PowerBook G4 Aluminum 15" 1.5-1.67 GHz Display Inverter Replacement

Geschrieben von: Walter Galan

Kommentare: 1

PowerBook G4 Aluminum 15" 1.5-1.67 GHz Display Inverter Replacement

Schwierigkeitsgrad

Very difficult

Schritte

Zeitaufwand

Keine Schätzung

Einleitung

Fix a non-lighting LCD backlight by replacing the display inverter.

Werkzeuge

Ersatzteile

G4 Aluminum 15" Display Inverter

Schritt 1

Use a coin or a spudger to turn the battery locking screw 90 degrees clockwise.
Lift the battery out of the computer.

Schritt 2

The following procedure allows the changing of the rear display bezel without removing the display assembly from the computer. Do not attempt to rotate the display back farther than the hinges allow or your computer may be damaged.
Open the computer with the display facing you and rotate the display back as far as possible.
Remove the T6 Torx screw from the bottom left corner of the display assembly. The computer casing will not allow the screwdriver to be inserted directly into the screw, so be careful not to strip the screw.

Schritt 3

Remove the T6 Torx screw from the bottom right corner of the display assembly.
To avoid cross-threading these screws during reinstallation, use a pair of tweezers to start each screw in its hole before using your Torx screwdriver to tighten them.

Schritt 4

The next few steps require the use of plastic opening tools and spudgers that will probably be destroyed in the process. Have a few spares of each tool handy.
Insert a plastic opening tool between the left edge of the front display bezel and the plastic strip attached to the rear bezel, with the edge of the tool angled toward the LCD.
Rotate the tool away from the LCD to pop the rear bezel off the tabs on the front display bezel.
Work along the left edge of the display until the rear bezel is evenly separated from the front bezel.
Freeing these tabs may require some force. Be sure to support the display assembly with your other hand to avoid putting too much strain on the hinges.

Forget the spudgers! I found an expired MetroCard to be a much better tool for this task. The MetroCard is hard plastic and just 10 mils/0.25 mm thick. This makes it easier to slide into the gap between the front and rear bezels. I cut up the Metrocard as I went so I would not lose progress made. Once the case had been breached I used a 4" plastic putty knife (50 mil/1.25 mm) to open it up. Disassembly was pretty easy with these tools.

rcalhoun -

Schritt 5

Insert a plastic opening tool between the right edge of the front display bezel and the plastic strip attached to the rear bezel, with the edge of the tool angled toward the LCD.
Rotate the tool away from the LCD to pop the rear bezel off the tabs on the front display bezel.
Work along the right edge of the display until the rear bezel is evenly separated from the front bezel.

Schritt 6

Insert a spudger just to the left of the hinge opening on the top edge of the display between the front display bezel and the plastic strip attached to the rear bezel.
Pry the rear bezel away from the front bezel along the top left half of the display.
If the flat end of your spudger is flexing too much, trim about .125" of the end to increase its stiffness.

Schritt 7

Insert a spudger just to the right of the hinge opening on the top edge of the display between the front display bezel and the plastic strip attached to the rear bezel.
Pry the rear bezel away from the front bezel along the top right half of the display.
To release the clips in the far left and right corners of the display, it may be necessary to run a spudger parallel to the face of the display along the top edge of the front display bezel and force it into the corners to pop the rear bezel off.

Schritt 8

Now that the top edge is released, use a spudger to completely release the clips along the left edge of the display.

Schritt 9

Use a spudger to release the clips along the right edge of the display.

Schritt 10

Close the display.
The rear bezel is still attached to the display by the antenna cables.
Rotate the top edge of the rear display bezel slightly away from the rest of the display, and then lift the lower edge of the rear bezel away from the clutch cover.

Schritt 11

Carefully lift the antenna board out of the clutch assembly.
Peel the three self-adhesive flaps off the plastic cover on the underside of the antenna board.
Remove the protective plastic cover from the antenna board.

Schritt 12

Use the flat end of a spudger to disconnect both antenna connectors from the antenna board.
The gray antenna attaches near the corner of the antenna board.
The rear bezel can now be completely removed from the LCD assembly.

Schritt 13

The inverter is an extremely thin circuit board that is very delicate and easily cracked. Take care when handling.
Using the tip of a spudger, raise the inverter out from the clutch cover.
Lift the inverter enough to reveal both cable connectors.
Lift the inverter enough to reveal both cable connectors.