How does the laptop know to go to sleep when the lid is closed?
On the PowerBook G4 15″, there is a magnet on the back of the LCD that activates the sleep switch when the lid is closed.
While the position of the magnet and sleep sensors vary on different Mac laptops, the 15″ and 17″ (all models except the 1.67Ghz) PowerBook G4s are unique in that the magnets are just taped to the back on the screen.
It is important to make sure that when installing a new screen, the sleep magnet is transfered to the exact same spot on the back of the new LCD. Even half an inch one way or another and the magnet will not activate the sleep mode when the lid is closed. New kapton tape should also be used to insure that the magnet does not fall off with use.
Backside of a PowerBook G4 15" LCD. Sleep Magnet(1) and Display Cable Connector(2)
The first laptop we noticed with this sleep magnet location with was the original PowerBook G4 Titanium. To this day, I would say the TiBook screen replacement is the most difficult of any laptop I’ve ever worked with (the bezel, display house and hinges are all glued together and require expert workmanship for a clean removal and seamless re-assembly.) You wanted to be 100% certain of the location of the sleep magnet before finishing that repair.
Later Mac laptop models have specific places on the bezels where the magnets go making screen replacements much easier in that respect.
Does the magnet being on the screen hurt the display? Not at all. The strength of the magnet is pretty weak and only CRT screens were that susceptible from damage from magnets.
PowerBook G4 17" Backlight Cable and Hinge
Machine: PowerBook G4 17″
Symptom: When the screen is moved, the backlight to the screen flickers or cuts out.
Likely Cause: Damaged backlight cable.
The backlight cable provides the power to the LCD’s backlight.
The cable runs from the logic board (1) through the left side of the hinge (2) and into the inverter board which in turns connects to the LCD.
The backlight cable runs through the hinge with the bluetooth and airport cable.
Over time, the hinge can get loose and the backlight cable can become worn causing the connection to cut in and out.
To solve the problem, the hinge is tightened (or replaced depending on damage) and a new cable is installed (with more protection.)
Since most customers initially believe the issue is with the screen or logic board, they’re happy to learn it’s only a cable. This repair itself is quite involved but the end results are perfect.
[ MyService Free Diagnostic ] Suspect your PowerBook has this issue? We can help.
- Inside of a PowerBook G4 15″ battery. Temperature sensor highlighted.
Why show you the inside of a Mac’s battery? Why not!
This is a Lithium-ion battery from a 15″ PowerBook. It’s made up of smaller cells all connected to a small circuit board. The circuit board includes the button and LED lights to show remaining charge.
A temperature sensor can be found on top to help keep the battery from getting too hot. Overheating led to some accidents that caused other laptop batteries to explode. Pretty scary stuff.
It’s amazing that they allow things like this on a plane but not 4 oz of mouthwash?
2009 13" MacBook Pro
At the WWDC 2009 Keynote, Apple announced a new 13″ MacBook Pro. That’s right, Pro.
When the first 13″ Unibody came out, the looks, specs and pricing made it seem more like a replacement for the PowerBook G4 12″ (which was a Pro model) than a new MacBook. The MacBook (and iBook) line were marketed as entry level, student/budget friendly books and somehow the 13″ Unibody never quite fit in with that image.
With the newest release, Apple has classed the 13″ Unibody as a Pro model. Does this mean new form factor MacBooks are coming? Will Apple continue to develop and release polycarbonate MacBooks? Time will tell.
The new 13″ MacBook Pro starts at $1199 and comes in 2 pre-configured models:
$1199 – 2.26GHz, 2GB RAM, and a 160GB HD
$1499 – 2.53GHz, 4GB RAM, and a 250GB HD
All models now come with an SD card slot (very useful for working with digital cameras) and a new 7 hour, non-removable lithium polymer battery (same setup as the new 17″ and 15″.) The battery is rated for 5 years of life and 1,000 recharges. Firewire is back with a FW800 port! All models now come with the backlit keyboard and new, more eco-friendly screens.
The new 13″ MacBook Pros are shipping today from Apple. We’ll post repair pricing and upgrade options when they become available. Images courtesy of Apple.
[ Apple Store ]
With the release of the first Intel Mac laptops, Apple introduced a new type of sleep state known as Safe Sleep.
Safe Sleep stores the contents of RAM and other system settings onto the hard drive itself so that if the laptop looses all power, your work is not lost and you can recover quickly once power is restored.
