PowerBook G4 Aluminum 15" 1.67 GHz Heat Sink & Fans Replacement
- Author: Andrew Bookholt
- Difficulty: Difficult
Running a little hot? This guide will show you how to remove the heat sink and fans from your PowerBook.
Sections
- Battery 1 step
- Upper Case 9 steps
- Right Speaker 3 steps
- Logic Board 7 steps
- Heat Sink & Fans 8 steps
Files
Tools
Shop these parts and tools-
Use a coin to turn the battery locking screw 90 degrees clockwise.
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Lift the battery out of the computer.
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Remove the following 10 screws:
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Two 3 mm Phillips in the battery compartment, on either side of the battery contacts.
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Four 3 mm Phillips around the memory compartment.
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Four 16 mm Phillips along the hinge.
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Remove the memory compartment cover.
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Remove the two 12 mm Phillips screws on the Aluminum bracket at the top of the memory compartment.
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Rotate the computer 90 degrees clockwise so the power receptacle faces you.
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Remove the three 3 mm Phillips screws along the edge of the lower case.
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Turn the computer 90 degrees clockwise so the hinge faces you.
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Remove the lower 5 mm Phillips screw on each side of the hinge (two total).
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Rotate the computer 90 degrees clockwise so the ports face you.
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Remove the three 3 mm Phillips screws along the edge of the lower case.
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When replacing these screws, you must install them in the correct order. Begin by installing the screw closest to the display hinge, then work your way toward the front of the computer. Also, be careful not to put the screws in the two holes on either side of the video out port.
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Turn the computer over and open the display.
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Remove the two 4.2 mm long, 1.5 mm hex screws at the top corners of the upper case (two total).
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Grasp the back corners of the upper case and pull up.
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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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Rotate the upper case up and toward the screen, so that the upper case rests against it.
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Remove the amber tape securing the trackpad ribbon to the logic board.
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Disconnect the trackpad ribbon from the logic board by pulling up on the connector.
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Remove the upper case from the computer.
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Remove the 12 mm Phillips screw holding the right speaker assembly to the lower case.
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Disconnect the hard drive and optical drive connectors from the logic board.
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Disconnect the right speaker cable connector.
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De-route the right speaker cable and remove the speaker from the computer.
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Disconnect the 11 remaining cable connectors, removing tape as necessary.
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Remove the following 9 Phillips screws from the logic board:
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Three 6.5 mm in the upper left corner.
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Six remaining 4.5 mm.
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Lift up the left side of the logic board enough to disconnect the black and red power cable from the left side of the logic board.
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While the logic board is lifted, also disconnect the battery connector.
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Remove the single black Phillips screw from the top of the left speaker housing.
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Remove the 4 mm hex nut from the left speaker housing.
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Lift the left speaker housing from the lower case and disconnect the microphone/speaker connector.
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Lift the left side of the logic board and disconnect the modem cable from the underside of the logic board. A spudger is useful for freeing the connector from its adhesive.
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Very gently lift up the left side of the logic board.
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Lift the left edge of the board up to approximately a 30 degree angle (if you don't have your protractor handy, just lift until the DVI port clears the right hinge).
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Once the logic board clears the ports, slide it out to the left.
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Close the display and turn the hinge side of the computer to face you.
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Remove the remaining Phillips screws on either side of the hinge (two screws total).
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Remove the two T8 Torx screws from each side of the display (highlighted in red boxes).
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Disconnect the two antenna cables from the airport/bluetooth card (shown in yellow circles) and deroute them from under the other cabling.
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Remove the black and silver Phillips screws (two total) holding the right speaker housing to the lower case.
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Remove the right speaker housing from the lower case.
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Remove the following 6 screws:
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One 9 mm Phillips.
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Two black 5 mm Phillips.
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Three silver 4 mm Phillips.
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To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.
To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.
Now that you've finished, share your repair story with others.
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10 Comments
Step 3
I had 7mm screws here instead of 12mm. Did without them till later.
gepkes - Reply
I have an Aluminum PowerBook G4 1.67Ghz since 2006.
3/4 (from bottom to top) of the LCD becomes either black or is jumbled each time I turn on the MAC or move the screen. I need to press the LCD at several locations in order for this problem to go.... any advice ?
Polanskiman - Reply
re: Polanskiman; this is usually caused by a loose ribbon connector on the rear of the LCD. Open up the display, remove the LCD, lay flat and re-connect the ribbon plug.
aaiverson - Reply
Step 9
First of all, awesome guide. I am using it in July 2015, and there is no way I could have successfully navigate the typical Apple laptop Rubik's cube of Powerbook maintenance.
Second, there is a REAL trick to removing the upper case here, and it involves knowing what those stupid internal metal catches look like so you can free them without folding your aluminum case into a pretzel.
WildBill - Reply
Step 10
in my g4 there is also a big transparent ribbon (for keyboard?), to the right of the amber trackpad ribbon, that i disconnected before removing case cover.
ykuwabara - Reply
re: ykuwabara; this is due to the differences between the Model A1095 (yours) and the newer A1138 (illustrated here). The A1138 combines the keyboard and trackpad signals into one cable.
aaiverson - Reply
Step 18
For reassembly, it is much easier to keep the PC cage out, place this cable, and then install the PC cage.
Ben Ruiz - Reply
Step 19
It's very hard to put the underside cables back in their place,i recommend to remove the PC card cage to make more place for your fingers!
joelc - Reply
It is much, MUCH easier if you take out the screen before messing around with the logic board. On the way back is also easier if you put the logic board before the screen.
Carlos Ferrari - Reply
Step 28
When reasembling the heatsink you should pay attention to see if it really is touching the processor and videocard chips or you might end up with dangerous overheating glitches. I had to bend mine a little AND use some tape to keep it bent so it would touch the videocard chip - and it took me LOT'S OF HOURS tearing it up and reasembling it back until I realize that was the culprit of the glitches I was getting...
Carlos Ferrari - Reply