Broken battery lock on laptop

[indyslf]

Criminy. The little white plastic doohickey that opens the battery compartment on my laptop (powerbook g4, I thinks) has broken off and now I can't open the battery compartment.

I'm trying to find out if my battery has the appropriate serial number for the recall, but I can't open the battery compartment. Plus, the battery no longer works at all, so I have to use the AC adapter if I want to use the laptop at all--NOT GOOD!

Does anyone know if this dumb little piece of plastic can be replaced, and if so how? (I'm sure it costs something like .000000003 cents to manufacture......)

Thanks in advance.

 

[indyslf]

Criminy. The little white plastic doohickey that opens the battery compartment on my laptop (powerbook g4, I thinks) has broken off and now I can't open the battery compartment.

I'm trying to find out if my battery has the appropriate serial number for the recall, but I can't open the battery compartment. Plus, the battery no longer works at all, so I have to use the AC adapter if I want to use the laptop at all--NOT GOOD!

Does anyone know if this dumb little piece of plastic can be replaced, and if so how? (I'm sure it costs something like .000000003 cents to manufacture......)

Thanks in advance.

Is my question too stupid, or is there really no one out there who's ever had this problem? I don't see any replacement parts listed for this little bugger anywhere on the internet, and I can't find anything anywhere that tells how to replace it. Do I really have to haul this bugger in to a service center to get the dumb thing replaced? *sigh* ....Anyone?

 

[nickelbackmac]

Describe the "little white plastic doohickey".

 

[indyslf]

Describe the "little white plastic doohickey".

Well, there's a little round white button that has a notch in it. To open the battery compartment, you have to use a coin (or tool) to twist the white button. When you twist the white button, the battery compartment cover unlocks and opens. Unfortunately, the little white button broke off, so all I can see is the metal locking mechanism underneath. However, no amount of monkeying with it will open the compartment. I think the white button essentially as a 'key', so without the button, the compartment is remaining locked....Does that make sense?

 

[iBrad]

Take is to an Apple store and have them look at it, thats your best bet without worrying about breaking it even more

 

[lettuce]

Well, there's a little round white button that has a notch in it. To open the battery compartment, you have to use a coin (or tool) to twist the white button. When you twist the white button, the battery compartment cover unlocks and opens. Unfortunately, the little white button broke off, so all I can see is the metal locking mechanism underneath. However, no amount of monkeying with it will open the compartment. I think the white button essentially as a 'key', so without the button, the compartment is remaining locked....Does that make sense?

same just happened to my macbook, i'd only opened the cover once. I found that a coin like the uk 1 penny worked a treat in activating the metal mechanism underneath. But it looks like sh*t without the plastic cover thing

 

[Phat Elvis]

I just broke mine too. Anyone fix this problem? Is it safe to just unscrew the case and take everything off or do I need to get the battery out first?

 

[love/hate/mac]

broken circular latch

this just broke on mine too- I was putting a second battery (from my brothers totaled macbook) in to try and charge it, and it just snapped out of place. Im bummed out about this but my mac is almost 2 now so i guess im lucky it didnt happen sooner... some hockey tape or a sticker will hold the little thing in place, dont want dust to enter the comp through this now gaping hole in my mac...

 

[love/hate/mac]

also the latch still works, a larger coin is needed however...