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PowerBook topcase swapping (touchpad incompatibility?)

Zotaccian

Zotaccian

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Apr 25, 2012
645
7
So, I have two PowerBooks, 12" display on both. My intention was to swap all good parts into one.

First is 1GHz model and the second is the faster 12" PowerBook with 1.5GHz G4. The 1.5GHz model has topcase with some very weird damages on both sides of touchpad, those cannot be cleaned, they are small holes on the surface. I tried swapping topcase from 1GHz model but the machine would not boot if touchpad was connected so I am assuming that those parts just aren't compatible? 1.5GHz model officially supports two finger scrolling while 1GHz does not so apparently there is maybe small difference in hardware.

Or is it something else?
 
Zotaccian said:
So, I have two PowerBooks, 12" display on both. My intention was to swap all good parts into one.

First is 1GHz model and the second is the faster 12" PowerBook with 1.5GHz G4. The 1.5GHz model has topcase with some very weird damages on both sides of touchpad, those cannot be cleaned, they are small holes on the surface. I tried swapping topcase from 1GHz model but the machine would not boot if touchpad was connected so I am assuming that those parts just aren't compatible? 1.5GHz model officially supports two finger scrolling while 1GHz does not so apparently there is maybe small difference in hardware.

Or is it something else?
Click to expand...


The 1.5 GHz has its own upper case. You would need an upper case from a 1-1.33 GHz model. Can you post a picture of the "holes"?
 
OK, I didn't know that. Boot fine with original topcase but black screen when 1GHz one connected. I can't post pictures right now, english is not my native language, but there is indeed some kind of holes which however do not go trough the topcase, but the main thing is that those cannot be cleaned since those are physical damages. It is like some kind of acid was spilled on the topcase. I can live with those damages but the PowerBook would look a lot nicer if the topcase from the 1GHz would have fit.

EDIT: Okay same has happened to Macbook Pro:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/854695?tstart=0
 
Last edited:
Zotaccian said:
OK, I didn't know that. Boot fine with original topcase but black screen when 1GHz one connected. I can't post pictures right now, english is not my native language, but there is indeed some kind of holes which however do not go trough the topcase, but the main thing is that those cannot be cleaned since those are physical damages. It is like some kind of acid was spilled on the topcase. I can live with those damages but the PowerBook would look a lot nicer if the topcase from the 1GHz would have fit.

EDIT: Okay same has happened to Macbook Pro:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/854695?tstart=0
Click to expand...

That is classic pitting. Unfortunately it is random to who it affects and how badly. It can sometimes be caused by wearing a watch but more often it is due to sweat composition. Just wear and tear I am afraid.
 
It is probably worth hunting down the Apple Service Manuals on the internet for your particular models. Those are pretty explicit about the physical differences between models right down to the size of the screws and point out where you cannot mix and match parts from previous models.

There are hidden issues, such as sleep magnets that sometimes trip up people as their location can vary between notebook versions with otherwise only minimal hardware changes. In my case, the sleep magnet moved from near the trackpad in previous models to the top of the display bezel in my notebook only. No way to work around that. If I wanted to replace the housing I would have to hunt down the exact same model, which was a one off.
 
The only difference between the 1-1.33Ghz and the 1.5Ghz topcase is the trackpad. The 1.5Ghz is USB based and the others is ADB based. You can easily switch the trackpads between the two. Just remove the trackpad button, then carefully peel back the silver tape under the trackpad to release the trackpad cable from the trackpad. Then from the top where the button used to be, use a plastic tool or your fingernails to separate the trackpad from the topcase. You may have to gently push from under the topcase with a plastic tool to help it along. The whole thing is held on with doublesided tape.
 
Okay, I noticed that the button can be removed but I thought the touchad would have been permanently attached to the topcase. Good to know it can be removed so the I can make the swap. I'm not currently where the PowerBooks are but I'll take a look when I go back.

Macrumors has again been very helpful place!
 
Intell said:
The only difference between the 1-1.33Ghz and the 1.5Ghz topcase is the trackpad. The 1.5Ghz is USB based and the others is ADB based. You can easily switch the trackpads between the two. Just remove the trackpad button, then carefully peel back the silver tape under the trackpad to release the trackpad cable from the trackpad. Then from the top where the button used to be, use a plastic tool or your fingernails to separate the trackpad from the topcase. You may have to gently push from under the topcase with a plastic tool to help it along. The whole thing is held on with doublesided tape.
Click to expand...

