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Even the Trackpad is easily replaced.

I give you the instructions for replacing the trackpad on my Macbook. It is an easy 44 steps. Well, 87, since you have to do it all in reverse to put it back together.

Also, it's $450 just for the parts and tools. More if you don't like to buy refurbished.

Funny, the TrackPad I replaced in a friend's 2009 13 inch MacBook Pro was like 4 steps, if. Remove screws from bottom pan. Remove battery connector. Remove battery. Remove 4 screws holding Trackpad. Done.

Well, I see that it IS a bit more involved for that model (you did pull the wrong guide though. Here's the right one). But the tools needed are more like $20, and the TrackPad can be had for around $60 online. FAR less than the $450 that you quoted (without citation).

Actually, many people have tried and 4GB works, but you only get 3.5GB because of chipset limitations. I've got a few machines like that. Not MacBooks, but just recently I had one of those early MacBooks on my workbench and I checked the possibility of upgrade online for that particular model. Official is 2GB, non-official 4GB.

It really is hit 'n miss. For example, the dumpster-sourced machine my sister uses based on a Intel D945CGCCR. According to the manual it supports 2GB. Yet, I found an older manual where it claims 4GB. This was corrected in a later manual. I suspect, that it's because the chipset doesn't allow more than 3.5GB even in 64-bit mode. (it's an E6600, it can do 64-bit). Online forums came to the consensus that 4GB works (again, with the 3.5GB limit).

My 2003 purchased AMD Athlon 2400+ MP on a Tyan Tiger 2466MPX also does this. 4GB allowed, but only 3.5GB usable *whatever you do*. As this isn't a 64-bit machine, you'd expect PAE to give you access to more. It doesn't, it is -again- a chipset limitation.

Also, older DDR1 latops are often rated 1GB... In all those I tried, replacing with 2x1GB instead of 2x512GB, worked just fine. You cannot be certain, of course, but by now I just have test modules lying around...

There is exactly one machine where I didn't manage to get it through the limit. It's a Fujitsu-Siemens Amilo Pa 1510. It's rated 2GB (DDR2) and it really doesn't want to do more. I tried 2x2GB with it (I had those lying around from another unfinished project), and it booted up with... 2.4GB. A bit more than the usual 1.8GB (~256MB for integrated graphics). So there was a win, but not really as much as a 2GB to 3.5GB upgrade.

Now, of course, I admit I'm at an advantage because I'm a dumpster diver and have parts lying around I can test before buying anything online. Still, check what is being said about such upgrades "on the street". A good starting point is here. Good luck.

Of course they will trash today Apple after the bad joke of iFixit's iPhone Liberation Kit. They need this to help their Google score and certainly it is working. They are not the only one web site for macbook repair but is the most known, the guys at http://www.powerbookmedic.com/ for example haven't done any of iFixit's theatrical gestures buy they are fine, they don't have has many guides like iFixit but over time they will grow to be a good competitor.

This is actually still the way it works for many higher-value items. It's not always the manufacturer that offers the information, but sites like PowerBook Medic give disassembly instructions and sell part so you can do simple repairs yourself. Some laptop keyboards can be replaced with just a pen knife!

The components are still modular, it's just the idea of what makes a component that's changed. Now it's an entire mainboard assembly with a transistor count in the billions, rather than a single tube.

Also, I don't know if you've looked inside your large appliances recently, but my washing machine had a wiring diagram tucked inside when I opened it to get at a bad bearing. My motorcycle came with a simplified one in the owner's manual and a detailed schematic in the shop manual. For machines that are simple enough where a schematic is useful for troubleshooting and repair, schematics are actually still the norm.

Not the greatest mod ever, but he probably saved a ton of cash

Unlikely.

Logic board http://www.powerbookmedic.com/xcart1/product.php?productid=17001 : $250.

+ drive, memory.

Or he could have spent a bit more and bought a (new) Mac Mini and had something nice.

Gee, case, PS, MB, memory, disk, graphics card. Et voila, look ma, I built a computer. Get your hands on a Mac Pro MB and the rest of the parts are the same as for any other PC.

Color me unimpressed.

"I've done self repair on laptops before, and never even had a job come close to approaching this price."

