I got my new PowerBook Monday. Actually I got everything in one day, all waiting for me after a meeting I had. The only problem with the orders was that Smalldog sent me a USB PCI Card instead of a USB to Serial Adapter, but a quick email solved that problem and now they're shipping me the adapter. The G3/500 is a bit lighter than the G3/233 I currently have. Even a pound can make a difference if you have to lug it far, although it's not a big concern of mine.

First thing was to read the manual, which is about 64 pages. It has some basic things about using the PowerBook, but I was looking for how to open up the machine to install the extra stuff. Fortunately, the manual does detail how to install an Airport Card, RAM in either the top or bottom slots, and how to replace the hard drive. Wow, I guess none of these procedures break the warranty.

The G3/500 comes with an S-video adapter, a Mac monitor to PowerBook adapter, a large yo-yo shaped AC Adapter, a short phone cord, a dummy expansion bay device, manuals and three CDs (Mac OS 9.04 install, software restore, and a diagnostics disc), plus the battery pack and DVD drive modules. All the cords are an unpleasant silverish color. Looks like I'll stick with my old PowerBook accessories as they color match better. (Which reminds me that I lost the black ethernet cable that came with my G3/233 so now I'm using an ugly patch cable, sigh).

After reading the manual it was time to install the extra stuff that I bought. Taking the PowerBook apart is pretty easy, requiring only a Phillips head screwdriver. The Airport Card goes into the place where the 2nd PC-Card slot would normally lead to. You have to attach the antenna into a plug in the back and place the card into a slot, not easy because the antenna cable was ending up under the card, lifting it up, rather than in a little space off to the side. Finally I put in the card first then attached the antenna, also not easy.

Installing the RAM is easy, just click it in. The hard drive is also relatively easy, although it's recommended you remove the processor card first (you don't really need to if you're careful, I wasn't and unplugged the ATA Bus cable so I had to take out the processor card to replug the cable). You need a small star-head screwdriver to unmount the hard drive and replace it -- MCE provided the screwdriver and an anti-static wrist thing that I didn't use.

The new drive is a bit thicker than the old one and the RAM also adds a bit of height so putting the heat sink back requires a bit of pushing. In the end it looks a bit cramped in there but it looked fine once I had the keyboard back. Then I turned it on and nothing happened, not even a chime. Maybe a part is bad so I take it apart again and reinstall all the old parts, thinking that I should have done this one part at a time. Still nothing.

Hmm, read the manual again. Says something about making sure the processor card is firmly replaced otherwise the computer won't start. I press on it, press on it harder, really press on it and I hear a click. Ok, I hope that did it. Put all the new parts back in and put the PowerBook back together. Turn it on and hear the familiar starting chime. Boot up on the CD to a machine with 640 MB RAM and a 30 GB hard drive.

Wow, this PowerBook goes to sleep and wakes up just fine. And the battery recharges while the PowerBook is on (at least I think it does). Doesn't seem to like restarting up from a CD though. Have to shut down and then power up again, otherwise it hangs while trying to mount the hard drive, using the install disc. Oh well, every computer has an idiosyncracy or two. Right now I'm quite happy with it and hope that the extra RAM and bigger hard drive don't cause the PowerBook to melt once I have it on all day at work.