2.0GHz A1181 (EMC2200) woes

[TitaniumFrog]

I recently got a 2.0GHz A1181 (EMC2200) for cheap, but it's acting really strangely, and I was hoping you guys could shed some light on what's going on.
The main issue is with the keyboard, it seems. Some letters (like the 'a') are registered successfully every 10 presses - but when they do register, it won't stop. The numbers work sometimes, but the letter 'd' then does not. The trackpad works-ish. Generally it does, but sometimes movements are not registered.

The power button is iffy as well. Sometimes the Mac boots with power attached, sometimes it doesn't, so I expect there to be a fault as well. When I put in a Leopard DVD, it just spits it right out again after spinning up, which makes me think that the eject-button is permanently active as well.

Charging works fine, albeit slow. Furthermore, the case is somewhat cracked near the bottom right (towards the user).

From what I've read, this may mean a new top case - but those are about €100 here and I ain't about that. Are there other methods I could try? I've done SMC/PRAM/NVAM resets, that's the first thing I usually try. I'll at least try reseating the connectors for the keyboard/trackpad, as that seems a good idea as well, given these intermittent issues.

 

[eyoungren]

I recently got a 2.0GHz A1181 (EMC2200) for cheap, but it's acting really strangely, and I was hoping you guys could shed some light on what's going on.
The main issue is with the keyboard, it seems. Some letters (like the 'a') are registered successfully every 10 presses - but when they do register, it won't stop. The numbers work sometimes, but the letter 'd' then does not. The trackpad works-ish. Generally it does, but sometimes movements are not registered.

The power button is iffy as well. Sometimes the Mac boots with power attached, sometimes it doesn't, so I expect there to be a fault as well. When I put in a Leopard DVD, it just spits it right out again after spinning up, which makes me think that the eject-button is permanently active as well.

Charging works fine, albeit slow. Furthermore, the case is somewhat cracked near the bottom right (towards the user).

From what I've read, this may mean a new top case - but those are about €100 here and I ain't about that. Are there other methods I could try? I've done SMC/PRAM/NVAM resets, that's the first thing I usually try. I'll at least try reseating the connectors for the keyboard/trackpad, as that seems a good idea as well, given these intermittent issues.

You have a fault in the top case somewhere. Probably one of the ribbon cables, maybe just the primary one that connects to the LB.

If anyone has ever been inside your laptop the possibility is there that they may have damaged the connector by pulling it away from the ribbon itself or by damaging the part that is actually on the logicboard.

That's where I'd start looking. Another user had an issue with this but with a PowerPC laptop and that's what it came down to. I've had a few instances myself, which is why I am suggesting you check it. If you're any good with a soldering iron you may be able to repair it. You may have to look hard to see if there is any separation.

If everything checks out then it could either be some circuit board on the top case or the LB itself. I have no idea how you'd test for that.

 

[TitaniumFrog]

You have a fault in the top case somewhere. Probably one of the ribbon cables, maybe just the primary one that connects to the LB.

If anyone has ever been inside your laptop the possibility is there that they may have damaged the connector by pulling it away from the ribbon itself or by damaging the part that is actually on the logicboard.

That's where I'd start looking. Another user had an issue with this but with a PowerPC laptop and that's what it came down to. I've had a few instances myself, which is why I am suggesting you check it. If you're any good with a soldering iron you may be able to repair it. You may have to look hard to see if there is any separation.

If everything checks out then it could either be some circuit board on the top case or the LB itself. I have no idea how you'd test for that.

Thank you! The feet are still in perfect condition, so I doubt it's been opened before. The keyboard is crusty as all crust though, that certainly won't help.

I will be checking for continuity in the ribbons, where possible and of course check for tears. I do have a nice soldering iron (TS100 I believe), but I still lack the skill to fix something really small. I'm working on it though If it turns out to be the top case I'll sell it for spares/repairs. Display and stuff still works flawlessly.

Edit: Looking at the screws a bit more closely - she's definitely been opened up before.

 

[rampancy]

In my own long experience working with A1181s, I've dealt with a variety of problems like that with top cases/keyboards like that before.

The first thing I would do is hook up an external keyboard/mouse and enable the Keyboard and Character Viewer - that way you can check all of the keys (except the Power Button) to tell which keys work and which don't, apart from the other keys that you've mentioned.

Check the keyboard itself for any signs of staining -- stuck repeating keys tells me that there's a possibility that some of the key membranes might have residue from a sugary liquid spill (like Coke). Mushy or crunchy sounding/feeling keys is another sign of this. However, the faulty trackpad and iffy Power Button suggest to me that the whole topcase is suspect.

There is a possibility that the fault lies with the topcase ribbon connector, but in my experience (YMMV) usually its the topcase itself which is the problem.

That sucks given the cost of topcases, but for the A1181, the topcase is usually the likeliest part of the Mac to have developed any faults or problems, especially for units that have been said to not power on.

You could theoretically disassemble the topcase and replace or repair the keyboard and trackpad circuitry, but that would require a schematic of the keyboard, and I'd also imagine a decent level of skill with a soldering iron. At this point, I'd likely just pony up the cash for a replacement topcase, or I'd look around for a dead A1181 being sold for parts.

Thank you! The feet are still in perfect condition

Unlike some other Apple laptops, the A1181 doesn't open through screws concealed through the feet; there are actually several screws around the circumference of the computer (as well as in the battery bay and concealed by the L-bracket covering the RAM slots) that allow the topcase to lift off the Mac. Usually, missing screws from the battery bay, under the L-bracket, or from the optical drive side of the Mac are indicative of an A1181 being opened before...