How can i get more memory on my iBook G4?

September 24th, 2009 | by admin |

I just found out that my iBook only has 27.82 GB and i only have 1.5 MB left… so i need a way to expand the memory. please help. Thanks.

First off, what you’re running out of isn’t memory, it’s hard drive space.

Memory (RAM) is where the system keeps programs and files that you are currently running, on an iBook G4 you likely have about 512Mb of RAM (memory). RAM is temporary storage and is continuously emptied.

The hard Drive is where programs, files, and the system itself are stored long term, hard drives come in a range of sizes (yours is a 30GB).

You have a couple of options, you can either:

Erase some of the things you have on your Hard Drive (files and programs you don’t use anymore) *this can be dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing as you can accidentally erase files your computer needs to work properly* so be very careful doing this, a good rule is if you don’t know EXACTLY what you’re deleting is: don’t delete it, and NEVER delete anything from the System folder without the advice of a Mac OS expert.

or

Replace the hard drive with a bigger one. Hard Drives are really cheap right now, you could easily get a 100GB drive for about $50. The drawback here is that you’ll need to have someone install it for you and move all of your files and folders from the old one to the new one. (should cost about $100)

or lastly

Buy an external hard drive, they’re about $100 for 250GB and will plug right in to your laptops USB or Firewire ports. With an iBook G4 I’d recommend Firewire400 if you can find it, if not USB 2.0 is fine just make sure it’s a self-powered unit (one that plugs into a wall socket rather than one that takes power from the USB port because the iBook G4 doesn’t have enough power to run most USB powered drives)

EDIT:
What’s with the thumbs down?

  1. 3 Responses to “How can i get more memory on my iBook G4?”

  2. By bluekattviii on Sep 25, 2009 | Reply

    thats not memory that the amount of of free space you have left on your hard drive
    you have a 30 gig hard drive and from the sound of it its packed
    start deleting things right now
    videos you dont watch photos you dont look at any more music you dont listen to ? get rid of them

    things you dont really need but stil want to keep put them on a cd and then get rid off them of your hd
    any game or piece of software that you dont use any more and thats expandable you get rid off

    got wow on there and you dont play it ? delete it wow takes up 6 gig
    and dont forget to empty the trash can will you ?
    References :

  3. By ridingnowhere85 on Sep 25, 2009 | Reply

    It’s not the memory, it’s the disc space. You have 3 options:

    -New hard drive. Expensive, and you probably can’t do it yourself, so this probably isn’t your best option. You’d need a 2.5" IDE drive. you’d want to back up all your important stuff, and you’d be starting from scratch.

    -Offload some data on media. The best media are DVDs if you have a DVD burner. All you do is burn it and delete it. This is good for movies, TV, save games…anything you don’t use much.

    -External drive. This can be expensive, and unwieldy with a laptop, but you can get a USB or FireWire 400 external hard drive on eBay or something. It’ll come up as a second hard drive, but then you have all the disc space you need.
    References :

  4. By Kevin M on Sep 25, 2009 | Reply

    First off, what you’re running out of isn’t memory, it’s hard drive space.

    Memory (RAM) is where the system keeps programs and files that you are currently running, on an iBook G4 you likely have about 512Mb of RAM (memory). RAM is temporary storage and is continuously emptied.

    The hard Drive is where programs, files, and the system itself are stored long term, hard drives come in a range of sizes (yours is a 30GB).

    You have a couple of options, you can either:

    Erase some of the things you have on your Hard Drive (files and programs you don’t use anymore) *this can be dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing as you can accidentally erase files your computer needs to work properly* so be very careful doing this, a good rule is if you don’t know EXACTLY what you’re deleting is: don’t delete it, and NEVER delete anything from the System folder without the advice of a Mac OS expert.

    or

    Replace the hard drive with a bigger one. Hard Drives are really cheap right now, you could easily get a 100GB drive for about $50. The drawback here is that you’ll need to have someone install it for you and move all of your files and folders from the old one to the new one. (should cost about $100)

    or lastly

    Buy an external hard drive, they’re about $100 for 250GB and will plug right in to your laptops USB or Firewire ports. With an iBook G4 I’d recommend Firewire400 if you can find it, if not USB 2.0 is fine just make sure it’s a self-powered unit (one that plugs into a wall socket rather than one that takes power from the USB port because the iBook G4 doesn’t have enough power to run most USB powered drives)

    EDIT:
    What’s with the thumbs down?
    References :
    20+ years as a Mac Tech, upgradeded dozens of iBook G4’s

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