"Pearl" 2300c Project... Yes or no?

[sambapati87]

Here's what I'm thinking of doing...

I have a Powerbook Duo 2300c (It's listed as FS in the trading post but I'm not seeing a lot of interest and its just *so* cute.... )

The 1GB HD in it died yesterday when I tried to do a battery recondition and it crashed HARD.

So I transplanted a 230mb from a 270c into it and it boots 7.6.1.

Would it be worth it to do the following:

Recell a Type III battery (~$40)

Upgrade to 56mb RAM (~$40)

Replace the hard drive with a moderately sized CF card with a CF-IDE adapter (like this guy http://68kmla.org/forums/viewtopic.php?p=63159) (~$20, I can get CF cards used)

Put 9.1 on it.

Oh yeah, white (or maybe black) glossy paint job, hence the name "Pearl" (~$10)

Of course, for $110 I could get a G3 era lappy pretty easily. Because of this fact, I'm having trouble justifying the project because a G3 laptop will do EVERYTHING better. Can anyone inspire me with fun uses for such a beast as I just described?

Go or no go? (I'll post pictures )

 

[Quadraman]

Building up an obsolete machine is something you do for the love it rather than because you need a more powerful machine. As you stated, more powerful machines are cheaper than building up an older one so nobody can really tell you what to do. If you want to do it and don't mind the expense, then do it. If you would rather use the money for a newer machine, then do that. Whatever you do, though, don't let that old Mac go to the recycling center before you offer it to someone here!

 

[beachycove]

I wouldn't paint it unless it needs the paint, as that would basically kill it as a mint specimen.

As for the CF card, a re-celled battery and more ram, it's a question of how deep your pockets are tinker-wise, or else whether you have an actual use for the thing. In my case, I had a use for it: my 2300c now goes with me in my briefcase as a writing platform. I leave my 12" G4 PB safely at home, and find that I write faster on the 2300c than on the G4, due to less distractions.

 

[sambapati87]

I'm taking the plunge one step at a time -- Just bought a CF-IDE adapter, etc. and will see how that goes. Next step would be the battery re-cell, then the RAM. I'm not sure if I want to paint it or not.

 

[Bunsen]

my 2300c /my 12" G4 PB

beachycove, you might be able to help settle a question for me. I've thought of the keyboard from a 12" PB or iBook as a transplant for the notoriously wonky Duo kb. Would you be able to measure the one from the PB and see if it will fit (give or take some plastic trimming) into the Duo?

I realise there'll be a lot more to it than simply jamming it in there, but this would at least settle the space feasibility.

A photo (or scan) of the two side by side would be awesome, as would exact dimensions for the PB kb. (metric if possible)

[] ]'>

 

[Bunsen]

The 1GB HD in it died

Was that on the SCSI or the IDE header?
The reason I ask is that if it was a SCSI disk, it's very likely (at that size) that it's an ATA drive on a SCSI-IDE converter board. If so, the converter will be a PCB sitting under the drive, and another short FFC (flat flex cable) at the opposite end from the SCSI connector that goes up from the converter PCB to the actual drive header.

If it is, you should hang on to that PCB for dear life }

 

[sambapati87]

It was the IDE interface. What makes me 100% sure is that it connected in a different spot on the motherboard as the 270c's hard drive -- a spot that was absent in the 270c but present in the 2300 - which I know is the only Duo to have IDE.

 

[beachycove]

my 2300c /my 12" G4 PB

beachycove, you might be able to help settle a question for me. I've thought of the keyboard from a 12" PB or iBook as a transplant for the notoriously wonky Duo kb. Would you be able to measure the one from the PB and see if it will fit (give or take some plastic trimming) into the Duo?

I realise there'll be a lot more to it than simply jamming it in there, but this would at least settle the space feasibility.

A photo (or scan) of the two side by side would be awesome, as would exact dimensions for the PB kb. (metric if possible)

[] ]'>

There's no way it would fit. The 12" keyboard is the same size as the 15 and 17" keyboards, believe it or not. I can measure them up if you really want, but there's really no point; subjectively, I 'd say the current keyboards are at least 25% larger in square cms, especially because of the height (as opposed to width).

Rev. F Duo keyboards are not bad. Really.

 

[sambapati87]

Success! After destroying my first CF-IDE adapter, I got two new ones in the mail and finally got around to putting a 1GB CF drive in. I booted with the case off with both the SCSI hard drive and the IDE CF assembly in there, and right as the finder loaded I was asked to initialize the disk.

I also scored a 24mb RAM module from a spare 2300c I got off freecycle (mine's in better cosmetic condition) so I'm up to 32mb!

Now to re-cell that battery....

 

[tomlee59]

Rev. F Duo keyboards are not bad. Really.

I guess all of mine are revs A through E.

Has anyone documented what the differences are among the various Duo kybd revs? Were the improvements from different materials, or different shapes, or ...? I'm wondering if any of these are things that can be done by hobbyists. I have a large stack of Duos with balky keyboards, and it would be nice if there were something relatively simple that could be done to de-balkify them.