Page 3 - General Information; Overview
PowerBook G4 (15-inch FW800) Take Apart - 1 General Information General Information Overview Some key features that distinguish this computer from earlier PowerBook models include: • New aluminum alloy enclosure • Built-in Bluetooth • Built-in FireWire 800 port • Supports USB 2.0 • Uses double-data ...
Page 5 - Serial Number Location
PowerBook G4 (15-inch FW800) Take Apart - 3 General Information Serial Number Location The serial number is located in the battery bay.
Page 6 - Foot; Tools
4 - PowerBook G4 (15-inch FW800) Take Apart Foot Foot Tools This procedure requires the following tools: • Foot kit • Tweezers or needlenose pliers • Soft cloth Preliminary Step Before you begin, identify the foot that needs replacement. Check the bottom case of the computer and compare it with the ...
Page 7 - Procedure
PowerBook G4 (15-inch FW800) Take Apart - 5 Foot Procedure Warning: The glue used in this procedure can bond instantly to skin. Do not touch the glue. In the event of contact, review the safety instructions at the end of this document. For additional information, refer to the glue manufacturer: Elme...
Page 9 - Battery; Part Location
PowerBook G4 (15-inch FW800) Take Apart - 7 Battery Battery Tools This procedure requires the following tools: • Soft cloth • Coin Part Location Preliminary Steps Warning: Always shut down the computer before opening it to avoid damaging its internal components or causing injury. After you shut down...
Page 14 - Replacement Procedure
12 - PowerBook G4 (15-inch FW800) Take Apart Memory Door and Memory Cards Replacement Procedure Notes: • The top and bottom memory cards are inserted at different angles. • If installing two cards, install into the bottom slot first. • Align the notch in the memory card with the tooth in the slot be...
Page 18 - AirPort Extreme Card
16 - PowerBook G4 (15-inch FW800) Take Apart AirPort Extreme Card AirPort Extreme Card Tools This procedure requires the following tools: • Black stick (or other nonconductive nylon or plastic flat-blade tool) Part Location Preliminary Steps Before you begin, remove the battery.
Page 24 - Top Case
22 - PowerBook G4 (15-inch FW800) Take Apart Top Case Top Case Tools This procedure requires the following tools: • #0 Phillips screwdriver (magnetized) • 1.5 mm Hex key (or Torx T6) • Dental pick (with up to a ninety-degree bend) • Black stick (or other nonconductive nylon or plastic flat-blade too...
Page 37 - Keyboard
PowerBook G4 (15-inch FW800) Take Apart - 35 Keyboard Keyboard Tools This procedure requires the following tools: • #0 Phillips screwdriver • Black stick (or other nonconductive nylon or plastic flat-blade tool) Part Location Preliminary Steps Before you begin, remove the following: • Battery • Top ...
Page 46 - Backup Battery
44 - PowerBook G4 (15-inch FW800) Take Apart Backup Battery Backup Battery Tools This procedure requires the following tools: • Black stick (or other nonconductive nylon or plastic flat-blade tool) Part Location Preliminary Steps Before you begin, remove the following: • Battery • Top case
Page 50 - Optical Drive
48 - PowerBook G4 (15-inch FW800) Take Apart Optical Drive Optical Drive Tools This procedure requires the following tools: • #0 Phillips screwdriver (magnetized) • Thin double-back tape (if the backup battery will not re-stick securely) • Black stick (or other nonconductive nylon or plastic flat-bl...
Page 55 - Hard Drive
PowerBook G4 (15-inch FW800) Take Apart - 53 Hard Drive Hard Drive Tools This procedure requires the following tools: • #0 Phillips screwdriver (magnetized) • Black stick (or other nonconductive nylon or plastic flat-blade tool) Part Location Preliminary Steps Before you begin, remove the following:...
Page 59 - Modem
PowerBook G4 (15-inch FW800) Take Apart - 57 Modem Modem Tools This procedure requires the following tools: • #0 Phillips screwdriver (magnetized) • Black stick (or other nonconductive nylon or plastic flat-blade tool) Part Location Preliminary Steps Before you begin, remove the following: • Battery...
