Okay, so the original iBook looks like a toilet seat and this model is a ghastly orange colour, but iBooks still had a funkyness factor of 12.8 over the boring WinTel clones churned out at the same time - and you can't argue with a statistic like that!
Anyway, I'm not going to complain, I'm just going to get the screwdrivers out on this one....
Important disclaimer:
Unless you're a dab-hand with a screwdriver, don't attempt any of this. Messing around inside your computer could cause damage and in certain cases can be hazardous to your health. This page is just a guide - you follow these instructions at your own risk. You should be careful handling the internals of a computer and follow antistatic precautions or you may cause damage. Be especially wary of taking apart an iBook like this. Failure to replace the correct screw posts in each of their original places will cause the CPU heatsink to be connected incorrectly and you will kill your motherboard.
Consider yourself warned.
Off we go....
1. Before you start, if you want to access anything other than the memory you will need to switch the computer on and eject the CD drive. Leave it ejected and switch the computer off (it needs to be open to gain access to a screw later). Open the battery cover and remove the battery.
2. Push down the spring loaded tabs at the top of the keyboard next to the F1 and F9 keys. You should be able to lift out the keyboard from the top and turn it over to lie face down on the trackpad.
3. Unplug and remove the Airport card (if fitted). Undo the two screws on the metal plate the Airport card would (or does) rest on and remove the plate.
4. Under the plate is the SoDIMM memory slot. Here's where to upgrade your memory folks! If you want to continue disassembly in order to remove the hard drive or motherboard then unplug the keyboard ribbon connector (arrowed below) and remove the keyboard completely.
5. Undo the three screws.
6. Unplug the trackpad ribbon.
7. Unplug the speaker connector.
8. Flip the laptop over and remove the six torx screws on the underside (careful on reassembly - remember the two larger screws fit onto the screen end!)
9. Remove the screw accessible from the open CD drawer.
10. Starting at the rear of one side, use a knife or wide flat blade screwdriver to carefully pop the upper clear case from the coloured lower case. Work gently around the two sides and front. There should be no need to use excessive force. Remove the upper section of case once separated.
11. Unplug the connector of the CD drive and undo the hex bolt.
12. Lift out the CD drive from the trackpad side and pull it up and out towards the trackpad.
13. Undo the four screws on the flexible shield covering the modem...
14. ... and remove the modem.
15. Undo the two screws on the modem connector and gently remove the connector.
16. Undo the four screws on the heatsink...
17. ... and gently manoeuvre the heatsink out. If you were tempted to fire up your iBook during disassembly do not do so with this heatsink uninstalled or you will fry your logic board.
18. Disconnect the video cable on the left side of the unit.
19. Disconnect the other end of the speaker cable on the left of the unit.
20. Disconnect the video cable on the right side of the unit.
21. Undo the seven screws. Two of these screws hold the screen in place so be ready to support it when they are removed. Carefully note which screw goes where as they are different shapes and sizes. Once these seven screws are removed, the shielding can be lifted off.
22. To remove the hard drive, undo the three hex bolts and its data connector. To remove the logic board undo the screws and hex posts holding it and its connectors in place. Warning - there are minute differences in the heights of these hex posts. Make sure you replace the correct posts in the correct holes. If you don't, the heatsink will not connect to the CPU correctly and you will damage your logic board beyond repair.
Well, that was fun. To reassemble just reverse the procedure. One other point to mention, there were no jumpers on this hard drive but it seems to work in 'Cable Select' mode. I also upgraded it with a 20GB drive which also worked when set as Cable Select.
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