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Replacing the hard drive of a G4 iBook

800Mhz and recovering of the built-in mike

(As usual, YOU are responsible of what you did to your computer by following

my instructions. I'm not.)

Why?

The hard drive couldn't be mounted anymore. Drrrr clic, drrrrrr clic, you get

the picture. No booting with COMMAND S either. I didn't get luckier trying to

boot with an external hard drive or a CD. Internal units were just waiting.

Added to the whole thing, the mike has been mute for a pretty long time. My

iBook is a year and four month old and has no AppleCare. Since Apple's

officials technicals are quite costly, I'd rather open the computer and install the

new hard drive by myself.

As I was in a hurry, I choose a 80 Gb Samsung hard drive at 135 euros (15 feb

2005). In the technical specs, you can read "Component Design Life: 5 years".

I'll get another iBook until then ;-)

1)

Here are the main characters.

2)

The hard drive

3)

As usual, turn off the computer and take off the power supply.

4)

Take off the battery. Let's start the real business.

5)

Take off the little plastic plugs, then unscrew.

6)

They removed the additional plastic part that was present on the older iBooks

G3.

When screwing back, make sure the straight area is just in front of the

corresponding "hole". Same for the rounded area .

You'll notice some glue on the screw. It will help to keep it from moving after

screwing (lightly).

7)

Unscrew the 3 hexagonal screws. The two longer ones are at the top, the

shorter in the middle.

8)

Now, the two cruciform screws .

9)

Unclip by starting from the corner, as with the G3.

10)

Turn all along the side of the computer. I personnaly use a ruler in the snatch,

preventing damages in the plastic or inside the computer as if I had used

another prying tool.

11)

It's easier if you push right at clips level .

12)

As on the G3 iBooks, don't forget to unclip this one .

13)

Clips . Take care to the cables next to the prying tool. Be cautionous and

gentle.

14)

3 more clips .

15)

And here , is the what's cosing the malfunction of the mike :-(

16)

Damaged on the left by the inferior shell, almost fully cutted from the right

by the armoring. Why such a lack of protection from Apple?!

17)

Back to the other side: far left and far right are keeping the keyboard in

place. Sometimes, it's also locked in the middle. Check carefully if it doesn't

come loose at first pull ;-)

18)

Here's the way Apple advices to do it :

1. Unplug the airport card

2. Unscrew the 4 cruciform screws 00

3. Take off the cover that supports the card et protects the memory

19)

The antenna connector is glued to prevent it from scratching things

(screens, etc.) Don't forget to unglue it :)

This is the keyboard connector. Unplug it. Again, be gentle, or you could rip

it open at the angle.

20)

The screws to... unscrew. One of them is hidden, as on previous iBooks,

under a magnet.

21)

When everything is taken appart, one could ask himself why Apple is using 3

different types of screws!

22)

Screws that have to be removed to free the uper shell.

The springs that keep the battery in place. They should be protected.

23)

Something new: the springs are covered with some sticky stuff. It makes

loosing them harder.

24)

Long screws

Short screws

25)

It seems the techies at Apple did get a lot of returns. Now, the screws

specifications are embossed next to the hole!

26)

Unclip the upper shell.

27)

Unplug the trackpad cable to prevent ripping.

28)

Gently make the shell pass over the power supply connector.

29)

One more connector to unplug.

30)

The two connectors to unplug

A small spring that could lead to a lot of questions if you don't take note of

its original position.

31)

Once the upper shell is taken off, you clearly see that the black cable is

damaged and could make contact with the the ground.

32)

On the inside, you can see that the armoring has, almost without a doubt,

ripped the cable open.

33)

When taking the armoring off, pay attention to the hard drive connector!

34)

Close-up of the slaughtered cable

Another potential victim

35)

From top view: you bet there are problems :-(

36)

Cables at their "natural state" clearly outpass the shell. This makes closing the

beast a hell of an hasard for them.

37)

This is the whole motherboard pictured, for my buddy Jean-Marc ;-). As you

can see, it's not that bigger than the Mac mini one. It only takes half the space

of the iBook.

38)

Turning the beast over, you can now unscrew the armoring.

The small magnet starts the sleep mode when you close the iBook. It would

be a shame to loose it ;-)

39)

Dimensions of two screws are embossed, not the others. The most observing

ones will notice that the long one doesn't hold the armoring in place.

40)

I advice you to do like this. There was a screw missing before I got started.

41)

The long screw holded that metal bar.

One screw remains, holding the "bed".

42)

A close-up of the beast, you can see the hard drive connector down the middle.

Be gentle when you lift it.

The screw pointed at 41 ( ) has not been taken off yet.

43)

Unplug the motherboard connector. You can now lift the hard drive.

44)

The holding metal bar

The "bed" where the hard drive takes place and that was holded by the

screw

The particular connector that hasn't been removed from the original hard

drive

One of the 4 screws (torx 8) used as nipple. We will have to move them on

the new hard drive.

45)

Withdrew connector with his "nipple" screws.

46)

Thermal dissipator, quite impressive. Looks like it has been bitten!

47)

When putting back the whole thing, be very carefull. I've used some duct

tape to protect the cable (didn't have time to replace it).

48)

And I have inserted some cardboard for additional protection.

49)

Tools used : mini pry-bar (to unplug the connectors), flat ruler (to split the

shell). A cruciform screwdriver 0 et another 00. An hexagonal key 2mm and a

torx 8.

FYI, total time for the whole process (and taking the pictures) was 2 hours.

Without the photoshots: 90 minutes.

As usual, follow these instructions from end to beginning the re-assemble the

beast.

If you wish to thank or forsten me...