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All replies
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Helpful answers
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Feb 24, 2016 2:57 PM in response to Matthewlopezby K Shaffer,There does not appear to be much exacting detail about how to repair or replace
the locking mechanism in the iFixit 17-inch PowerBook model repair guides...
https://www.ifixit.com/Device/PowerBook_G4_Aluminum_17%22_1-1.67_GHz
Perhaps a guide from a smaller form-factor (15") may yield clues on how to do it.
https://www.ifixit.com/Device/PowerBook_G4_Aluminum_Series
The design is similar to that used in later iBook G4 models, and have magnets.
https://duckduckgo.com/?q=powerbook+17-inch+display+latch+repairs&t=ffsb
Not sure if you can find a takeapart video with specific details.
Good luck!
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Feb 24, 2016 3:09 PM in response to Matthewlopezby ChitlinsCC,Howdy Matthew
I saw the same stuff K Shaffer did...
With a Mac of this age, is it mission critical that the latch actually work? The magnets are the parts that tell the system to 'sleep' and 'wake up'.
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Feb 24, 2016 3:46 PM in response to ChitlinsCCby K Shaffer,And the latch bits are hiding away inside the same spaces next to the display.
That can take many hours to take-apart and helps to have any disposable or
otherwise breakable replacement parts on hand that aren't broken right now.
Once it's opened, there can be many more that need replacement...
{If all other display components are working correctly, inverter, cables, and etc
but if the computer needs some other internal parts upgraded or replaced, it
may be worth the cost to send it way to a specialist for repair. I'd contact one
such as wegenermedia.com, & have a list of items it needs on hand. They do
email, and phone. Also they can take apart and tell you further developments
and let you decide. Once the computer is apart on the bench, other labor items
are in the same neighborhood and are less costly to get to by then.}
There may be an original service manual in PDF online for that model, those
cover images of the specific sections. One of the iFixit guides suggests it may
be a difficult time, and details are important so as to not cause further damage.
There's powerbookmedic, & wegenermedia.com, among others who'd fix those.
I'd ask qualified repair shops what they'd charge, for best-guess estimates;
from what I'd seen and found by asking, you can send a portable Mac across
the country and still come out ahead if you want more than one thing done.
Good luck!
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Feb 24, 2016 3:59 PM in response to K Shafferby ChitlinsCC,Can you answer the issue of "is the latch mission critical?" Am I correct about the magnets controlling sleep/wake?
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Feb 24, 2016 4:38 PM in response to ChitlinsCCby K Shaffer,Well, I've not asked my sleeping (comatose) iBook G4 12-inch 1.33GHz (mid 2005)
how it has been getting along. However I do recollect some users found those magnet
items did affect sleep and were a hassle to repair. I also have a PowerBook G4 12-inch
1.5GHz whose display needs help to stay shut, among other issues. That, I was given
as-is. So I know that it would take a charge (but needs DC-inBoard) and needs at least a
replacement HDD, since it wouldn't boot in FW TDM. Display worked as did Optical drive.
{The iBook G4 is as-new, needs a good battery; should see a OWC Legacy SSD HD.}
My other portable is first model MacBook1.1 coreduo. They did get it right with MacBook.
However it also has some issue with the display winking on occasion, so I do not shut
the lid if I intend on using it; instead set it up as a desktop + use USB keyboard/mouse.
Presently, I have two Mac Minis nearby; one is a last model G4 (1.5GHz 2005) and a
last model Intel i7 quad 2.3GHz server (dual 1-TB HDD, 16GB RAM) and no space.
Perhaps the display on the 17-in PowerBook is twisted, so as to not let the hooks and
slots align properly? The unit needs inspection by an expert...
Anyway, the thread author's device needs some efficient expert to fix the issues, unless
the task is not in any kind of rush to be done and all attention to detail can be followed.
I'd not want to do it... looking at the sorryful-jones 12-inch PowerBook 1.5GHz sitting here.
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Feb 24, 2016 5:42 PM in response to Matthewlopezby Allan Jones,On my 17-inch PowerBook (circa 2003 1.0 Ghz--the first 17 incher), I can remove the main battery and see the latching mechanism. Once I found dust balls in it and picking them out with a toothpick helped some unlatching problems I encountered. That's the only PowerBook I've had to compare I don't know if the latch is blocked off in later models. It was blcoked off by the time the 15-inch MacBook Pro rolled out.