PowerBook G4 Aluminum 17" 1.67 GHz (High-Res) PRAM Battery & USB Board Replacement

Replace your PRAM battery & USB board to preserve date and time after system shutdowns and to fix an unresponsive front USB port.

Edit Step 1 Battery  ¶ 

Image 1/2: The battery should pop up enough to rotate it toward yourself and lift it out of the lower case.

Edit Step 1 Battery  ¶ 

  • Use your thumbs to push the two battery retaining tabs away from the battery.

  • The battery should pop up enough to rotate it toward yourself and lift it out of the lower case.

Edit Step 2 Memory Door  ¶ 

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Edit Step 2 Memory Door  ¶ 

  • Remove the three 2.3 mm Phillips screws securing the memory cover to the lower case.

Edit Step 3  ¶ 

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Edit Step 3  ¶ 

  • Lift the memory cover slightly and pull it toward yourself to remove it from the lower case.

Edit Step 4 Upper Case  ¶ 

Image 1/1: Two 14.7 mm shouldered Phillips.

Edit Step 4 Upper Case  ¶ 

  • Remove the following ten screws:

    • Two 14.7 mm shouldered Phillips.

    • Three 12.3 mm Phillips.

    • One 3.8 mm T8 Torx.

    • One 6.8 mm T8 Torx.

    • Three 1.3 mm Phillips.

1 Edit Step 5  ¶ 

Image 1/2: Use your fingernails to separate the ZIF cable lock away from its socket. (Move the two brown bits down 1mm)

1 Edit Step 5  ¶ 

  • The ZIF cable is located underneath the bottom RAM slot. If your PowerBook has both RAM slots occupied, make sure to remove the RAM chip.

  • Use your fingernails to separate the ZIF cable lock away from its socket. (Move the two brown bits down 1mm)

  • The ZIF cable lock will move about a millimeter away from the socket before it stops (see picture 2). Do not try to remove the ZIF cable lock.

Edit Step 6  ¶ 

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Edit Step 6  ¶ 

  • Use the tip of a spudger to slide the trackpad ribbon cable out of its socket.

Edit Step 7  ¶ 

Image 1/1: When replacing these screws, you must reinstall each screw in the correct order. Begin by installing the screw closest to the display hinge, and go out from there.

Edit Step 7  ¶ 

  • Remove the four 3.4 mm Phillips screws from the PC card side of the PowerBook.

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

Edit Step 8  ¶ 

Image 1/1: When replacing these screws, you must reinstall each screw in the correct order. Begin by installing the screw closest to the display hinge, and go out from there.

Edit Step 8  ¶ 

  • Remove the four 3.4 mm Phillips screws from the DVI connector side of the PowerBook.

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

  • During reassembly, make sure to reinstall the two screws on the right into their appropriate locations, and not the DVI port anchor holes.

Edit Step 9  ¶ 

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Edit Step 9  ¶ 

  • Depress the display latch release button and open your display.

2 Edit Step 10  ¶ 

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2 Edit Step 10  ¶ 

  • Starting near the display, lift the upper case straight up off the lower case, minding any cables that may get caught.

Edit Step 11 Optical Drive  ¶ 

Image 1/1:

Edit Step 11 Optical Drive  ¶ 

  • Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the optical drive cable connector up off the logic board.

Edit Step 12  ¶ 

Image 1/1: Three 6.8 mm T8 Torx.

Edit Step 12  ¶ 

  • Remove the following four screws securing the optical drive to the lower case:

    • Three 6.8 mm T8 Torx.

    • One 3.8 mm T8 Torx.

Edit Step 13  ¶ 

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Edit Step 13  ¶ 

  • Lift the optical drive out of the lower case, being careful not to disturb the PRAM battery & USB board ribbon cable.

Edit Step 14 PRAM Battery & USB Board  ¶ 

Image 1/2: The ZIF cable lock should raise about 1 mm and stop. '''Do not''' attempt to completely remove the ZIF cable lock.

Edit Step 14 PRAM Battery & USB Board  ¶ 

  • Use your fingernail and the tip of a spudger to raise the ZIF cable lock slightly up off its socket.

  • The ZIF cable lock should raise about 1 mm and stop. Do not attempt to completely remove the ZIF cable lock.

Edit Step 15  ¶ 

Image 1/1:

Edit Step 15  ¶ 

  • Pull the ribbon cable straight up out of the ZIF socket.

Edit Step 16  ¶ 

Image 1/2: Pull the board away from the side of the lower case to separate the USB socket from the bezel on the lower case.

Edit Step 16  ¶ 

  • Remove the two T8 Torx screws securing the PRAM battery & USB board to the lower case.

  • Pull the board away from the side of the lower case to separate the USB socket from the bezel on the lower case.

Edit Step 17  ¶ 

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Edit Step 17  ¶ 

  • Lift the board slightly out of the lower case and peel the small foam EMI gasket off the USB socket, then remove the PRAM battery & USB board from your powerbook.

Conclusion

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

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3 Comments

The ZIF cable locks are the little grey pieces seen on the cable-side ends of the white bar. They will slide, as per detailed picture, toward the cable.

web - Reply

Sometimes the "tags"/"lugs" that are around the edge of the top & bottom frame, be careful not to bend them as when putting back the covers they will not merge. I used a screwdriver to poke through the hole the screw was supposed go in & push against the "inside nut" to let the tag from the top slide down between the 2 tags. The "inside nut" is like the one right next to the ribbon cable as shown in Dia.14. The screws are from Dia. 7&8.

harry allcock - Reply

in what direction does one move the ZIF cable lock? what/where is its socket?

Ian - Reply