logic board replacement success

April 2, 2008 10:54 PM

Is it really possible for a layperson (me) to successfully replace my logic board on my 12" G4 PowerBook?

Note: I'm not asking whether or not it's worth the cost, or how to do it; I've thought about/researched all of that. (And looked at previous AskMeFi questions.) My question is more about if you've tried to do it, was it a success or failure and what led to either of those states.

I'm a moderately handy person and a friend who likes to mess around with computers will be assisting me. I've done things like pop off the keyboard and replace my Airport card before, but that's about it (on computers, anyway; I've taken car engines apart before but everything was much...larger, and it was at easy to see how to put it all back together!)

Thanks!

posted by hapax_legomenon to computers & internet (12 comments total)

You should have no problem if you're reasonably mechanically inclined. Be careful about static electricity obviously. Download and print a service manual (ifixit.com) and consider taking additional photos with a digital camera if necessary. Be very careful with screws; either use an ice cube tray to hold them so you can keep track of what goes where, or tape the screws to your service manual right where it says to take them out, so you know exactly where they go back. Make sure you have all the screwdrivers you may need. I find a spudger/black stick (http://www.ifixit.com/Apple-Parts/Spudger/IF145-002) helpful when working on computers, especially my Macbook Pro. Tweezers can also be useful for when you inevitably drop a screw into somewhere. Just be prepared, work methodically, don't be nervous, and you'll be fine.
posted by david06 at 11:09 PM on April 2

2nding everything David says.
Especially about the spudger, maybe even get 2-3 if you can find them for less than a couple bucks, because the pointy tip can kind of wear out as you use it.
Definitely always use the exact right type of screwdriver, because nothing is worse than a stripped screw in something as delicate as a laptop.
PowerPC Apples are some of the easiest laptops to take apart, be patient and everything will go fine.
Good Luck!
posted by baserunner73 at 11:47 PM on April 2

You are going to need a =lot= of patience and care to get the case apart. There are a ton of tiny, fragile tabs keeping it together. A "spudger" and a narrow plastic putty knife is essential. (I know someone who's had good luck using a thin "bowl scraper" from the Kitchen Gadgets aisle in place of the plastic putty knife.)

Write down what screws go where, and keep track of them (the ice-cube tray mentioned earlier is an awesome idea!) Also write down what cable and wire connectors go where. Make little drawings as you go along, and take the time to photograph the various stages of disassembly if you feel it helps.

(I yearn for the days of the Powerbook 180, where the whole damn thing came apart with four screws.)
posted by Slap*Happy at 4:19 AM on April 3

I do it for a living and seconding what everyone else is saying. ESP the black stick and ice cube trays (I use a plastic box compartmentalized box that I got at a craft store)

Let me know if I can be any help (I can get you a copy of the take apart for it, just dont tell Apple...shh)
posted by ShawnString at 4:27 AM on April 3

You can download a pdf with instructions and photographs of each step from ifixit.com. They also have screw lists/diagrams. When I've done this in the past I've used masking tape to tape each set of screws to the appropriate label on the list - then you just go back through it to reassemble the computer.

As everyone says, the key is to be patient, go slowly and be careful about static electricity.
posted by leslies at 5:36 AM on April 3

you should have no problem, I replaced the lcd panel, dvd drive and hd of my ibook g4 12 with the ifixit guides. And I'm not particularely handy.
as everyone said : ice cube trays (x2, one is not enough), the right set of screwdrivers, and a spudger. a pen and paper and some electrical tape.
I'll add that you can make spudger yourself with a cutter and anything plastic like an old toothbrush, and it's better than buying them since they wear out.
The most important thing to me is a lot of preparation, a clean table, a good light, nothing to disturb you and everything accessible .
posted by anto1ne at 7:26 AM on April 3

More ditto ... emphasizing leslies's point about taping the screws to a printout of the iFixit pdf. (I recently replaced the power/audio card in my PB, and think that while ice-trays are good, the iFixit instructions make it easier.)
posted by anadem at 7:31 AM on April 3

Thanks everyone for the hints and support. My biggest fear has been dropping screws (in addition to just general spazzing out) and the ice cube tray trick as well as taping them onto the take apart diagram both are great ideas.

The surgery is scheduled for this weekend: I'll let you all know how it goes!

(Any other bits of advice, keep 'em coming...)
posted by hapax_legomenon at 7:39 AM on April 3

I just replaced the LCD in my 12" G4, and I'll reiterate the point about tracking the screws very closely. I noticed that in some cases, you will have two screws of the same diameter, with the same type of head, but one is longer than the other.

Getting them mixed up can be a bit of a pain in the ass to sort out, so take extra care.

And depending on where you decide to do this, one thing that might be worth considering, particularly if you are afraid of dropping and losing a screw, is to stop by your local newspaper and see if you can get the end of one of their paper rolls. Basically it's a roll of unprinted newspaper, usually 30' to 50' in length that they can't use because it's too short to do a run on. Our paper will usually give them away for free, and it is perfect for doing work on where you are afraid of dropping something. It is white and unmarked, so any small screw or part will be easily visible. (and if you are doing something messy, it's a fantastic free, disposable drop cloth.) Failing that, a small powerful magnet (kept well away from the disassembled machine, natch) is useful for passing over the area of floor where a screw vanished and recovering it.

Just take your time, and like everyone has said, be careful of static, and you should be fine.
posted by quin at 8:19 AM on April 3

One of the things I do for my job is repairing laptops like you want to. I've never done any Macs, but my workflow is this, and I almost never have a problem with screws and the like.

1, get a good screwdriver with sharp teeth. A dull screwdriver will strip the head of the screws. Also, the correct screwdriver is often slightly larger than you'd think it should be. You want to make sure the tip of the screwdriver completely fills the "divot" in the screw.

2, get the manual and follow the directions.

3, have a large, clean workspace to work on. I often use the floor along a wall.

4, as you remove each part, put the part and the screws that came out with it, in order of removal, in your storage area. Then when you are reassembling the machine, just work backwards.

5, don't forget to check for daughter boards like modems, memory, bluetooth, video memory and the like. These are often attached to the logic board, and not a separate step in the instructions. More than once I've had to redo a job because I forgot some part.
posted by gjc at 8:21 AM on April 3

Language correction- make sure the divot in the screw is completely filled. The tip of the screwdriver will be larger than the divot. As long as the blades of the screwdriver aren't loose in the hole of the screw, you have the right one. I think it's a #1 phillips that usually is correct.
posted by gjc at 8:25 AM on April 3

Get a grounding wrist strap at Radio Shack or other electronics supply retailer.
posted by neuron at 8:44 AM on April 3