How to replace the screen on a 17inch PB (my powerbook)

So I always wanted a powerbook and a great deal came around. Someone was selling a 17 inch powerbook. Only one problem, the screen was dead. The price was right, 350 bucks. Laptop with a dvi cable, manuals, powerbrick, virtual pc software, and carry case.

Specs:

1.5ghz
2gb of ram
80gb harddrive
Superdrive

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I found out the screen model after I ripped it apart and searched ebay. Turns out the screen is the same one found in a HP ZD8000. So I searched more and found a screen in mint condition for 300 bucks shipped. Ordered it, it came and I replaced it.

Be advised the pictures are not from one day. I actually dismantled the laptop first up to removing the panel. Then I waited a day and dismantled the LCD. Ordered my new LCD. While waiting for the LCD I did some more modding as you will see. Screen came and I put the thing back together in about two hours and it was as good as new.

Please dont mind the instruments I used to take it apart. Its actually very smart as those are the only things that are thing enough and will not scratch the finish.

As far as I know no one has attempted this outside of apple care or a repair center. I searched for information regarding replacing the panel and found no information, thats why I only figured out how the clips in the panel work after I pried some off, which I re attached with epoxy. GOod as new.

Pics:

Decided to epoxy down the clips that I pried off.

Lacking a screen I got bored, I decided to futher customize it.

This was the final step where I removed the broken lcd from its frame, further ****ing up my hands, and then dropped in the new lcd. Suprisingly the original lcd was not only screwed in, but glued in around the corner as well. Required some very very careful prieing to seperate the frame from the panel.

Sadly I didnt take pictures with the broken screen because it was so badly damaged that it was just splotches of colored light.

So the cost is.

350 for the computer + 300 for the screen - 125(Virtual PC for mac sold on ebay) = $525.

Not bad a bad way to get into mac, by ripping one apart.

I plan to buy a 7200rpm 80 gig harddrive for it in my next billing cycle.

Questions? Comments?


Pleasure to be part of this great forum. Granted I had a laptop before this one, just never joined up.

Thanks for the comments guys.

Kakaze question. Does your apple light up?

Before I took mine apart I didnt notice if it did or it didnt?

I just noticed on a friends 1.67ghz powerbook that his lights up and im thinking how it could do that and the only two ways is either a lighting circuit or it uses the back of the LCD to light it up.

Now that my blue apple is in there if it did, it wont anymore because light cant penetrate the thick plastic. While the orginal apple was translusive.

That guide does not explain how to dismantle the LCD panel itself.

There are no manuals that explain how to do this online.

Thats exactly what I thought. F*ck that sucks.

I should have used an acrylic paint or something, it would have been so hot otherwise.

OOOOOOOOH Welllll. next time.

My machine wouldnt sleep and I just figured out why. When I dismantled my screen I found a little metal bead taped to the back of the screen. What I thought was there designed to prevent the screen from cracking if something was layed on it is actually a very tiny magnet taped in place. This magnet when the screen is closed lays on the touch pad behind which is a magnetic sensor that puts the computer to sleep.

I did not know this when i took the screen apart and just took it off and taped it on my new screen in the middle where it supposedly was on the old one. But its actually a very specific spot.

So props to apple for a very ingenious solution to a cool problem.

Suck that it doesnt sleep with the closed lid forcing me to press sleep in the system. No biggie really just kinda sucks to find out now.

Im not gonna split the panel again, its only designed to be put together not taken apart and if I split it again im afraid it wont come together at all and the chances me damaging the new LCD screen are very high.