PowerBook G4 Titanium Onyx Logic Board Replacement

ID: 80

Description: The motherboard - which includes all ports and...

Steps:

1. Remove the battery.
2. Turn the keyboard locking screw so that it is parallel to the space bar.
3. Pull the keyboard release tabs toward you and lift up on the keyboard until it pops free.

4. Rest the keyboard face down on the trackpad area.
5. Disconnect the keyboard connector from the logic board.

6. Your laptop should look approximately like this.

7. Release the tabs on each side of the RAM chip at the same time. These tabs lock the chip in place and releasing them will cause the chip to ÒpopÓ up.
8. Pull the RAM chip out.
9. Repeat this process if a second RAM chip is installed.

10. Turn the G4 over.
11. Remove the eight T8 Torx screws from the lower case.
12. Using your thumbs, slide the lower case away from you.
13. The lower case may stick in the front on a tab just above the center of the DVD drive. Be careful as you work the case off, or you may break the thin strip of plastic just above the drive.
14. Lift the lower case off.

15. Your laptop should look approximately like this.

16. Skip this step if your computer does not have an Airport card.
17. Firmly grasp the plastic tab attached to the Airport card and pull up and to the left.
18. Disconnect the antenna cable from the left side of the Airport card.

19. Disconnect the hard drive ribbon from the logic board using a spudger or the tip of your finger, removing tape as necessary.

20. To free the hard drive, remove the two T8 Torx screws from the right wall of the battery housing.

21. Remove the hard drive by gently grasping the orange ribbon cable and lifting the left edge up and out of the computer.
22. There are four rubber bumpers that fit over the hard drive screws. Ensure that these bumpers come out when you remove the hard drive.

23. Your laptop should look approximately like this.

24. If your G4 has a CD-RW or Combo drive, the pictures in the following steps will not exactly match your computer.
25. Before continuing, place a soft cloth on your work surface to rest the computer on. Turn the G4 over, making sure the DVD drive doesn't fall out. Place the computer on the cloth.

26. Bend the silver metal EMI clip so that it is vertical. This part may fall out after removing the DVD drive.
27. The EMI clip is not essential for reassembling the computer. If the clip falls out, don't worry about putting it back in.

28. Turn the G4 over.
29. Disconnect the orange DVD ribbon cable from the logic board using a spudger or the tip of your finger

30. Remove the DVD drive by lifting the right edge up and out of the computer.
31. If you have a CD or any other object jammed in your optical drive, we have an optical drive repair guide.

32. Turn the G4 over.
33. Using a 5 mm nut driver or needle-nose pliers, remove the hex nut from the modem.

34. Lift the modem out by pulling up and to the right.
35. The plastic shielding on the modem may catch on the computer's case. Rocking the modem from side to side will help free the modem.

36. Disconnect the connector cable from the modem.

37. Remove the single T8 Torx screw located near the silver heat pipe.

38. Disconnect the three indicated connectors from the logic board.
39. Disconnect the orange PC card cage connector from the logic board.
40. The large multicolor cable may be difficult to free.

41. Turn the G4 over.
42. Remove the three T8 Torx screws from the logic board.
43. Be sure not to lose the rubber washers protecting the logic board from the lower two screws.

44. Disconnect the indicated connectors from the logic board, removing tape as necessary.

45. Carefully lift the logic board up and pull it away from you.
46. This step requires some force, but if the logic board will not come up, make sure you have removed all screws and connectors necessary.
47. Remove the logic board from the computer.

48. Your laptop should look approximately like this.