PowerHit

August 23, 2007 3:02 PM

My Powerbook is bent.

Can it be bent back somehow without disassembling?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/12017613@N02/
(sorry, can't seem to make a direct link)

Everything works as normal, but there is a CD installed (still plays) that will not spit out because of the 'reduced' slot.

(The short story: Mrs. Artdrectr had a rough day and gave it a little...tap).

posted by artdrectr to technology (5 comments total)

Direct link.
posted by Item at 3:05 PM on August 23, 2007

I've got a 12" aluminum Powerbook that I managed to push off a dresser and bend-up. Still works fine, but there were some issues with fitting the charging plug into the bent-up chassis. Solution? I took a hammer to it and gave it some corrective taps. Gentle taps, to be sure, but yeah.

Not that I could possibly take responsibility for what might happen to your laptop should you attempt it, but it looks like a few nice taps on the front right side might cause your CD slot to open itself up, like opening an envelope by pinching the sides. Placing a washcloth between the hammer and Powerbook might help reduce scarring. This would be a really good time to back up your data, though, just in case. Feeling lucky?
posted by mumkin at 3:26 PM on August 23, 2007

I don't think it would be extremely hard to fix, just bending the thing back into square - but you ought to consider having an authorized repair person open the shell to do so. Guessing the internals are fine, and the case itself is bent. Prying on the bent case may straighten it, but might also bend the internals in the process, creating a bigger problem than you have now.
posted by caution live frogs at 3:49 PM on August 23, 2007

Yes, it can be unbent.

Follow these instructions to remove the keyboard. You can then insert a spudger or small screwdriver in the CD slot and twist it to bend the top of the slot to be level. It will be easy to twist and un-bend the keyboard area to match the unbent CD slot. Reverse the instructions to get things back together.

The hardest part? Watch the screws. Many are different, and they go in a particular order.
posted by I EAT TAPAS at 3:53 PM on August 23, 2007

Thanks all for answering so far.
Although I didn't want to disassemble it, that seems to be the safest way to go, rather than bashing and folding. I'm confident I can do it myself rather than taking it to a Authorized Bender. So, I'm giving I EAT TAPAS the nod.

Spudger? All my spudgers are tied up in aglets!
posted by artdrectr at 12:59 PM on August 24, 2007