Installing iBook G4 12" 800 MHz-1.2 GHz Hinge Grill

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

How to access the iBook G4 12" hinge grill.

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Relevant parts
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Add Note Edit Step 1 — Battery  ¶ 

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

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Add Note Edit Step 2  ¶ 

  • Lift the battery out of the computer.

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Add Note Edit Step 3 — Keyboard  ¶ 

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

  • If the keyboard does not come free, use a small flathead screwdriver to turn the keyboard locking screw 180 degrees in either direction and try again.

  • Flip the keyboard over, away from the screen, and rest it face-down on the trackpad area.

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Add Note Edit Step 4  ¶ 

  • If the computer has an AirPort card installed, follow the next three steps to remove it.

  • Push the wire clasp away from the AirPort card and toward the display, then rotate up to free it from the RAM shield.

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Add Note Edit Step 5  ¶ 

  • Grasp the clear plastic tab on the AirPort card and pull toward the display.

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Add Note Edit Step 6  ¶ 

  • Hold the AirPort card in one hand and use your other hand to remove the antenna cable.

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Add Note Edit Step 7  ¶ 

  • Remove the four silver Phillips screws that secure the RAM shield.

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Add Note Edit Step 8  ¶ 

  • Grasp the metal bracket on top of the RAM shield and pull upward to remove the shield.

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Add Note Edit Step 9  ¶ 

  • Pull the keyboard cable up from the logic board, holding the cable as close to the connector as possible.

  • Make sure that you reconnect the keyboard cable before replacing the RAM shield.

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Add Note Edit Step 10 — Lower Case  ¶ 

  • Use a pin (or anything you like) to remove the three rubber feet from the lower case.

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Add Note Edit Step 11  ¶ 

  • Remove the three newly-revealed Phillips screws.

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Add Note Edit Step 12  ¶ 

  • Use a spudger or small flathead screwdriver to pry up the three metal rings that housed the rubber bumpers.

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Add Note Edit Step 13  ¶ 

  • Remove the three Torx screws using a T8 Torx screwdriver.

  • The shorter screw is in the center of the computer.

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Add Note Edit Step 14  ¶ 

  • Remove the two Phillips screws on either side of the battery contacts.

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Add Note Edit Step 15  ¶ 

  • Breathe deeply. Trying times are ahead, but we promise the lower case does come off.

  • Push the thin rims of the lower case surrounding the battery compartment in, bending them past the tabs, and then lift up to free that corner of the lower case.

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Add Note Edit Step 16  ¶ 

  • There is a slot on the wall of the battery compartment that locks the lower case in place. Use a small flathead screwdriver to pry out the slot's lower rim and pull up on the lower case to free the slot from the tabs holding it.

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Add Note Edit Step 17  ¶ 

  • Run a spudger along the seam between the lower case and upper case on the front of the computer to free the tabs locking the lower case. Pull up on the lower case and continue to use the spudger as necessary until you hear three distinct clicks.

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Add Note Edit Step 18  ¶ 

  • Continue to run the spudger around the front, right corner. There are two tabs on the port side of the computer, one near the front corner and one near the sound-out port.

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Add Note Edit Step 19  ¶ 

  • There are three tabs over the optical drive that must be released before the lower case can come off. Slide the spudger into the lower case above the optical drive and run it toward the back of the computer until you hear three distinct clicks.

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Add Note Edit Step 20  ¶ 

  • Once the front and sides of the lower case are free, turn the computer so that the back is facing you and pull the lower case up and toward you until the back tabs pop free (it may be helpful to jiggle the case up and down).

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Add Note Edit Step 21  ¶ 

  • Remove the small greasy springs with white plastic caps from either side of the battery contacts.

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Add Note Edit Step 22 — Bottom Shield  ¶ 

  • Remove the 4 Phillips screws from the bottom shield.

  • The two longer screws are along the computer's edge, near the ports.

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Add Note Edit Step 23  ¶ 

  • Lift the bottom shield off.

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Add Note Edit Step 24 — DC-In Board  ¶ 

  • Remove the two Phillips screws securing the DC-In board.

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Add Note Edit Step 25  ¶ 

  • Disconnect the DC-In cable from the logic board.

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Add Note Edit Step 26  ¶ 

  • Deroute the cable from around the optical drive, removing tape as necessary, and angle the DC-In board out of its compartment.

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Add Note Edit Step 27 — Upper Case  ¶ 

  • Remove the two Phillips screws from the battery compartment.

