Slashdot Mirror
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)."
Everybody knows that Macintoshes are hermetically sealed at the factory and can never ever be upgraded.
I'm serious! There's a taser in there that zaps you in the butt if you try!
Why yes, I AM a rocket scientist!
Considering how Apple treats it's customers that did not shell out the several hundred bucks for Apple care those guides are badly needed.
At least in Germany you have to pay at least 350 Euros if you want Apple to repair your 'book that is older then one year. Of course it's very well possible that you have to pay even more if something seriouse is broken, but even if just a part costing 5 Cents and taking two minutes to replace is broken you'll still have to pay 350 bucks.
To sum it up, I really like Apple's hardware, I really like OSX but personally I'll never buy anything from Apple again.
I hack PC hardware all the time. Build my own boxes. I have an old "server" hanging on the wall like a painting, with no case (hurry up and die already please so I can throw it away...)
.. it .. SCRATCHED it.. OMG I can't stand this any more, I'm going to go hold my powerbook for a few minutes to make everything better. It's so warm and cuddly.
But I ain't taking apart my 17" powerbook. No way. I can't even stand looking at those pictures of somebody's grubby hands taking apart that powerbook, and all the sensitive guts exposed.
I know, it's just a motherboard and a hard drive, and all the stuff that's in my other computers. But no there's got to be something magical in there too, something you can't see, something that escapes when you open it.
And what if I were to get a screwdriver near it and
Stop looking at me like that!
especially this link
I don't know how many times in the last six months I've heard idiots on IRC claim powerbook 12 inch models don't have fans because apple skimped on the design.
It's nice to be able to show proof. All hail intarweb.
I have followed it 100% and I have LOST MY WARRANTY! Please be smarter than I was.
"Hey, this heatsink takes up loadsa room and it must really cut the airflow! There, problem solved" :)
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.
Just open the thing up and figure it out for yourself. It's not rocket science, you know. I've done a bunch of upgrades on PowerBooks without a manual or guide, and it was pretty easy, once you've located the proper screws and whatnot. If it's a simple drive replacement or something, just make sure you have a torx screwdriver set and get crackin.
"I like systems, their application excepted", George Sand (French)
While their quality is unquestionable, Apple's products perform functions not only without the user needing to understand how they work but where understanding how they work does not extend the user any extra power.
:-)
I've had my oft-mentioned iBook for a bit over six months now; it is quite probably the best computer I've ever had. Yes, it's got very little upgrade potential (memory's already at 640MB, and I don't need wireless networking) but I really don't mind.
In a way, it's like there isn't a computer there at all, just MacOS X in a handy carrying case. It just works. The battery last absolutely ages, so I'm not worrying about when it's about to run out; it's incredibly quiet, so I can work without a constant computer whir and hum; all the hardware features I need are built in, so I'm not messing around with external cards or devices, fighting with incompatible devices...
I can forget there's a computer there, and get on working with the software.
People claim that Apple is a hardware company, I think I'd disagree. with MacOS X, they're a software company - except the software has a solid, physical presence in the real world.
Tedious Bloggy Stuff - hooray?
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? :)
HEY, Let me tell you about our extended in-store laptop warranties! Did you know you'll need to pay the shipping yourself if you need to have it repaired? And it can take weeks!
What?? You decline? WOW, NOBODY has EVER declined this before. Are you sure? Can you tell me why you've declined? Geeze, let me tell you about all the risks of turning this down.
(other floor guy walks up)
Hey, this guys buying this laptop without the extended warranty. (Glances exchanged.) No way! Yep. Does he know about all the things that could happen if something breaks. Yep, I told him but he says he doesn't want it. Wow, I don't know if anyone has ever declined it before.
(trying to get to check out with laptop in escort, manager walks up.)
Hey, Bob told me you are passing on the extended warranty. This is a very expensive items so there are a few things we have to cover before you buy it. Do you know if it breaks you'll have to cover all shipping expenses to and from the service center? That laptop has lithium batteries so there are hazardous shipping charges involved. It can take weeks to get it repaired. It's very odd for someone to turn down the extended warranties. Are you sure? Well, I have to inform you of all the potential risks of buying without the extended warranty.
Use an ice cube tray (or two) for all of the screws, separating them by size, and draw detailed charts and notes as to where each one came from.
If you don't do this, you won't get it back together. Good luck!
Before buying from TiPaint, you might have a look at Google Groups. There have been a number of a complaints ranging from poor product to non-delivery.
One CPU cycle wasted on digital restrictions management is ONE TOO MANY.
I recently opened up my AlBook (15") to hopefully to upgrade from a combo drive to a super drive. Lemmie tell you - opening up this case is HARD! Undoing all of the right screws is nothing, but removing the top deck with those tabs - It's murder. I scratched the heck out of my computer and even when I took it to my Apple-Certified technicians (Yes, they claim there's a special tool for unclipping those little metal tabs.) they scratched the heck out of my computer and bent the bit of metal above the CD slot.
If anyone knows more details about a magic tool to help "pop the top" on an AlBook - Please, let the world know about it. Otherwise, I strongly recommend you get a thin plastic-coated pry bar for popping those tabs, and DON'T use a lot of force.
"One touch of Darwin makes the whole world kin." George Bernard Shaw
In the G3 Pismo guide, only one I checked, they tell you how to pull the heatsink OFF, make no mention of the quiet little popping noise you'll hear when you do (it's the double-sticky thermal transfer tape, a tiny little rectangle on top of the CPU that fails when the heatsink is moved even slightly).
And they say to replace the heatsink. just do the reverse.
Well, NO. Apple made it very easy to break the contact between CPU and heatsink, even accidentally, and once that's impaired overheating is going to become a problem.
Look for posts in MacFixit forums, about G3s, Powerlogix, heatsinks, thermal transfer -- best advice I've seen has been put together by a fellow named Bruce Miller.