Traditionally, when a computer sleeps (and is unplugged), the battery provides enough power to keep the laptop on and the contents of the RAM in tact. If you were to fully drain the power or remove the battery, the system would shut off and any unsaved work would be lost. On PowerBook G4 models, there was a backup battery that allowed you to hot swap a battery or drain the main battery without losing any data.
Safe Sleep takes this one step further. When you put any MacBook to sleep (close the lid or select Sleep) the computer first writes the contents of the RAM and other settings to the hard drive.
The battery or ac adapter still keeps the laptop on (hibernated) and keeps the RAM contents in tact which allows for the quick wake up normally associated with waking a computer from sleep. You can press any keyboard key or open the lid to wake the laptop normally.
If the battery fully drains or is removed, Safe Sleep is used to “wake” the computer by accessing the files that were stored by Safe Sleep on the hard drive.
Note: Since the computer is technically off, the keyboard will not wake a computer in Safe Sleep and the power button must be used. The computer will boot to a dimmed screen with a progress bar on the button as it loads the saved contents on the hard drive.
Safe Sleep is found on all MacBooks and is enabled automatically. It really just adds another safeguard to saving your work (and time) when the battery drains or you lose power. It works in conjunction with traditional sleep methods which allow for a faster wake time.
Calibrate every few months for the best performance.
Did you know that you can calibrate your Mac laptop’s battery to boost performance and prolong its life?
There is an internal microprocessor (that can be calibrated) in the battery that provides an estimate on the amount of energy left in the battery. This calibration helps to keep the onscreen battery time and percentage display accurate. This in turn helps the computer properly charge the battery reducing the overall amount of cycle counts on the battery.
Apple recommends calibrating the battery when you first use the computer and then every few months.
For MacBook, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air and PowerBook G4 (15″ 1.67 DL SD only)
1. Plug in the power adapter and let the book fully charge (green light will appear on the power adapter.)
2. Keep the power adapter connected for at least 2 hours (to charge the PRAM battery) You can use the machine during this time.
3. With the machine on, unplug the power adapter and let the computer run until the battery fully drains and the laptop goes to sleep. Leave the machine in sleep mode (or off) for at least 5 hours.
4. Connect the power adapter and let the battery fully charge (until the power adapter light turns green.) That’s it.
For iBook and PowerBook G4 (All models except 15″ 1.67 DL SD)
Fully charge the battery (green light on power adapter.) Unplug the power adapter and run the laptop until the battery drains (it powers off or goes to sleep.) Connect the power adapter and let the battery fully charge. That’s it.
PowerBook G4 15" Aluminum Battery
Symptom: Laptop not powering on (seems dead) even with the AC adapter plugged in and won’t charge the battery.
Cause: Some laptops need the battery installed with at least some charge left to boot and charge.
Macs Affected: PowerBook G4 15″/17″ Aluminum
Solutions: Install another battery with some charge left and then hot swap your old battery back in while the AC is connected or charge your battery in a friends book by hot swapping your battery or use an external battery charger or purchase a new battery.
This issue usually manifests itself after there is an issue with the DC-In Board. With the unit no longer able to charge, the laptop battery will become completely drained. After the new DC-In is installed the unit will not boot or charge because the battery is dead causing a Catch-22.
Note: MacBooks and MacBook Pros sometimes won’t boot without their battery depending on the condition and charge of their PRAM battery.
Titanium PowerBook G4
The Titanium Powerbook G4 was announced in January 2001. Two models were announced, a 400Mhz version for $2599 and a 500Mhz for $3499.
This laptop was ground breaking in a number of areas and set the design tone for Mac laptops that can still be seen today.
- First laptop with a 15.2″ Widescreen display.
-First laptop with a slot-load DVD drive.
-Super-thin LCD bezel and housing.
The black keyboard and silver finish combo can be found on the current family of MacBook Unibodys.
The Apple reseller where I was working when these came out had one floor model available and we ran the Bug’s Life DVD on loop. Customers that came in were amazed and everybody wanted one. It took another 6 months before they were available and that waiting only made me want one even more.
My 400Mhz Ti Book was hands down my favorite computer of all time. This is a popular Mac with enthusiasts and we still get these in for upgrades. You can run 10.5 fine on a 1Ghz with a 1GB of ram and a 320GB.
Whenever we get one in that’s in really good condition, it always takes me back.