Page 63 - Bluetooth
PowerBook G4 (15-inch FW800) Take Apart - 61 Bluetooth Bluetooth Tools This procedure requires the following tools: • Black stick (or other nonconductive nylon or plastic flat-blade tool) Part Location Preliminary Steps Before you begin, remove the following: • Battery • Top case Note: Replacing the...
Page 67 - Left Blower
PowerBook G4 (15-inch FW800) Take Apart - 65 Left Blower Left Blower Tools This procedure requires the following tools: • #1 Phillips screwdriver (magnetized) • Black stick (or other nonconductive nylon or plastic flat-blade tool) Part Location Preliminary Steps Before you begin, remove the followin...
Page 70 - Ambient Light Sensor Boards
68 - PowerBook G4 (15-inch FW800) Take Apart Ambient Light Sensor Boards Ambient Light Sensor Boards Tools This procedure requires the following tools: • #0 Phillips screwdriver • Torx T8 screwdriver • Black stick (or other nonconductive nylon or plastic flat-blade tool) Part Location Computers with...
Page 74 - Logic Board
72 - PowerBook G4 (15-inch FW800) Take Apart Logic Board Logic Board Tools This procedure requires the following tools: • #1 Phillips screwdriver (magnetized) • Thermal Pad Kit (076-1055), if not ordering a replacement logic board or heatsink • EMI Gasket Kit (076-1057) • Alcohol pads • Black stick ...
Page 85 - Right Blower
PowerBook G4 (15-inch FW800) Take Apart - 83 Right Blower Right Blower Tools This procedure requires the following tools: • #1 Phillips screwdriver (magnetized) • Black stick (or other nonconductive nylon or plastic flat-blade tool) Part Location Preliminary Steps Before you begin, remove the follow...
Page 87 - Right USB Board
PowerBook G4 (15-inch FW800) Take Apart - 85 Right USB Board Right USB Board Tools This procedure requires the following tools: • #1 Phillips screwdriver (magnetized) • Black stick (or other nonconductive nylon or plastic flat-blade tool) Part Location Preliminary Steps Before you begin, remove the ...
Page 90 - Speakers
88 - PowerBook G4 (15-inch FW800) Take Apart Speakers Speakers Tools This procedure requires the following tools: • #0 Phillips screwdriver (magnetized) • #1 Phillips screwdriver (magnetized) • 4 mm socket wrench • Black stick (or other nonconductive nylon or plastic flat-blade tool) Part Location P...
Page 93 - PC Card Cage
PowerBook G4 (15-inch FW800) Take Apart - 91 PC Card Cage PC Card Cage Tools This procedure requires the following tools: • #0 Phillips screwdriver (magnetized) • Black stick (or other nonconductive nylon or plastic flat-blade tool) Part Location Preliminary Steps Before you begin, remove the follow...
Page 100 - Display Panel Assembly
98 - PowerBook G4 (15-inch FW800) Take Apart Display Panel Assembly Display Panel Assembly Tools This procedure requires the following tools: • Torx T8 screwdriver (magnetized) • #0 Phillips screwdriver (magnetized) • Black stick (or other nonconductive nylon or plastic flat-blade tool) Part Locatio...
Page 106 - Heatsink and Blowers Assembly
104 - PowerBook G4 (15-inch FW800) Take Apart Heatsink and Blowers Assembly Heatsink and Blowers Assembly Tools This procedure requires the following tools: • Torx T8 screwdriver (magnetized) • #1 Phillips screwdriver (magnetized) • Thermal pad kit (076-1055), if not replacing the heatsink • Alcohol...
Page 115 - Bottom Case Assembly
PowerBook G4 (15-inch FW800) Take Apart - 113 Bottom Case Assembly Bottom Case Assembly Part Location Preliminary Steps Before you begin, remove the following: • Battery • Optical drive • Modem • AirPort Extreme card cage and flex cable • DC-in board • Bluetooth board
Page 119 - Wire and Flex Cables
PowerBook G4 (15-inch FW800) Troubleshooting - 1 General Information General Information Wire and Flex Cables With the very thin enclosure design and dispersed circuit board, a large number of flex cables are used in this computer. In addition, there are a variety of wire cable harnesses as well. Ma...
