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I took my MacBook apart and I damaged it. (Help needed)

E

eftrix

macrumors member
Original poster
Aug 5, 2008
71
0
So once upon a time I let my MacBook Air fall and the screen stopped working.
I've been using it with all external peripherals.
I decided that because it was beyond repair I would try and fix it myself.
I ordered the LCD and took the existing one off.
With the LCD off the backlight was working but the stopped after I accidentally must have disconnected some wiring.
I took the back off but couldn't figure out what was wrong.
I decided to hook it back up to the external screen to make sure everything was okay.
It wasn't. It just displayed grey without an apple logo.
I then disconnected the main display cable and tried again which didn't work.
I then tried to reset the smc but I thought I had to press a button on the motherboard to do so.
I ended up locating a wire that had 'smb' imprinted on it.
I thought I might have to disconnect this, so I tried and tried but broke it off.
I realised this wasn't anything got to do with resetting the smc but I had damaged the connector for the battery where the charge from the plug goes into.
I reset the actual smc and it booted up fully but of course the battery wouldn't charge.
I now have a laptop that will not accept any charge but has some juice left.
I can use this computer until the battery runs dry but I don't know what to do thereafter.
What I want to do is use the charger and forget about charging the battery itself but OS X will not identify the MagSafe as I believe the current must go through the battery but as it doesn't enter the battery it can't exit to the motherboard.
Is there anything I can do?

MacBook Air 11.6" mid 2012.

Thanks.
 
eftrix said:
So once upon a time I let my MacBook Air fall and the screen stopped working.
I've been using it with all external peripherals.
I decided that because it was beyond repair I would try and fix it myself.
I ordered the LCD and took the existing one off.
With the LCD off the backlight was working but the stopped after I accidentally must have disconnected some wiring.
I took the back off but couldn't figure out what was wrong.
I decided to hook it back up to the external screen to make sure everything was okay.
It wasn't. It just displayed grey without an apple logo.
I then disconnected the main display cable and tried again which didn't work.
I then tried to reset the smc but I thought I had to press a button on the motherboard to do so.
I ended up locating a wire that had 'smb' imprinted on it.
I thought I might have to disconnect this, so I tried and tried but broke it off.
I realised this wasn't anything got to do with resetting the smc but I had damaged the connector for the battery where the charge from the plug goes into.
I reset the actual smc and it booted up fully but of course the battery wouldn't charge.
I now have a laptop that will not accept any charge but has some juice left.
I can use this computer until the battery runs dry but I don't know what to do thereafter.
What I want to do is use the charger and forget about charging the battery itself but OS X will not identify the MagSafe as I believe the current must go through the battery but as it doesn't enter the battery it can't exit to the motherboard.
Is there anything I can do?

MacBook Air 11.6" mid 2012.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

yes there is... use it as a paperweight :).. kidding aside, if you really want to use your air again, you need to bring it to an authorized apple service or you are better off getting a new one.

I repair laptops and desktops and macbooks are the hardest to repair.
 
crawler1975 said:
yes there is... use it as a paperweight :).. kidding aside, if you really want to use your air again, you need to bring it to an authorized apple service or you are better off getting a new one.

I repair laptops and desktops and macbooks are the hardest to repair.
Click to expand...

Problem is what I have done has damaged the motherboard and a part of the battery. Much too costly.

I was just hoping of being able to use it while constantly charging but it looks like I'm out of luck.
 
Unfortunately it sounds as though you're hosed. I think it works out cheaper to buy a new or used machine now.
 
GoCubsGo said:
Unfortunately it sounds as though you're hosed. I think it works out cheaper to buy a new or used machine now.
Click to expand...

I was hoping somebody had a trick I could use. It's so hard to give up on such a beautiful machine :'(
 
Honestly, I think the damage is done. I don't see how you could repair it yourself at this ;pint. You'll probably need a new logic board at the minimum to even begin fixing it.
 
I don't know what you mean by trick, every other line of your post is I ripped this or destroyed that. There is no "trick" to un-sodomizing a computer.
 
Here's the trick: Take it in stride as a hard learning experience ;)

The damage will have killed any chances of Apple fixing it under warranty, but at least you'll know not what to do when trying to fix another one.
 
l.a.rossmann said:
I don't know what you mean by trick, every other line of your post is I ripped this or destroyed that. There is no "trick" to un-sodomizing a computer.
Click to expand...

Usually, I loathe the acronym 'lol', but, must concede it is, in fact, applicable in the case of your post. Bravo; I actually laughed out loud. More to the point, your post elegantly expressed echoed my own thoughts on the OP's original post completely.

OP: Initially, to be quite candid, I thought your post was a bizarre joke, a subtle send-up sort of like a Monty Python sketch set in a computer literate age, or vaguely reminiscent of the virtual version of the 'Penultimate Supper' sketch.

Seriously, did you actually read what you wrote before pressing the button labelled 'send'? For your post is a grotesquely hilarious and wonderfully bonkers description of how you destroyed what remained of your computer. Unfortunately, there is no help to be given; my suggestion would be to donate it to someone - such as a charity shop - who might be able to cannibalise some of the parts.
 
-Doesn't know how to reset the SMC

-Takes laptop apart and starts destroying the hardware

Really dude? It's quite obvious you don't have a clue what you are doing, I have no idea why you would open up a laptop that has very delicate technology that can render your entire machine useless if you mess up the slightest thing
 
It's funny how much of this could have been avoided had you simply googled the problem and researched it before yanking at random hardware.

How tiny is this ripped wire? Is it truly beyond replacing or reconnecting?
 
oneMadRssn said:
It's funny how much of this could have been avoided had you simply googled the problem and researched it before yanking at random hardware.

How tiny is this ripped wire? Is it truly beyond replacing or reconnecting?
Click to expand...

i suppose at this point you may as well try to solder the ripped wires back on. but make sure to get the right tools..
nice thin soldering kit and a good magnifying glass preferably with stand.
you also may need to extend the wires that you ripped so be prepared to do some MacGyvering…

In either case though since you already "sodomized", it is difficult to see how you could do so further.

oh, and backup your s%&t… (if you can) or pull the drive out and back it up through an external enclosure OWC sells those fairly cheap..

Good luck mate…
 
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