PowerBook G3 Pismo Hard Drive Replacement

Replace the hard drive in your PowerBook G3 Pismo.

  • Author: iRobot
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Add Note x
  • x 14

You can install hard drives up to 12.5mm thick.

Sections
Files
Tools
Relevant parts
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Add Note Edit Step 1 — Keyboard  ¶ 

  • Turn the keyboard locking screw so that it is parallel to the space bar.

  • Pull the keyboard release tabs toward you and lift up on the keyboard until it pops free.

  • Lift the keyboard out by pulling it up and away from you. Rest the keyboard, face down, on top of the track pad.

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Add Note Edit Step 2  ¶ 

  • Pull the keyboard ribbon straight up from the logic board. Place the keyboard aside.

  • The connector may be tight. Gently rock the connector from side to side while pulling directly upward to free it. You can use this technique on many of the cards and cables you'll be disconnecting.

  • Make sure you have removed the laptop battery and CD/DVD modules from the expansion bays before proceeding.

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Add Note Edit Step 3  ¶ 

  • Your laptop should look approximately like this.

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Add Note Edit Step 4 — Heat Shield  ¶ 

  • Remove the two silver Phillips #1 screws that attach the heat shield to the internal metal framework.

  • Lift the heat shield up and pull it toward you.

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Add Note Edit Step 5  ¶ 

  • Your laptop should look approximately like this.

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Add Note Edit Step 6 — Airport Card  ¶ 

  • Skip this step if your computer does not have an Airport card installed.

  • Firmly grasp the plastic tab attached to the Airport card and pull up and then to the right.

  • The Airport card is still attached to the antenna cable, so don't just yank it out of the slot.

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Add Note Edit Step 7  ¶ 

  • Disconnect the antenna cable from the Airport card.

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Add Note Edit Step 8 — Heat Sink  ¶ 

  • Remove the long silver Phillips #1 screw from the heat sink.

  • Remove the two T8 Torx screws that attach the heat sink to the processor.

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Add Note Edit Step 9  ¶ 

  • Lift the heat sink up from the left side and pull it out.

  • If you need to mount the heat sink back into the laptop, we have a thermal paste guide that makes replacing the thermal compound easy.

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Add Note Edit Step 10 — Processor  ¶ 

  • Grasp the plastic tab on the processor's right side and pull it directly up.

  • Some processors may be missing the plastic pull tab. In this case, we suggest using a non-metal tool to gently pry up the processor. Slip the tool's thin edge under the front right corner of the processor and carefully pry it up.

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Add Note Edit Step 11  ¶ 

  • Your laptop should look approximately like this.

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Add Note Edit Step 12 — Hard Drive  ¶ 

  • Grasp the orange cable at the left end of the hard drive and disconnect it from the logic board.

  • Try to grasp the cable on the plastic connector rather than on the flexible cable section.

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Add Note Edit Step 13  ¶ 

  • Grasp the plastic tab and pull the hard drive up and to the left, making sure that the metal bracket doesn't catch on the black plastic casing.

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Add Note Edit Step 14  ¶ 

  • Your laptop should look approximately like this.

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Add Note Edit Step 15 — Hard Drive Replacement  ¶ 

  • Remove the four black Torx screws located at the four corners of the hard drive bracket.

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Add Note Edit Step 16  ¶ 

  • Pull the connector cable out from the hard drive, applying even pressure while gently rocking up and down.

  • Be very careful to apply even pressure when removing the cable. If you torque too hard to either side, you may damage or destroy the hard drive's connector pins, rendering your data inaccessible.

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.

For more information, check out the PowerBook G3 Pismo device page.

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Required Tools

Phillips #0 Screwdriver

$4.95 · 50+ in stock

T8 Torx Security Bit Screwdriver

$6.95 · 50+ in stock

Anti-Static Wrist Strap

$7.95 · 50+ in stock

Spudger

$2.95 · 50+ in stock

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