PowerBook G4 Aluminum 15" 1.5-1.67 GHz Optical Drive Replacement

Replace the optical drive in your PowerBook G4 Aluminum 15" 1.5-1.67 GHz.

  • Author: iRobot
  • Difficulty: Difficult
  • Add Note x
  • x 12

Upgrade or replace the combo or SuperDrive.

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Add Note Edit Step 1 — Battery  ¶ 

  • Use a coin to turn the battery locking screw 90 degrees clockwise.

  • Lift the battery out of the computer.

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Add Note Edit Step 2 — Upper Case  ¶ 

  • Remove the four Phillips screws from the memory door.

  • Slide the memory door away from the memory compartment.

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Add Note Edit Step 3  ¶ 

  • Remove the following 8 screws:

    • Two 3 mm Phillips in the battery compartment, on either side of the battery contacts.

    • Two 12 mm Phillips on either side of the memory compartment.

    • Four 16 mm Phillips along the hinge.

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Add Note Edit Step 4  ¶ 

  • Rotate the computer 90 degrees clockwise, so that the power receptacle faces you.

  • Remove the three 3 mm Phillips screws.

  • When replacing these screws, you must place each screw in the correct order. Begin by installing the screw closest to the display hinge, and go out from there.

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Add Note Edit Step 5  ¶ 

  • Turn the computer 90 degrees clockwise so that the hinge faces you.

  • Remove the bottom 5 mm Phillips screw on either side of the hinge (two total).

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Add Note Edit Step 6  ¶ 

  • Rotate the computer 90 degrees clockwise, so that the ports face you.

  • Remove the three 3 mm Phillips screws.

  • When replacing these screws, you must place each screw in the correct order. Begin by installing the screw closest to the display hinge, and go out from there.

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Add Note Edit Step 7  ¶ 

  • Turn the computer over and open the display.

  • Remove the two 1.5 mm hex screws in either corner, next to the display (a T6 Torx driver will work, but repeated use will strip the screws).

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Add Note Edit Step 8  ¶ 

  • Grasp the back corners of the upper case and pull up. Do not pull the upper case off yet; you still need to disconnect the keyboard and trackpad cable.

  • Lift the back of the case up and work your fingers along the sides, freeing the case as you go. Once you have freed the sides, you may need to rock the case up and down to free the front of the upper case.

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Add Note Edit Step 9  ¶ 

  • Rotate the upper case up and toward the screen, so that the upper case rests against it.

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Add Note Edit Step 10  ¶ 

  • Remove the orange tape securing the trackpad ribbon to the logic board.

  • Disconnect the trackpad ribbon from the logic board.

  • Remove the upper case from the computer.

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Add Note Edit Step 11 — Optical Drive Removal  ¶ 

  • Remove the short black Phillips screw from the front right corner of the optical drive.

  • Remove the three longer silver Phillips screws from the retaining bracket on the left side of the optical drive.

  • Remove the retaining bracket.

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Add Note Edit Step 12  ¶ 

  • Disconnect the large black connector from the logic board.

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Add Note Edit Step 13  ¶ 

  • Lift the optical drive out of the computer from the side with the connector on it.

  • The optical drive is held in place by an alignment peg in the lower left corner.

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Add Note Edit Step 14 — Optical Drive Replacement  ¶ 

  • Disconnect the orange ribbon cable from the back of the optical drive.

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Add Note Edit Step 15  ¶ 

  • Remove the small silver Phillips screw attaching a bracket to the left side of the optical drive.

  • Remove the bracket.

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Add Note Edit Step 16  ¶ 

  • Remove the small silver Phillips screw attaching a bracket to the right side of the optical drive.

  • Remove the bracket.

  • Make sure you put the larger bracket on the right side.

  • If you have a CD or any other object jammed in your optical drive, we have an optical drive repair guide.

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

For more information, check out the PowerBook G4 Aluminum 15" 1.5-1.67 GHz device page.

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