How to Open an iBook G4 for the Logic Board

The iBook G4 is a compact and competent Apple laptop that may users still find useful. You can open an iBook G4 to expose the logic board for adding or upgrading components attached to it. The procedure is straightforward, if a bit involved, and requires a few tools most households will not have, but which can be acquired from a hobby shop or hardware store. Opening the iBook G4 on your own violates any Apple warranty that might still be in place.

Things You'll Need

• Soft cloth
• #8 Torx screwdriver
• Phillips screwdriver
• Phillips jeweler’s screwdriver
• Flat-edged screwdriver

Instructions

1. Place a soft cloth on a table. Remove any cables attached to the iBook G4. Place the iBook G4 face-down on the soft cloth. Push the battery-release latch with your fingers. Pull the battery out of the battery compartment. Release the battery-release latch.

2. Insert the tip of the Phillips jeweler’s screwdriver beneath the edge of one of the three rubber feet on the bottom of the iBook G4. Lit up on the tip of the Phillips jeweler’s screwdriver to loosen the foot. Pull the foot off with your fingers. Repeat this procedure with the other two rubber feet.

3. Remove the screws from beneath the rubber feet with the Phillips screwdriver. Pull the screws out with your fingers. Pull the metal inserts beneath the screws out with your fingers.

4. Turn the iBook G4 over. Open the lid. Rotate the iBook G4 so that the mouse pad faces you. Pull the keyboard off the iBook G4 with your fingers.

5. Pull the antenna plug out of the Airport wireless card that is at the left side of the iBook G4, using your fingers. Slide the Airport wireless card out of the slot it is in.

6. Remove the four screws surrounding the Airport slot with the Phillips jeweler’s screwdriver. Push the two tabs on each side of the memory slots sitting next to the Airport slot away from each other. Pull the two memory chips out of the two memory slots with your fingers.

7. Place the tip of the flat-edged screwdriver next to the screw at the top of the Airport slot to redirect the magnet hidden on the underside. Remove the screw with the Phillips jeweler’s screwdriver while keeping the tip of the flat-edged screwdriver in place. Remove the flat-edged screwdriver. Pull the Airport slot off the iBook G4.

8. Remove the screws from the four exposed corners that were beneath the Airport slot with the Phillips jeweler’s screwdriver. Remove the two screws from the right side where the Airport slot was with the Phillips jeweler’s screwdriver.

9. Close the lid. Turn the iBook G4 over. Remove the three exposed screws with the Torx screwdriver. Remove the two screws from inside of the battery compartment with the Phillips jeweler’s screwdriver. Remove the screws from the edge of the battery compartment with the Phillips jeweler’s screwdriver.

10. Insert the tip of the flat-edged screwdriver into the sides of the battery compartment. Lift up on the tip of the flat-edged screwdriver to loosen the battery bay. Continue lifting up on the tip to loosen the bottom from the top shell.

11. Insert the tip of the flat-edged screwdriver into a corner of the bottom of the iBook G4. Lift up on the tip of the flat-edged screwdriver to loosen the bottom from the top shell. Repeat this procedure on the three other corners of the iBook G4.

12. Insert the tip of the Phillips jeweler’s screwdriver into one of the two hooks inside the battery compartment. Lift up on the tip of the Phillips jeweler’s screwdriver to release the hook. Repeat this with the other hook. Pull the bottom panel off the iBook G4 with your fingers. Turn the iBook G4 over.

13. Carefully raise the lid. Insert the tip of the Phillips jeweler’s screwdriver into the side of the iBook G4 next to the power connector. Lift up on the tip of the Phillips jeweler’s screwdriver to loosen the power connector. Lift the top panel off the iBook G4, taking care not to disconnect the cable bridging between it and the logic board on the iBook G4.

14. Unplug the two connectors from the logic board using your fingers. Remove the top panel from the iBook G4. Unplug the audio connector cable from the top panel with your fingers.

15. Remove the 14 screws from around the logic board and the circuit boards on the iBook G4 with the Torx screwdriver. Pull the two metal side connector blocks out of each side of the iBook G4 with your fingers.

16. Remove the adhesive tape on the right side of the iBook G4 with your fingers. Remove the metal shield that has the exposed magnet on it and is near the top of the iBook G4 across from the ‘iBook G4” logo.

17. Pull off the metal bar over the hard drive with your fingers. Slide the hard drive tray out of the slot it is in. Remove the connector from the back of the hard drive.

18. Remove the four screws from around the hard drive with the Torx screwdriver to separate the drive from the hard drive tray.

Tips & Warnings

• An anti-static strap will keep static electricity from damaging the internal parts of the iBook G4.

References

• faqintosh: iBook G4 Hard Disk Replacement

Resources

• apple-history: Recent Changes