dmotion

...madonn!

It seems everyday that passes the less and less I can use my PowerBook G4.

I really believe that Apple left PowerPC users in the dark when they made the crossover to Intel.

Even when they went from Mac OS 9 to Mac OS X 10.0 (which required a bit more RAM and some processor speed) they smoothed the transition at least to some extent.

In all actuality Apple was like, "Screw you PPC Users!"

More and more now updates and applications no longer support PPC and/or Mac OS X 10.4

Leaving those with highend Power Mac G5s highly screwed.

So not having the PowerBook G4's Supplemental Disk with Mac OS 9 files (it wouldn't be much use to me anyways for the following) and my CD/DVD Drive inoperative...

I can't use Classic applications, I can't load any applications, games, etc.

Plus the fact that my trackpad doesn't work, on it's 3rd (and last) charger and second battery.

I am left with a computer that can't really do much of anything--that I want...

Which is the chief reason for buying a laptop: to do what you want with it.

Although that is hardly true (at least with me) with computers running Windows Operating System it is or rather was true with Apple and it's computers.

Although recently, as I've written in my livejournal:

Apple's Product: 12' PowerBook G4 1.5GHz w/ 1.25GB DDR SDRAM and 80GB HDD has been leaving a bitter sometimes sour taste in my mouth.

Not just due to the recent occurences but also past occurrences when it went out of comission back two years ago in May.

I was forced to use my old iMac Bondi G3 running Mac OS 9.2.2 w/ 64MBs of RAM and an 8GB HDD(!)

Currently that particular machine is still running in excellent condition however with Mac OS X 10.3 and 384MBs of RAM.

Yet that computer, despites it's age hasn't given me the amount of problems my PowerBook has and it's eleven years old.

Here I have a computer half it's age that I can't do what I want with it...

Yeah...for a split second there I forgot that the CD/DVD Drive doesn't work in this blasted PowerBook G4...

So here I am waiting for it to boot from the DVD and...

*sound of drive spinning--DVD is ejected*

Freakin Madonn!

So now I am stuck with being unable to do what I want with this blasted Powerbook which is to re-upgrade it to Leopard--madonn!

I can attempt to try to downgrade to Panther but my initial intent wasn't to do that--it was merely afterthought.

Really detesting my PowerBook G4 right now.

I don't have Classic and I don't have Leopard.

If I at least had Classic I'd be slightly pleased but since I don't and I don't have Leopard, I am angered.

Re-upgrading to Leopard= Fail

(Really really hate my Powerbook right now--I am that much closer to breaking and literally burning it for a little bit and thereafter breaking it again. Madonn!)

Madonn!

My PowerBook G4 is at again w/ it's Optical Drive problem.

This time it won't read or write a CD/DVD whether burned/unburned, etc.

The last time this happened I upgraded to Leopard and then fixed it by downgrading to Tiger...

Must I now downgrade to Panther?

At this point I am considering it.

Among other things wrong with my PowerBook G4 is the trackpad that has given up the ghost thus leaving me with strict usage of a wireless mouse.

Unlike some whom have a laptop and use it on a desk or a flat surface I use it on my lap. Believe me that usage of a mouse on one's leg or atop the laptop is as much a hassle as it is a balancing act once some minor fatigue sets in and you want to stretch.

Also I am on my third charger...if I have to buy another one I'll stop using the Powerbook because it won't be able to be used anyways.

Oh and it's a thrid party charger because I wasn't about to step into an Apple store to buy a third charger for a computer almost half the age of my iMac Bondi G3. (Even that computer has proved to be more formidable than my PowerBook G4). For if I did step into an Apple store or go to their website it would be to buy a new mac.

At one point I was so dissatisfied with my Mac that I thought of just buying a Windows Computer--no, not even running a bootcamp on Mac or installing Mac OS X on a Windows machine...

Just buying a Windows Enabled Computer (Ha! As if it was enabled to do things without first giving you headaches...lol).

One reason being is that after having lost all of my games I am reluctant to re-install all my games on my Mac for two reasons:

One, because I can't--or not easily as I have no optical drive. (Sure I can hook up my External CD Drive but what then of those on DVDs...huh?) Two games I'd like to play I'd have to get another computer and/or find a port of for Mac.

So yeah...having problems with the drive...

So continuing on with the ordeal of my not being able to Burn DVDs I went to the Apple Store...

Actually I have gone a total of about 4 different times weeks apart.

This last visit served only to demonstrate to me that Apple Geniuses are Some Geniuses All Right...

Each time I have presented my situation as I have written it ending with: "The error that it stated was that it failed to calibrate the optical drive."

Apple Geniuses' supplied answers:

"I believe that it is due to the optical drive and it's failure to calibrate itself."

Did I not just tell you that. If I wanted the error to be repeated to me I would have attempted to burn a DVD; not drive, suffer through traffic, waste gas and time.

"When you installed Leopard some core system files failed to copy over. You should attempt to reinstall Leopard again or attempt an archive and install."

First of all if it had been a core file I would have not been able to run Leopard for as long as I have been. Doing a reinstall/archive and install of Leopard is actually a good idea I have not yet had time to try. That was the only viable advice I got, however I knew this already.

"Leopard isn't supported on your current Mac and/or doesn't meet the system requirements."

I have a PowerBook G4 w/ 1.5 GHz PowerPC G4 and 1.25GB DDR SDRAM. To which he replied, "Yes, but it's not a MacBook or a MacBook Pro"

Apple says: "Mac computer with ... PowerPC G4 (867MHz or faster) processor, 512MB of memory"

"Yeah, usually when that happens I just advise people to purchase a new Mac."

Yes, this guy was very serious when he said that.

"When you installed Leopard did you shake or let the computer go to sleep?"

Wow, I don't think he knows that if I would have actually done that it wouldn't have finished installing...

"Your optical drive is not for a Mac."

Wow...it is stock from Apple.

"Well, the best thing for you to do is to schedule another appointment, drop your Mac off and we'll see what the problem is..."

Another one? Ha! I was supposed to be resolving this already...oh, that's right the solution is buying a new one...madonn!

...I had to express my frustration to my friend who was with me in Spanish.

Mind you Apple says:

"Who works at the Genius Bar?

Mac Geniuses — selected by Apple — are the most knowledgeable Mac people. Trained at Apple’s California headquarters, the Geniuses have broad expertise and know virtually all there is to know about your Mac or iPod."

Wow I'd be surprised if these guys knew the difference between mac and windows, ha! I'd be surprised if they actually knew their names and colored between the lines....

They always ended the nothingness that they did with, "Sorry we couldn't help you today, you can always try to schedule an appointment with another Genius to see if they can help you."

They wanted me to leave my Mac with them...(?!) With those kinds of answers I am surprised they let them work at all.

Apple Mac Geniuses are Some Geniuses All Right...

Ever since I've gotten Leopard on my PowerBook G4 I have been unable to burn anything whether it's CD or DVD. If I connect the external CD Burner I have via USB that works but the internal stock CD/DVD Burner from Apple is rendered as unknown or it throws an error stating that it cannot be calibrated...

I got Mac OS X Leopard on the 28th of October...

This is highly frustrating to me and it has been the only problem that I have had with Leopard and I have heard other people have had various other problems.

I Can't Burn DVDs...that sucks a lot.