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Add Note Edit Step 28  ¶ 

  • We recommend placing the computer on a slab of grey anti-static packing foam from this point on to prevent damaging the logic board.

  • Turn over the computer and open it.

  • Pry up the magnet covering a Phillips screw near the middle of the computer.

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Add Note Edit Step 29  ¶ 

  • Remove the following 7 screws from the edges of the keyboard area.

    • Three 2 mm Phillips along the right edge.

    • One 4.5 mm Phillips underneath where the magnet was.

    • One 6 mm Phillips with a small head in the lower left corner.

    • Two 6 mm Phillips with large heads, one in the upper left corner and one in the middle

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Add Note Edit Step 30  ¶ 

  • Before you can yank the upper case off, you must disconnect the trackpad connector, the blue and white power cable, and speaker cable as described in the next steps.

  • Lift the upper case from the right side and use a spudger or your finger to disconnect the trackpad connector hidden beneath the white plastic tab. Due to model variatons your trackpad connector may be different from the one pictured.

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Add Note Edit Step 31  ¶ 

  • Carefully lift the upper case about half of an inch and move it so that you can access the power and speaker cables.

  • If the upper case is sticking, it may be necessary to free the tabs holding the upper case to the metal framework along the outer edge of the battery compartment.

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Add Note Edit Step 32  ¶ 

  • The connectors at the ends of the cables are attached very firmly to the sockets on the logic board. Pulling directly on the cable will either separate the cable from its connector or the socket from the logic board.

  • Lift the upper case enough to disconnect the blue and white power cable from the logic board. Using your fingernails or a dental pick, carefully pry the connector from its socket. Make sure you're pulling only on the connector and not on the socket.

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Add Note Edit Step 33  ¶ 

  • Lift the upper case off completely and disconnect the multicolored speaker cable from the logic board. As before, make sure you're pulling only on the connector and not on the socket.

  • Tip: the multi-coloured cable may be easier and less daunting to disconnect after removing the top heat shield. Prop the top case upright while removing the shield - the connector is then much more accessible.

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Add Note Edit Step 34 — Top Shield  ¶ 

  • Remove the following 15 screws:

    • Fourteen 3 mm Phillips.

    • One 5.5 mm Phillips in the upper left corner.

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Add Note Edit Step 35  ¶ 

  • Lift the top shield up from the right side, minding the upper left corner, which may catch on the metal framework.

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Add Note Edit Step 36 — Modem  ¶ 

  • Due to variations between iBook G4 models, your modem may look slightly different from the picture. All of the following steps apply to either model.

  • Remove the two Phillips screws at the corners of the modem.

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Add Note Edit Step 37  ¶ 

  • Lift the modem and modem shield from the bottom.

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Add Note Edit Step 38  ¶ 

  • Disconnect the RJ-11 cable from the top of the modem.

  • When replacing the modem, seat the shield first, and then connect the modem and press it firmly into the shield, making sure that it is connected to the logic board.

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Add Note Edit Step 39 — Display Assembly  ¶ 

  • Turn the computer over.

  • Disconnect the inverter cable from the logic board and deroute it from the metal framework, removing tape as necessary.

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Add Note Edit Step 40  ¶ 

  • Turn the computer back over.

  • The cable you're about to remove is very fragile - do not pull directly on the wires. Instead, try to pry up the connector directly, using a spudger or a small flathead screwdriver if necessary.

  • Disconnect the microphone cable at the front of the computer, between the left side of the hard drive and the metal framework, removing tape as necessary.

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Add Note Edit Step 41  ¶ 

  • Use the black plastic handle to disconnect the display data cable from the logic board.

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Add Note Edit Step 42  ¶ 

  • Peel up the yellow tape holding the display data cable to the metal framework and remove the single Phillips screw beneath it.

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Add Note Edit Step 43  ¶ 

  • Support the display with one hand and remove the single Phillips screw on either side of the hinge (two screws total).

  • The screws go in the outer holes on each side (you can see the threads in the correct hole).

  • It may be necessary to unscrew one side of the optical drive for enough clearance to thread the AirPort antenna through the gap between the body of the optical drive and the iBook's internal frame.

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Add Note Edit Step 44  ¶ 

  • Tilt the display back, freeing it from the two metal alignment posts holding the hinges in place, and slide it away from you.

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Add Note Edit Step 45 — Hinge Grill  ¶ 

  • Remove the two Phillips screws securing the hinge grill to the metal framework.

  • Lift the hinge grill out of the computer.

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

For more information, check out the iBook G4 12" 800 MHz-1.2 GHz device page.

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