PowerBook G4 Titanium Onyx Hard Drive Replacement

  • Author: iRobot
  • Difficulty: Moderate
  • Add Note x
  • x 6

You can install hard drives up to 12.5mm thick.

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

  • Turn the G4 over.

  • Remove the eight T8 Torx screws from the lower case.

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Add Note Edit Step 2  ¶ 

  • Using your thumbs, slide the lower case away from you.

  • The lower case may stick in the front on a tab just above the center of the DVD drive. Be careful as you work the case off, or you may break the thin strip of plastic just above the drive.

  • Lift the lower case off.

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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 — Airport Card  ¶ 

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

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

  • Disconnect the antenna cable from the left side of the Airport card.

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Add Note Edit Step 5 — Hard Drive  ¶ 

  • Disconnect the hard drive ribbon from the logic board using a spudger or the tip of your finger, removing tape as necessary.

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Add Note Edit Step 6  ¶ 

  • To free the hard drive, remove the two T8 Torx screws from the right wall of the battery housing.

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Add Note Edit Step 7  ¶ 

  • Remove the hard drive by gently grasping the orange ribbon cable and lifting the left edge up and out of the computer.

  • There are four rubber bumpers that fit over the hard drive screws. Ensure that these bumpers come out when you remove the hard drive.

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Add Note Edit Step 8  ¶ 

  • Your laptop should look approximately like this.

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Add Note Edit Step 9 — Hard Drive Replacement  ¶ 

  • Remove the two black plastic bumpers and two T8 Torx screws from the side of the hard drive.

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Add Note Edit Step 10  ¶ 

  • Grasp the orange ribbon cable and disconnect it from the hard drive. If the connector is tight, gently rock it from side to side.

  • Be sure to pull evenly on both sides as uneven force may damage the hard drive pins and render your data inaccessible.

  • If you are installing a new hard drive, we have an OS X install guide to get you up and running.

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

For more information, check out the PowerBook G4 Titanium Onyx device page.

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