9 Responses

  1. MOAT
    MOAT March 28, 2008 at 12:39 pm |

    I like the map and tape disassembling approach. Unfortunately, I’m not as bold as you are.

    Reply
  2. Kip Lavinger
    Kip Lavinger August 13, 2008 at 2:30 am |

    What I do with my machines the first time the need a repair that requires a complete tear-down is I use a fine point sharpie and write the size number directly adjacent to the location where each T-screw goes.

    As I disassemble the machine, each screw that I remove is placed into an ice-cube tray that I have previously marked with the sharpie (for example, 12.5 10.5 etc.). For the PBG4 12″ 2 ice-cube trays are needed.

    Since I am a cert Mac hardware tech, I have many ice-trays – and each one (or two) is for a different mac – depending on variety of sizes, of course.

    Your solution to tape the screws onto paper, blah blah blah, is like going back and trying to re-invent the wheel. You don’t need to do it and it must be slowing you WAAAAY down.

    Reply
  3. Christopher Price
    Christopher Price August 14, 2008 at 12:18 am |

    Didn’t slow me down at all really. In fact, I found it faster because I didn’t have to worry about what trays or such held what.

    Pulling some scotch tape out from a roller, and then sticking it down on a piece of paper, doesn’t take more than a second or two.

    Reply
  4. Yoda
    Yoda December 12, 2008 at 7:04 am |

    Hey Kip-
    Are you the same Kip Lavinger who used DJ at NY nightclubs?

    Reply
  5. Kip Lavinger
    Kip Lavinger February 13, 2009 at 4:29 am |

    Yoda-

    do i know you?

    kip

    Reply
  6. Yoda
    Yoda June 18, 2009 at 5:28 am |
    Reply
  7. Shaun
    Shaun December 7, 2009 at 2:52 pm |

    Hi Christopher,
    Got a take-apart from Fixit (for my 15-inch G4PB). Looks great, very methodical, but I’m having real trouble getting the trackpad to lift off. I prefer not to force it if it won’t move, but… it’s gotta come off somehow… any tips (anyone)?

    Thanks in advance!

    Reply
  8. Christopher Price
    Christopher Price December 8, 2009 at 7:06 am |

    First, make sure you didn’t miss any screws. Even one (not so obvious) screw can keep it locked down.

    The first time is probably the most difficult, as the latches have warped slightly from being there so long. Be gentle, but firm and lift up. Some old PowerBook G4s require a spudger to remove a latch, but this was removed on “modern” PowerBook G4 and MacBook Pro models.

    Reply
  9. Shaun
    Shaun December 8, 2009 at 4:40 pm |

    Thanks for your reply. It was the latches over the optical drive slot. When I finally shifted it, I thought I’d broken one of them (it had fallen out) but it clicked straight back in and is working just as well now (new superdrive fitted and working).

    Surprised to find that some internal screws were not in place (bought computer new, and never had it open before, so they could only have been overlooked when it was built).

    Thanks for the advice.

    Reply

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