Yes but that's self repair, if you did self repair on your apple it would be $55 for the part on eBay. Unless you're suggesting that you did self repair and bought the part brand new from the manufacturer. If you bought it "new" from a third party, I hate to tell you this but it wasn't new. The only place you can reliably get the parts new is from the company that made the laptop and even then it might be parts from a refurbished laptop or some old leftover parts that weren't quality enough to

"The part you quoted wasn't the model number I needed as well."

I know, it's not a part # it's a $400 laptop model from Dell, a Dell Vostro 1000.

The part number is WY383 you can see it on eBay -

http://cgi.ebay.com/New-Dell-Vostro-1000-Laptop-Base-Bottom-Plastic-WY383_W0QQitemZ110185600884QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item110185600884&_trksid=p3286.m63.l1177

It's "new" because the laptop is brand new probably never used, they just parted it to sell on eBay (it's worth a lot as parts, the LCD sells for the price of the laptop.) If you notice the part isn't being sold in the U.S. and it's selling for more than the same part for your Apple.

"No, I will not buy a used pan sight unseen online, that is ridiculous."

Why is that ridiculous? People do it all the time and get quality working hardware for a fraction of the cost it would be from the manufacturer. Not only that but you can see the photos, and you can contact the seller for more photos, you can also ask if they have a newer one or if they will accept returns. Most likely they'll have one in great shape, or you can find another place that's not eBay, I just used it as an example because it was the first result in Google.

If you want it "new" you can get it here -

http://www.powerbookmedic.com/MacBook-Pro-Bottom-Pan-15-Case---NEW-p-16909.html

That's as new as you're going to get it without going through Apple or if you don't mind getting a refurbished model

http://www.welovemacs.com/9227210r.html

Obviously you'll have to find your own part number (I don't know what model you have so I just picked the same standard 15" model.

This will help you take them apart.

http://www.powerbookmedic.com/Take-Apart-Repair-Manuals-p-1-c-258.html

Define "sealed". See iphone/opening. The problem is not opening the case, it's that the battery is soldered in. No doubt one could argue that soldered joins are more reliable than a clip.

In any case, I expect DIY battery kits will be available in a few months, for half the cost of an official Apple job.

you have to use a paperclip or pin to release it, but it pops right out.
http://www.powerbookmedic.com/iphone/simcard.html

an interesting thing i saw posts say that once the iPhone is activated (through iTunes), you can pop out the sim card and all the non-AT&T based stuff still works. the web browsing, email etc will revert to WiFi.

that makes me think that maybe the computer is only needed for activation, syncing songs and future software updates. if that's true you could probably find somebody else's computer and use it to setup the phone till this is sorted out.

the fact that the phone requires no in store activation makes me wonder if you will be able to buy them at other Apple retailers in the future?

Its obvious that you damaged the machine yourself because otherwise AppleCare would cover the problem. Apple doesn't want to sell you parts because they don't want to cover a notebook thats been worked on by a non apple tech.

No, most places won't order parts, however there are a few of them on the web. http://www.powerbookmedic.com/ is just one. backlit models seem to be going for about $90 on ebay.

I love my 15" Powerbook (PPC). Awesome battery life, great feel on the keyboard, bright screen, it runs fast and does what I want it to.

I love Apple.

...at least until that keyboard had a problem. I dropped a pen on the keyboard and in what can only be seen as a freak accident, it wedged itself between two keys and popped one of them out. No biggie I thought, I'll just put it back. Unfortuantely, one of the little plastic cross-tabs had broken in the process.

I called up Apple Support, game them the number for my Apple Care Extended warrenty, and instead of them happily sending me a new key to replace the old one, I got bitter sarcasim, accusations of being "too rough" on the hardware becuase "this does not happen under normal conditions", and a geneally piss-poor attitude. ...and this was after I had been transfered up to a Manager because of their response on how to fix it.

For a single key that popped off the keyboard, I needed to pack up the entire laptop and send it in for repair. I was told I should have it back within 10 business days.

Yeah. That was my reaction too. 2 WEEKS of downtime and shipping expense to replace a single key.

Well, a quick visit to http://www.powerbookmedic.com/, 2 days and $15.00 later, I got my parts and was back underway.

Like I said, I love my Powerbook, I like Apple, they just need to get realistic about simple repairs.