iBook circa 2000 Can this be revived?



[Edited by Moderator]

Posted on Aug 31, 2025 03:36 PM

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3 replies

Sep 4, 2025 09:11 AM in response to Learjet86

Welcome!


Apple's official name for the M6411 is "iBook and iBook Special Edition (FireWire)." It was made form Sep 2000 through May 2001. The highest macOS version it can run is macOS 10.4.X "Tiger."


We can better advise you re resurrection techniques and incantations if you tell us a few things:


— Does it start? If so, what does "About this Mac..." show for the OS version installed?

— If it does not start:

a - is a battery installed. If so, it is 25 yers old and most likely beyond hope

b - Do you have the power adapter? Although a number of Apple laptops used a barrel-type charging connector, there are two different sizes. Both are hard to find in working order today.

c - What start-up chimes, if any, do you hear?

d - If it starts but does not give an usable desktop, what icons or error messages appear.

e - has the hard drive been removed?

— Do you have the original system install/restore disks that shipped with the compter?


No installed OS and no restore disks are bad starting points. Legit retail install disks in the right disk format† are very difficult and expensive to find. Most of the old mac OS "dsks" offered on the internet are fraudulent pirated copies.Waste of money.


➡️ If you have a newer Mac, it could be useful as a "bridge device" or remote disk platform that could help in the restoration. If so please tell us its exact sub-model and OS version. Too new won't help. We're probaby looking at an iMac no newer than 2011, or a 2012 or older Macbook Pro with a working optical drive.


As for the internet, even if you get the computer running like "it's 2000 all over again," today's web pages seldom work on old insecure browsers and OS versions. The few pages that will load will be text-only and dreadfully slow even on a fast wired internet connection. I know; I still have two working PowerPC Macs newer than yours running 10.4 Tiger and 10.5 Leopard. Even on our fast cable internet connection, page loads on both are easier to measure with a calendar than a stopwatch. 🐢


I enjoy keeping old Macs relevant but I understand the hurdles—I've hung up on mst of them! I am willing to help you as much as possible, but I will also be honest in my assessments based on my experiences with geriatric Macs.


† — that iBook shipped with a CD-ROM drive; DVD-ROM was a option seldom exercised back then. Most legit Tiger install disk are on DVD. Find a set on CD adds to the grief.

iBook circa 2000 Can this be revived?

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