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PowerBook Upgrade and Repair Guides
kwiens writes "We had such a positive response from Slashdot with our Free-As-In-Beer Mac disassembly instructions last time around, we decided to do it again: We've made six more FixIt Guides, perfect for those intrepid road-warriors who refuse to trust anyone else to work on their 'Book. Now there's nothing stopping you from trying that LNO2 overclock on your PowerBook-- or just a hard drive upgrade. The new Guides have professional photos, a new GUI design, and screw guides (no, not this). Guides are now available for all iBook G3, PowerBook G3, and PowerBook G4 models (including the oft-requested 12, 15, and 17 Aluminum 'Books)."
When my fan kicks in (playing a movie or similar), it sounds like a small jet. Anyone hear about ways to reduce the noise level of the fan?
Unable to read configuration file '/bigassraid/htdig//conf/14229.conf'
Geocrawler error message.
I bought an iBook G4 fairly recently, and I'd like to upgrade the hard disk. I note that my laptop isn't included in the list on pbfixit.com. Does anyone know if it's feasible to do home upgrades on a recent-model iBook? Or if not, is there anywhere (in the UK) that will do it for me? :)
I've done HD replacements in a PowerBook that was still under warranty at the time. It was even a thicker HD than the ones Apple uses (12mm instead of 9.5mm 2.5" drives) so it was pretty obvious that it wasn't the default drive. Drives are not part of the CIPs for PowerBooks, so technically, it may have been something I shouldn't have done. The FireWire port (on the motherboard) was fried about a year later (just shy of the 3-year warranty period), and Apple gladly replaced the entire motherboard free of charge with fast turnaround (through an Apple Reseller). Apparently, if your upgrades don't break something through your ignorance, Apple doesn't really care what you do. The take-home lesson here: go ahead and tinker all you want, just make sure you don't break something where you're not supposed to be. Warranty shouldn't be negatively impacted.
"I like systems, their application excepted", George Sand (French)
Considering how Apple treats it's customers that did not shell out the several hundred bucks for Apple care those guides are badly needed.
My PowerBook (a 550) had several dead pixels, and I reported this to my local apple reseller after 18 months. They told me to call apple support, so I did.
I talked for 5 minutes to a lovely girl on Ireland, she mailed me an "extended warranty" something paper, and then Apple (through my local store) replaced my screen for free. The warranty had expired 6 months ago, and they still did it for free.
The lovely irish girl only asked one question, "Were there any dead pixels on the screen before the warranty expired", and i (truthfully) answered yes. End of discussion.
Apple does take good care of non-Apple-care customers as well.
Probable impossibilities are to be preferred to improbable possibilities.
Aristotele
It never ceases to amaze me how someone posting a helpful link on /. turns into a bunch of self-professed "experts" commenting on something with which they obviously have absolutely no experience.
I would like to point out not a single one of the "it will void your warranty" people relay an account of being denied warranty service on an Apple computer. It's all just a bunch of hypothetical neck-talk.
What we do see in the realm of actual experience is that cracking the case in fact did not void Apple's warranty. I would like to add my actual experience here.
With my old TiPB, I actually followed the instructions in the manual for replacing my hard drive. I installed a non-factory 7200 RPM drive (not even offered on the PB I had), without an Apple sticker on it. While I was in there, I completely disassembled the unit, just to feed that kid inside me that wants to take everything apart. Put it back together, no screws left over, btw.
Months later, I sent it DIRECTLY to Apple for a warranty repair. It was repaired and sent back to me. In less than 3 days, I might add (that was a jab at all the other "experts" that say Apple doesn't repair quickly). Not once did they mention the user-servicing of my system. Oh, and they did throw in a new battery because the foot had come off the battery.
cat