Page 121 - Hardware Troubleshooting Tools and Tips
PowerBook G4 (15-inch FW800) Troubleshooting - 3 General Information Hardware Troubleshooting Tools and Tips Apple Hardware Test 2.0.6 (AHT) Starting with the PowerBook G4 (17-inch), the Apple Hardware Test software will be incorporated into the Software Install and Restore DVD. There is no separate...
Page 124 - Power-on pads on logic board
6 - PowerBook G4 (15-inch FW800) Troubleshooting General Information Power-on pads on logic board With the top case removed, the power-on button is disconnected. Instead of having to reconnect the top case to turn on the system, there are two pads on the logic board when shorted together (with a too...
Page 125 - PMU Reset pads on logic board; Caps lock LED power check
PowerBook G4 (15-inch FW800) Troubleshooting - 7 General Information PMU Reset pads on logic board In addition to the power-on button pads on the logic board, there are pads for PMU reset. These buttons work when their pads are shorted together (with a tool like the head of a flat blade screwdriver)...
Page 126 - Software Troubleshooting Tips and Tools; Mac OS X only
8 - PowerBook G4 (15-inch FW800) Troubleshooting General Information Software Troubleshooting Tips and Tools Mac OS X only Starting with the PowerBook G4 (17-inch), the system will no longer boot into Mac OS 9. Mac OS 9 applications can still be used, but only in the Mac OS X classic mode. In locati...
Page 128 - Hardware Symptom Charts; How to Use the Symptom Charts
10 - PowerBook G4 (15-inch FW800) Troubleshooting Hardware Symptom Charts Hardware Symptom Charts How to Use the Symptom Charts The Symptom Charts included in this chapter will help you diagnose specific symptoms related to the product. The steps to solve a symptom are listed sequentially. You might...
Page 129 - Power Adapter Note
PowerBook G4 (15-inch FW800) Troubleshooting - 11 Hardware Symptom Charts Power Adapter Note The system was designed to use the Apple 65-Watt Portable Power Adapter that came with your computer. The previous 45-Watt Apple power adapter for PowerBooks is plug compatible, but it may not provide suffic...
Page 130 - Startup
12 - PowerBook G4 (15-inch FW800) Troubleshooting Hardware Symptom Charts Startup The computer will not power on (no blower movement, hard drive spin up and display is not lit) 1. Remove any connected peripherals and eject any PC card. 2. Check that the battery has enough charge to start the compute...
Page 133 - Flashing question mark appears on the screen
PowerBook G4 (15-inch FW800) Troubleshooting - 15 Hardware Symptom Charts Flashing question mark appears on the screen Note: This system will only boot the Mac OS X system that shipped with this computer or later. It does not support booting into Mac OS 9. 1. Start up from the software install and r...
Page 134 - System shuts down intermittently; System shuts down almost immediately after startup
16 - PowerBook G4 (15-inch FW800) Troubleshooting Hardware Symptom Charts System shuts down intermittently Important: This issue can be a result of not using the 65W power adapter with the PowerBook G4 (15-inch FW800) computers. Confirm with the customer which adapter they were using when having thi...
Page 135 - Application Quits, Kernel panic or other booting problems; Error Beeps; Computer beeps once at startup
PowerBook G4 (15-inch FW800) Troubleshooting - 17 Hardware Symptom Charts Application Quits, Kernel panic or other booting problems 1. If a specific application quits, replace the application. Verify the application is compatible with OS X. 2. Clear parameter RAM. Hold down Command-Option-P-R during...
Page 137 - AirPort Extreme Card not recognized
PowerBook G4 (15-inch FW800) Troubleshooting - 19 Hardware Symptom Charts AirPort Extreme Card AirPort Extreme Card not recognized 1. In Mac OS X, use Software Update in system preferences or see the Apple Software Updates web page to make sure the latest version of AirPort Extreme software is insta...
Page 138 - Battery will not eject; The battery won't charge
20 - PowerBook G4 (15-inch FW800) Troubleshooting Hardware Symptom Charts Battery Battery will not eject 1. Flip over the unit and turn the battery latch clockwise. 2. If the battery does not pop up, use a small plastic flat-blade tool to pry up the battery around the battery latch. 3. Verify proper...
