. I like old school comps :-D
    It seems to have a PC Card slot that I assume is 16 bit. There might be a USB 1.1 card that can support 16 bit slots, but they most likely don't exist. There are 16 bit ethernet and modem cards.
  • yourepicfailureyourepicfailure
    Win20004life wrote:
    CD-ROM
    That's how you can get stuff on it. Don't know if it can erase & rewrite RW's though.
    I DO know ImgBurn works with 95.
  • Win20004lifeWin20004life
    Alex_theman wrote:
    Win20004life wrote:
    Bugger ... the seller has removed the ad without explanation AFTER I offered to buy it for the asking price.

    Ah well, maybe he got advice that it's worth a little bit more...

    Instead I've bartered some unwanted hardware for a NEC VERSA 2650CDT laptop. Nice little thing, Win 95, very retro block aesthetic. CD-ROM, Floppy, 32MB RAM, 1.3GB HDD. Win 95! :D I thought it was dead at first, kept getting 'hard disk controller 1 failure' or something. Turns out the hard-drive, which can be unclipped from the front of the unit, just needed to be pressed in really hard...

    I'll be using it for some work on Office 2000 without internet distractions ;-)

    Only thing, it has no USB ports. Without using the floppy, does anyone have a clue as to how I can get stuff on and off the thing? Can I get a USB adapter or something? No ethernet or phone-line in either!

    Otherwise it's a pretty neat unit. I like old school comps :-D
    It seems to have a PC Card slot that I assume is 16 bit. There might be a USB 1.1 card that can support 16 bit slots, but they most likely don't exist. There are 16 bit ethernet and modem cards.

    PC Card slot - yeah it has two! I could potentially get a WiFi card for that, couldn't I? Not to browse the internet (why would you bother to try), but just as a way to get files on / off it - like office documents, maybe occasionally downloaded software, etc. I might upgrade it to Win 98 for better plug & play support.

    I'll look for a way to get USB on there. The machine is late 1997 manufacture, and when I think about it the iMac G3 came out the next year with USB built in. I'd be surprised if this machine, which was over 3K USD new, wouldn't have any way to get USB on there.

    Anyways thanks for the help guys :-)
  • Win20004lifeWin20004life
    yourepicfailure wrote:
    Win20004life wrote:
    CD-ROM
    That's how you can get stuff on it. Don't know if it can erase & rewrite RW's though.
    I DO know ImgBurn works with 95.

    ROM stands for 'Ready-only memory', so there's no way to burn disks :-( I've already installed Office 2000 using the CD-ROM though, so you can get stuff on there.
  • TCPMetaTCPMeta
    16bit PCMCIA cards are hard to find in USB let alone WiFi. If you do find a WiFi it would be Wireless A. Best bet is to use Ethernet or even a direct connection via parallel or serial.
  • Win20004lifeWin20004life
    Are you guys sure it's 16 bit? It's a Pentium with MMX technology. Wikipedia reckons they're 32 bit:
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_I ... -86_family
    I guess it's best I get Win 98 SE before I try any USB PCMCIA cards on there?
  • Win20004lifeWin20004life
    Just confirmed PCMCIA cards are 32 bit according to System properties > Performance.
  • Win20004lifeWin20004life
    If I purchased something like this:
    http://www.dx.com/p/2-port-usb-2-0-pcmc ... las-4Saqu4

    Would it work? Presumably only if I upgrade to 98 SE, right?
  • yourepicfailureyourepicfailure
    Win20004life wrote:
    ROM stands for 'Ready-only memory', so there's no way to burn disks :-( I've already installed Office 2000 using the CD-ROM though, so you can get stuff on there.

    I do know what ROM stands for, I burn some every week. (hn27c series of eraseable, mainly the 1024 version)
    However, I have seen, and even used, some CD-ROM disk readers burn disks when they clearly state that is not their purpose. Depends on what the manufacturer snuck in.
    But if it's a true rom, then like you said, it can't burn.
  • Alex_themanAlex_theman
    Win20004life wrote:
    If I purchased something like this:
    http://www.dx.com/p/2-port-usb-2-0-pcmc ... las-4Saqu4

    Would it work? Presumably only if I upgrade to 98 SE, right?
    I think it would work under 98 SE
  • Win20004lifeWin20004life
    yourepicfailure wrote:
    Win20004life wrote:
    ROM stands for 'Ready-only memory', so there's no way to burn disks :-( I've already installed Office 2000 using the CD-ROM though, so you can get stuff on there.

    I do know what ROM stands for, I burn some every week. (hn27c series of eraseable, mainly the 1024 version)
    However, I have seen, and even used, some CD-ROM disk readers burn disks when they clearly state that is not their purpose. Depends on what the manufacturer snuck in.
    But if it's a true rom, then like you said, it can't burn.

    Wow that's impressive. I'll give it a shot, fingers crossed it works!
  • Win20004lifeWin20004life
    Alex_theman wrote:
    Win20004life wrote:
    If I purchased something like this:
    http://www.dx.com/p/2-port-usb-2-0-pcmc ... las-4Saqu4

    Would it work? Presumably only if I upgrade to 98 SE, right?
    I think it would work under 98 SE

    The purist in me doesn't want to update it, but I think there are too many advantages not to. Windows 98 SE it is.

    This one is less than half the price and is NEC branded too (genuine though?):
    http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/191322532085 ... EBIDX%3AIT

    Should this one work too? I feel like the more expensive one is a safer bet as it includes the disk drivers and it is explicitly stated it will work with 98 SE, and I have no internet access. Should both work plug n' play with 98 SE?
  • Alex_themanAlex_theman
    Win20004life wrote:
    Alex_theman wrote:
    Win20004life wrote:
    If I purchased something like this:
    http://www.dx.com/p/2-port-usb-2-0-pcmc ... las-4Saqu4

    Would it work? Presumably only if I upgrade to 98 SE, right?
    I think it would work under 98 SE

    The purist in me doesn't want to update it, but I think there are too many advantages not to. Windows 98 SE it is.

    This one is less than half the price and is NEC branded too (genuine though?):
    http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/191322532085 ... EBIDX%3AIT

    Should this one work too? I feel like the more expensive one is a safer bet as it includes the disk drivers and it is explicitly stated it will work with 98 SE, and I have no internet access. Should both work plug n' play with 98 SE?
    Most likely not.
  • Win20004lifeWin20004life
    Alex_theman wrote:
    Win20004life wrote:
    Alex_theman wrote:
    Win20004life wrote:
    If I purchased something like this:
    http://www.dx.com/p/2-port-usb-2-0-pcmc ... las-4Saqu4

    Would it work? Presumably only if I upgrade to 98 SE, right?
    I think it would work under 98 SE

    The purist in me doesn't want to update it, but I think there are too many advantages not to. Windows 98 SE it is.

    This one is less than half the price and is NEC branded too (genuine though?):
    http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/191322532085 ... EBIDX%3AIT

    Should this one work too? I feel like the more expensive one is a safer bet as it includes the disk drivers and it is explicitly stated it will work with 98 SE, and I have no internet access. Should both work plug n' play with 98 SE?
    Most likely not.

    Thanks. I ended up ordering the more expensive one, and I've already updated the comp to 98 SE. :-)
  • mrltmrlt
    Did the card work? I'm interested to know the outcome
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