PowerBook G4 Aluminum 15" 1.5-1.67 GHz LCD Replacement

Geschrieben von: Walter Galan

Kommentare: 3

PowerBook G4 Aluminum 15" 1.5-1.67 GHz LCD Replacement

Schwierigkeitsgrad

Moderate

Schritte

Zeitaufwand

30 Minuten - 1 Stunde

Einleitung

Save money by replacing just the LCD rather than the entire display assembly.

Werkzeuge

Ersatzteile

G4 Aluminum 15" LCD Panel

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.

Schritt 14

Disconnect both inverter cables by pulling their connectors away from the sockets on the inverter board.
Remove the inverter from the display.

Schritt 15

If necessary, remove the piece of tape covering the display data cable connector.
Pull the display data cable connector away from its socket to disconnect it from the LCD.

Schritt 16

Remove the piece of foil tape securing the display data cable to the LCD frame.

Schritt 17

Remove the two small black Phillips screws from both sides of the display (four screws total).

Schritt 18

Remove the four small black Phillips screws along the top edge of the display.

Schritt 19

Press the display latch release and open the display slightly.

Schritt 20

Push the LCD away from the front display bezel near its top edge.

Schritt 21

Lift the LCD off the front bezel enough to insert the flat end of a spudger between the metal LCD frame and the front display bezel.
Trying to insert your spudger between the LCD glass and the inner metal LCD frame will surely damage your LCD.
Run your spudger along the lower edge of the front display bezel to separate the adhesive from the LCD frame.

Schritt 22

Pull the LCD toward the top edge of the front display bezel, minding any cables that may get caught.
If you are replacing the LCD, make sure the replacement has the lid-closure sleep-switch magnet in the correct position, or transfer the magnet from the old display. The magnet is the 4mm disc near the top center of the LCD, held in place by clear yellow tape in this image.

Abschluss

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

Tinte & Feder

Walter Galan

685541 Reputation

2 Kommentare

not as hard as i thought.

took about twenty minutes in total.

old loved laptop so i did not mind if it went back together slightly imperfect.

i only changed the inverter due to a black screen problem

thank you so much ifixit.

bobby nailen -

Great guide, I successfully swapped the LCDs of two PowerBooks (specifically a 5,2 and 5,6). I was unable to remove the antenna board in step 11, it wouldn't come out of its little crevice completely. So instead I simply peeled off the top part of the protective tape and unplugged the antenna cables. Works just as well!

Chris - 20/08/19