PowerBook G4 Titanium DVI Upper Case Replacement

Locate the battery release tab on the underside of the G4.

Slide the battery release tab to the left and lift the battery out of the computer.

Turn the keyboard locking screw located in the middle of the keyboard so that it is parallel to the space bar. A half turn from parallel to parallel will unlock it. Another half turn will lock it again.

Pull the keyboard release tabs toward you and lift up on the keyboard until it pops free.

Rest the keyboard face down on the trackpad area.

Disconnect the keyboard connector from the logic board.

Your laptop should look approximately like this.

Release the tabs on each side of the RAM chip at the same time. These tabs lock the chip in place and releasing them will cause the chip to "pop" up.

Pull the RAM chip out.

Repeat this process if a second RAM chip is installed.

Remove the seven T8 Torx screws from the lower case.

Using your thumbs, slide the lower case toward the front of the computer.

The lower case may stick in the front on a tab just above the center of the optical drive. Be careful as you work the case off, or you may break the thin strip of plastic just above the drive.

Lift the lower case off.

Firmly grasp the plastic tab attached to the Airport card and pull up and to the left.

Disconnect the antenna cable from the left side of the Airport card.

Disconnect the hard drive ribbon from the logic board using a spudger or the tip of your finger.

To free the hard drive, remove the two T8 Torx screws from the right wall of the battery housing.

Remove the hard drive by lifting the left edge up and out of the computer.

Your laptop should look approximately like this.

Disconnect and remove the indicated orange ribbon cable.

Disconnect the pink and white inverter cable from the inverter board.

Remove the two silver T8 Torx screws from the black plastic bar.

Lift the black plastic bar out.

Disconnect the two orange connectors from the logic board, removing tape as necessary.

Lift the drive up on the right side so that you can access and disconnect the modem cable and inverter cable.

Remove the drive by lifting the right edge up and out of the computer.

Disconnect the large DC-In connector from the right side of the logic board.

Remove the two T6 Torx screws from the DC-In board.

Lift the DC-In board out of the computer by pulling up and away from you.

If there is a fan present, rotate the DC-In board slightly clockwise before easing it out at a slight angle in order to clear the fan clamp on top of it.

Before continuing, place a soft cloth on your work surface to rest the computer on. Turn the G4 over and place it on the cloth.

Disconnect the four indicated connectors from the logic board.

Remove the T8 Torx screw near the heat pipe.

Disconnect the two connectors from the modem filter board.

Remove the T6 Torx screw from the modem filter board.

Remove the modem filter board from the computer by pulling up and to the right.

Turn the G4 over.

Remove the seven T8 Torx screws from the logic board.

Disconnect the 5 indicated connectors from the logic board, removing tape as necessary.

Reassembly Tip: Reseating the logic board will be much easier if you use kapton tape to hold these five connectors out of the way until it is in place.

Caution: If taping the connectors back, be careful not to use tape with anything but very weak adhesive (i.e. kapton tape). Even electrical tape can pull the paint off the hinges when removed.

Carefully lift the logic board up and pull it away from you.

Your laptop should look approximately like this.

Remove the two T8 Torx screws that secure the PC Card cage.

Remove the 4 mm hex nut from the PC Card cage.

Remove the PC Card cage by pulling it to the right and twisting slightly toward you.

Turn the G4 over.

Remove the five silver T8 Torx screws from the metal framework.

Turn the G4 over.

Grasp the plastic framework and pull directly up.

Disconnect and remove the pink and white inverter cable, removing tape as necessary.

Position the display approximately at a 45 degree angle and rest the computer on a soft cloth with the back panel ports facing up.

Remove the two T8 Torx screws from each clutch cover.

Close the display and pull off both clutch covers. You can use a non-metal flathead screwdriver if the clutch covers do not come off easily.

Open the back panel port cover and remove the four T6 Torx screws.

Open the display to a 90 degree angle. Rest the trackpad face down on your work surface and allow the display to hang over the edge. If possible, adjust your chair or worksurface height so the display will rest on your legs and the trackpad will lie flat on the worksurface.

Remove the four T8 Torx screws which fasten the display to the trackpad. The screw closest to the display data cable has a tapered head.

Grasp the metal heat exchanger and pull up and away from you. You may need to move the inverter cable on the right side of the computer in order to rotate the heat exchanger.

Lift up the metal brackets on either side of the upper case.

Carefully thread the inverter cable on the right side through the slot in the upper case.

Carefully thread the display and backlight cables individually through the slot in the upper case. Be very careful with the display cable as it is easily damaged.

Remove the display assembly.

Re-align the metal heat exchanger with the upper case. Reconnect the audio connector cable on the right side of the upper case.

Use a spudger to pry the PRAM battery out of its housing on the upper case. Make sure not to bend the PRAM battery too much while prying it out.

Your upper case should look approximately like this.