PowerBook 500 with PowerPC

[MrMacintosh]

Hi all,

My most recent conquest was an eBay gem: PowerBook 500 with PowerPC for $35, "untested." It didn't have an AC adapter or a battery. So I bought another parts/repair 520 for like $20 shipped (broken hinge, but works). The 500 PPC boots right up in OS 8, although a bit slow, and has 40MB of built-in RAM. All I'm missing is the PCMCIA card cage, although I did just miss one for $20 on eBay.

So, what can I do with this machine? My Powerbook collection is now nearly complete. I have one from every major line, except a Duo. I have a 100, 2x 160s, 520, 500 PPC, 190cs, 5300ce, 1400c/117, 1400c/133, 2x 2400/180, 3400.

Kyle-

 

[equill]

... All I'm missing is the PCMCIA card cage, although I did just miss one for $20 on eBay ...

Only the rev. C PCMCIA cage is of any use with a PPC-upgraded 500-series PB. Although rev. A and B go for as little as USD20, or less, you could consider that many of your Christmases had arrived at once if a rev. C came into your hands at that price. USD100 has been a not uncommon price for one for years past.

de

 

[tyrannis]

...although I did just miss one for $20 on eBay

It was my intent to bid on that item as well (the one with the "rare" video adapter). I have been consoling myself through the assumption that it was Rev. A or B. That was the only one I have seen on eBay in recent memory.

Which PPC card did you get?

 

[Strimkind]

Hi all,
My most recent conquest was an eBay gem: PowerBook 500 with PowerPC for $35, "untested." It didn't have an AC adapter or a battery. So I bought another parts/repair 520 for like $20 shipped (broken hinge, but works). The 500 PPC boots right up in OS 8, although a bit slow, and has 40MB of built-in RAM. All I'm missing is the PCMCIA card cage, although I did just miss one for $20 on eBay.

So, what can I do with this machine? My Powerbook collection is now nearly complete. I have one from every major line, except a Duo. I have a 100, 2x 160s, 520, 500 PPC, 190cs, 5300ce, 1400c/117, 1400c/133, 2x 2400/180, 3400.

Kyle-

Very nice collection. You are lucky to have found a 500 with PPC and a few 2400s. Very hard to find from my experience.

 

[MrMacintosh]

I also just passed up a GLOD 2400c on eBay -- it closed at $20.something so now I kind of regret that as well....... Is the RAM in the 500 expandable any further? Also, how can I tell if it s a Rev. C PCMCIA cage?

The PPC upgrade is an Apple upgrade, I believe. Apple System Profiler reports PPC 100MHz.

Kyle-

 

[tyrannis]

Apparently it's a very different design when compared with the Rev. A and B, but cracking it open probably isn't the best way to identify one. I've never seen the module, but I'd assume there is a different part number for the Rev. C.

 

[Byrd]

So, what can I do with this machine? My Powerbook collection is now nearly complete. I have one from every major line, except a Duo. I have a 100, 2x 160s, 520, 500 PPC, 190cs, 5300ce, 1400c/117, 1400c/133, 2x 2400/180, 3400.

Nice work, I'm focusing my efforts on collecting the same "casings" of Powerbooks (ie. based on shape, not model). My wardrobe would not cope with desktops. And I'm almost there! I'm receiving an "untested" PB 1400cs/166 sometime this week, and going to pickup a 1400c screen for it, if it's functional.

Your PB500 PPC story reminds me of my own - I picked up an "untested" model for $19.95 sold by Simply Sold, a third-party company in Australia that sells on items for commission (the shop didn't last long). Had to pay $5 to pick it up, one of their stupid rules - but was pleasantly surprised to find it was a PB500 with Newertech PPC 167Mhz, 40MB RAM, 500MB HD (sadly not the SCSI --> IDE version, but I can't complain!). I also picked up a Rev C card cage off here some time ago for it - let me know if you want the model number.

JB

 

[MacMan]

Is the RAM in the 500 expandable any further?

The maximum RAM listed for this machine is 36MB, though this may be different with the PPC upgrade.

Also, how can I tell if it s a Rev. C PCMCIA cage?

It should probably say Revision C on it. I have a Revision B cage and I think it says something like that (I don't have it handy at the moment). The earlier cages, A & B, can be used with memory cards and compact flash card adaptors, which is handy if you fancy running the PowerBook off flash memory rather than the internal hard drive. There are some details on how to go about this on my Retrochallenge Winter Warmup '08 page. As far as I'm aware the Revision C cage is the only one you can run wireless cards with.