Page 139 - Bluetooth Card not recognized by other devices
PowerBook G4 (15-inch FW800) Troubleshooting - 21 Hardware Symptom Charts 6. Turn off the computer. Perform the keyboard PMU reset procedure described in the Hardware Troubleshooting Tools and Tips section. Wait five seconds before continuing. Press the power button to start the computer. Warning: R...
Page 140 - Display; Display latch not working
22 - PowerBook G4 (15-inch FW800) Troubleshooting Hardware Symptom Charts Display Display latch not working Note: When the display is being closed, hooks in the top of the display housing should be magnetically pulled down to the latch. When the latch button is pushed, the hook should release and re...
Page 141 - Internal hard drive will not initialize:
PowerBook G4 (15-inch FW800) Troubleshooting - 23 Hardware Symptom Charts 5. If the number of subpixel anomalies is acceptable, explain to the customer that the pixel anomalies are within specifications, and no repair is necessary. Important: Do not release the specifications to customers. Instead, ...
Page 142 - No response from any key on keyboard; No keyboard illumination
24 - PowerBook G4 (15-inch FW800) Troubleshooting Hardware Symptom Charts Keyboard No response from any key on keyboard 1. Remove any connected peripherals and eject any PC card. 2. Attach an external USB keyboard, if it doesn’t work, go to step 7. 3. Turn off the computer. Check the keyboard flex c...
Page 143 - Half keyboard is illuminated.; Microphone; The microphone is not working
PowerBook G4 (15-inch FW800) Troubleshooting - 25 Hardware Symptom Charts Half keyboard is illuminated. 1. Check the keyboard backlight cable connection to the trackpad flex cable and the trackpad flex cable connection to the logic board. If the connections look good, change the top case. Microphone...
Page 144 - No modem dial tone
26 - PowerBook G4 (15-inch FW800) Troubleshooting Hardware Symptom Charts Modem No modem dial tone 1. Check that the correct modem is selected in the Network Port Configuration section of the Network system preferences. 2. Verify known-good analog (not digital) telephone line. 3. Verify known-good R...
Page 145 - Difficulty writing to optical media
PowerBook G4 (15-inch FW800) Troubleshooting - 27 Hardware Symptom Charts Optical Drive The optical drive does not accept CD or DVD disc (mechanical failure) 1. Verify disc is not warped and is a 12 cm circular disc. 2. Check that a small disc is not stuck inside, or other foreign objects. Remove dr...
Page 146 - PC Card; PC Card will not insert into the PC Card slot; Ports; A USB port is not recognizing devices
28 - PowerBook G4 (15-inch FW800) Troubleshooting Hardware Symptom Charts PC Card PC Card will not insert into the PC Card slot 1. Make sure the PC Card eject button is in, before attempting to insert a PC Card. 2. Make sure the PC Card is right side up (cards are keyed and cannot be inserted upside...
Page 148 - Sound
30 - PowerBook G4 (15-inch FW800) Troubleshooting Hardware Symptom Charts Sound No sound heard and the Speakers section of the Sound system preference pane indicates that an external device is plugged in (to the headphone jack or USB ports) 1. If there is nothing plugged into the headphone jack or U...
Page 149 - Distorted sound from speakers
PowerBook G4 (15-inch FW800) Troubleshooting - 31 Hardware Symptom Charts 9. Check speaker cable. Verify left and right cable connections. 10. Check with headphones or external speaker, if audio is heard, replace speaker assembly. 11. Replace sound board flex cable. 12. Replace sound board. 13. Repl...
Page 150 - Trackpad; The cursor does not move when you are using trackpad
32 - PowerBook G4 (15-inch FW800) Troubleshooting Hardware Symptom Charts Trackpad The cursor does not move when you are using trackpad 1. Verify that no USB device is connected. 2. Boot from the Software Install and Restore DVD to verify that it is not a software problem. 3. Reset the power manager...
Page 151 - Video
PowerBook G4 (15-inch FW800) Troubleshooting - 33 Hardware Symptom Charts Video No display, or dim display, but computer appears to operate correctly 1. Remove any connected peripherals. 2. Make sure F1 key is not stuck down. 3. Press the F2 key (with the fn key pressed and not pressed) to increase ...