PowerBook G4 questions

Just a couple of questions about this old pb g4 I have. It works great but the wifi is working on and off. I noticed if I put a little pressure on the bottom where the airport extreme card is located it sometimes helps and starts working. Do you think it's the card that needs to be replaced or something else? And sometimes when I start the pb when the wifi is turned on the trackpad doesn't work.

Specs are:
2005 12"
OS X Leopard 10.5.8 (just did a clean restore)
1.5GHz
512MB DDR
80GB HDD

littlecody8 said:

It works great but the wifi is working on and off. I noticed if I put a little pressure on the bottom where the airport extreme card is located it sometimes helps and starts working. Do you think it's the card that needs to be replaced or something else?

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At least two things are possible:

1. Yes...the airport card/board could be going bad (I have had it happen before).
2. The antenna wire that plugs into the airport card/board could be loose.

littlecody8 said:

And sometimes when I start the pb when the wifi is turned on the trackpad doesn't work.

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This sounds a little "weird"...but I have also had a trackpad completely fail...and thus had to replace the computers "topcase". This is the entire top surface where the keyboard, speakers, power button, and trackpad are located. The trackpad is integrated into the topcase...and cannot be replaced separately.

- Nick

pigoo3 said:

At least two things are possible:

1. Yes...the airport card/board could be going bad (I have had it happen before).
2. The antenna wire that plugs into the airport card/board could be loose.



This sounds a little "weird"...but I have also had a trackpad completely fail...and thus had to replace the computers "topcase". This is the entire top surface where the keyboard, speakers, power button, and trackpad are located. The trackpad is integrated into the topcase...and cannot be replaced separately.

- Nick

Click to expand...

I also thought it could be the antenna wire just don't feel like opening it up to find out but I guess I'll give in and do it.

I've also replaced the topcase of a 2010 white unibody macbook because the keyboard had water spilled on it from the previous owner.

littlecody8 said:

I also thought it could be the antenna wire just don't feel like opening it up to find out but I guess I'll give in and do it.

I've also replaced the topcase of a 2010 white unibody macbook because the keyboard had water spilled on it from the previous owner.

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Ahh...sounds like you're experienced doing this sort of thing...great...and you know what a "topcase" is!

Yes...these laptops can be a bit of work to take apart...but it's probably the only way to investigate further.

Good luck,

- Nick

I've been buying and resell apple laptops for about the past 6 months so I've ran into a few things before. I wish this PB was more like the unibody pros where you can just take the bottom case off and everything is right there lol.

pigoo3 said:

This sounds a little "weird"...but I have also had a trackpad completely fail...and thus had to replace the computers "topcase". This is the entire top surface where the keyboard, speakers, power button, and trackpad are located. The trackpad is integrated into the topcase...and cannot be replaced separately.

- Nick

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Isn't it fun? My sister had 2 G4 PowerBooks that were both having issues. I complete disassembled both of them to get the working parts, and good frame, and reassembled them as one solid(er) better computer.

Stretch said:

Isn't it fun? My sister had 2 G4 PowerBooks that were both having issues. I complete disassembled both of them to get the working parts, and good frame, and reassembled them as one solid(er) better computer.

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Yes it is pretty cool to make a "Franken-Puter"!

I did that fairly recently with a 12" Powerbook G4!

Two computers (problems):

- #1 had a bad optical drive & a bad logic board
- #2 display was funky, and had a bad keyboard
- and there were various assembly screws missing on both.

Got lucky & was able to make a fully operational computer from both...for under $60 bucks.

- Nick

I paid $30 for mine. Everything but the battery and cd drive was working. I took it apart and ripped the keyboard ribbon from the connector . So I ordered a new keyboard and battery. All together I'll have $70 into it. Not bad for a working mac

Will an iBook G4 12" keyboard work on the PowerBook G4 12"? Is the connector the same?

littlecody8 said:

Will an iBook G4 12" keyboard work on the PowerBook G4 12"? Is the connector the same?

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Good question. My first thought is the keyboards are different colors (if that's a concern for you). iBook would be white, Powerbook would be silver.

I've never compared both keyboards...but I have removed both...and they do install/remove similarly...but I don't remember if the connectors are exactly the same. There were a lot of Powerbook & iBook models...so for the best possibility of this working...the "vintages" of both should be as close as possible.

I would say go to iFixit.com or Powerbookmedic.com...and compare the part numbers to see if they're the same. But because of the color difference...the part numbers are almost guaranteed to be different.

So the only way to know for sure...is to get feedback from someone who has actually done this...or having both parts in front of you to compare.

Not a lot of help I know...but some stuff to think about!

- Nick

pigoo3 said:

Good question. My first thought is the keyboards are different colors (if that's a concern for you). iBook would be white, Powerbook would be silver.

I've never compared both keyboards...but I have removed both...and they do install/remove similarly...but I don't remember if the connectors are exactly the same. There were a lot of Powerbook & iBook models...so for the best possibility of this working...the "vintages" of both should be as close as possible.

I would say go to iFixit.com or Powerbookmedic.com...and compare the part numbers to see if they're the same. But because of the color difference...the part numbers are almost guaranteed to be different.

So the only way to know for sure...is to get feedback from someone who has actually done this...or having both parts in front of you to compare.