Was there any other changes to the design aside from the trackpad?
 
I also noticed that when I tried to swap hard disks the "new" (1.5GHz) PowerBook would kernel panic when booted normally, when pressing Shift and booting in Safe Mode it worked fine so it is not 100% certain if the 1.5Ghz is fully working. I will do clean install to find out.
 
Intell said:
Nope. The 12" Powerbook's didn't change much after hitting 1Ghz.
Click to expand...

So design wise the only difference in the 1 GHz + models is the trackpad on the 1.5 GHz. As I understand it, the 867 was most all proprietary parts and could only be used on that model specifically.

Zotaccian said:
I also noticed that when I tried to swap hard disks the "new" (1.5GHz) PowerBook would kernel panic when booted normally, when pressing Shift and booting in Safe Mode it worked fine so it is not 100% certain if the 1.5Ghz is fully working. I will do clean install to find out.
Click to expand...

Report back on how it turns out.
 
Zotaccian said:
I also noticed that when I tried to swap hard disks the "new" (1.5GHz) PowerBook would kernel panic when booted normally, when pressing Shift and booting in Safe Mode it worked fine so it is not 100% certain if the 1.5Ghz is fully working. I will do clean install to find out.
Click to expand...

Are you able to post the log of the kernel panic?

Altemose said:
So design wise the only difference in the 1 GHz + models is the trackpad on the 1.5 GHz. As I understand it, the 867 was most all proprietary parts and could only be used on that model specifically.
Click to expand...

There are some changes to the heatsink in the 1.5Ghz model, but the 1-1.33Ghz models should still work. Everything else is the same or cross compatible such as the Bluetooth board and optical drive. The 867Mhz model is the oddball and not much is compatible with the 1Ghz+ models.
 
Intell said:
Are you able to post the log of the kernel panic?



There are some changes to the heatsink in the 1.5Ghz model, but the 1-1.33Ghz models should still work. Everything else is the same or cross compatible such as the Bluetooth board and optical drive. The 867Mhz model is the oddball and not much is compatible with the 1Ghz+ models.
Click to expand...

Thanks, I will store this information in the PowerBook section of my hard drive, I mean brain...
 
Okay, swapping done. Apparently there is no need to change touchpad cable as well, that was one thing I wondered. Touchpad works, I was very worried because I couldn't find suitable plastic tool so I just used my small flat head screwdriver, so far seems to work so maybe I didn't break anything.

Kernel panic was probably caused by very nooby mistake. I didn't have the 1GB dimm installed, I booted in verbose mode and then saw a line about OS X complaining that something doesn't fit to physical memory. Installed the dimm and it's working now. These machines have only 256MB onboard ram and OS X requires 512MB.
 
The trackpad cable is the same. Leopard doesn't like to boot on 12" Powerbooks without any additional memory installed. Not really sure why as I've gotten it to boot on other machines with only 256MB.
 
Okay, it seems that this machine mainly works. There has been couple things however:

1) The latch mechanism does not work perfectly, I tried cleaning the mechanism on the topcase. Closing the lid is not as easy as with perfectly working mechanism, possible though and it seems to hold it pretty well when closed.

2) I am not sure if there is a screw rattling inside. I don't remember dropping any there but it might be possible that previous owner has or maybe it is not a screw but something else.

3) The machine came with Apple-made 65W charger, couple times when the machine was disassembled but I was still testing the charger refused to power up the machine unless I unplugged it from wall socket briefly. I did have the topcase detached but still over the motherboard, same thing with keyboard and I also didn't press the power button connector all the way because it is so fragile that getting it off has always potential to rip the connector off from motherboard. Now after the machine has been assembled I haven't noticed power problems.

4) Under very high rpm fan makes slight rattling noise, this does require that the fan spins absolute maximum for some time so it is rare.
 
Okay, turned out that rattling was coming from the display and not near the mainboard. I don't understand why all of the 4 screws which should hold the LCD panel were loose. I could understand them missing totally (someone just didn't bother) but why were they all next to the screw holes but not screwed in?

There has been no power problems after that earlier disassembly state so I guess because I didn't have the power button connector plugged in all the way and the topcase was loose there was something which caused the machine to behave like that.

The only thing which is still there is the latch, does not prevent use but it's bit annoying since the old one was perfect aesthetically.
 
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