Not a lot of help I know...but some stuff to think about!

- Nick

Click to expand...

I know the color difference, doesn't bother me. Just need a working keyboard that's not going to cost me from $50-$100. I found an iBook G4 keyboard for $25 but don't want to order it unless they have the same connectors.

I did look on ifixit.com and they have two different parts for the keyboards because of the color.

I'll keep googling to found out if someone as tried this before lol. Thanks though.

littlecody8 said:

I know the color difference, doesn't bother me. Just need a working keyboard that's not going to cost me from $50-$100. I found an iBook G4 keyboard for $25 but don't want to order it unless they have the same connectors.

I did look on ifixit.com and they have two different parts for the keyboards because of the color.

I'll keep googling to found out if someone as tried this before lol. Thanks though.

Click to expand...

Kind of a rare thing to do...that's why there's not much info on it.

If you're willing to purchase an iBook G4 keyboard for $25 bucks...why not wait until a Powerbook G4 keyboard becomes available for around $25 bucks..and buy it? Then you will be more assured of it's compatibility...and have the correct color!

Yes...I know that you want it right away...but maybe you won't have to wait very long.

- Nick

Actually, I'm not sure if it will work. The G4 iBook keyboard is separate from the top case. The G4 Aluminum Powerbook keyboard is part of the top case. And from what I can tell by the one on my desk, it can't be separated and swapped.

Added: I took a good look at the top case I have. The keyboard is screwed into the top case from the bottom. There are at least 9 screws, although I suspect maybe 2 more. That being said, the entire keyboard is removable, but not easily. The entire back of the keyboard is a "ribbon" cable. Very thin and easily torn.

I'd recommend you look for a 12in Powerbook G4 top case, and not just a keyboard. I do NOT think an iBook keyboard will work properly.

Stretch said:

Actually, I'm not sure if it will work. The G4 iBook keyboard is separate from the top case. The G4 Aluminum Powerbook keyboard is part of the top case. And from what I can tell by the one on my desk, it can't be separated and swapped.

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Hey Stretch. With your input...it would seem that maybe both types of Powerbook G4 keyboards exist (integrated part of the topcase & separate from the topcase). I worked on a 12" Powerbook G4 recently...where the keyboard is separate from the top-case...and I had an iBook that had the same type of removable keyboard. I actually have the Powerbook G4 keyboard in my hand at the moment...but I'm too lazy to take a picture (Ha ha)!

Actually..here's a photo of the keyboard from one of ifixit.com's removal procedures:



Some of the F-keys need to be popped off to get access to the screws that mount the keyboard to the topcase. Once removed...the keyboard pivots away & out from the topcase. This is why I mentioned that both iBook & Powerbook models probably need to be of very similar vintage to have the best chance at having swappable keyboards.

- Nick

p.s. Actually...I did a bit more research...and I agree with you Stretch...I don't think that the keyboards are swappable. The 12" Powerbook G4 keyboard mounts to the topcase via screws under the F-keys (photo above)...the iBook G4's keyboard has little plastic release tabs that mount/secure it to the topcase (photo below). So the two keyboards mount differently...so they are different!!!

I bought a G4 iBook when I graduated college, which is why I didn't think it would work after attempting to remove the keyboard from the Powerbook top case. I didn't know that the 12in Powerbook was like that though, it does make sense because there isn't much of a frame around the sides of the keyboard.

I have the model were the keyboard separates. I know about the tabs on the iBook but I sent the person selling the iBook keyboard on ebay a message because they had said it works for both and they confirmed that it will work on the 12" PowerBook. I offered $10. If the seller doesn't take it I'll just wait. If they do take it and it ends up not working I can return it being they told me it would so I can't lose either way. Thanks for all the input though.

littlecody8 said:

I have the model were the keyboard separates. I know about the tabs on the iBook but I sent the person selling the iBook keyboard on ebay a message because they had said it works for both and they confirmed that it will work on the 12" PowerBook. I offered $10. If the seller doesn't take it I'll just wait. If they do take it and it ends up not working I can return it being they told me it would so I can't lose either way. Thanks for all the input though.

Click to expand...

The two keyboards definitely have a different mounting system...but if the length, width, and thickness of each keyboard is the same...then either will fit into the recess in the topcase.

I guess we will have to trust the e-Bay seller who is basically saying that the ribbon cable & connector are the same.

Good Luck with the $10 offer. From what I saw on e-Bay when I searched...that would be great price for a whole keyboard.

- Nick

pigoo3 said:

The two keyboards definitely have a different mounting system...but if the length, width, and thickness of each keyboard is the same...then either will fit into the recess in the topcase.

I guess we will have to trust the e-Bay seller who is basically saying that the ribbon cable & connector are the same.

Good Luck with the $10 offer. From what I saw on e-Bay when I searched...that would be great price for a whole keyboard.

- Nick

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Yeah, people have them way over priced on there. He had it for $25 or make an offer. Also plus $7.50 shipping. Still not bad. If he declines my offer I'll just wait for a powerbook keyboard.

G4 booting issue

I have a 15 G4 PowerBook changed out a 20 gb for a 60 gb now wants to reboot constantly, and sometimes wont restart. I'm thinking there my be an grounding issue, because when top case is removed it will power cycle with no issue. any thoughts from hardware gurus...