3 - Powerbook 100's None work.

[uniserver]

first off i would like to say i know absolutely nothing about the powebook 100

out of the 3, when i power them on

1- no boot - back light comes on - no tone

2- nothing un responsive

3- no boot - back light comes on - no tone - lcd is has a damaged spot the size of a nickel

at first glance , it looks like there is a bunch of 10uf 16v caps that are crusty.

can anyone give me a tip or 2, how do these work? i would assume the power button is any key on the keyboard like the portable?

Thanks.

if i get one working, i would be more then happy to share the parts from the other 2 with others.

Charles

 

[mcdermd]

Like the portable, try hitting both reset & programmer buttons at the same time. There is also a switch on the back that completely shuts down the battery. Check that and the fuse on the logic board. When in doubt, leave it plugged in overnight and try again.

 

[PowerPup]

Since I don't own one I can't provide any helpful tips. But I did come across this webpage that might be of some use: http://www.kevinomura.com/powerbooks/powerbook100/

 

[finkmac]

I'll hijack this thread, then.

My PowerBook 100 also has problems.

It used to boot up to a ? Disk, but now, instead…

After some diagnostic tests, it appears it has to do with the Capacitors.

Ah, yes. If they don't chime, try plugging in a pair of headphones, the speaker shares an internal connector with the display.

Edit:

Forgot this link: http://www.vintage-computer.com/vcforum/showthread.php?37083-Powerbook-100-Restoration/page3

 

[uniserver]

ok so, i guess i will start with a re-cap

 

[uniserver]

by the way... FINK, its about time you got user on here....

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

< :-/ Hrmmm . . . pulls a pair of complete 100s off the PowerBookShelf . . . >

< . . . searches in vain for the three(?) PB 100 A/C adapters . . . >

< . . . remembers where he can find something similar . . . >

Looks like PB 100s can't run off a Luggable's A/C adapter any better than a Luggable.

 

[uniserver]

Trash are you checking to see if your powerbook 100's work?

I have to admit…. I like the powerbook 100, It reminds me of my 85 Toyota Corolla AKA, Chevy NOVA,

It's really a pleasure to work on, getting my hands on the insides really gives off a precision feel.

nothing about it is cheesy or chintzy.

The screen … parts, and how they fit together have a good fit/feel.

This thing is growing on me

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

Yep, I'm going to be cleaning up tomorrow morning, hopefully I'll find an A/C adapter for the tests.

I think the only thing I don't like about the 100 is the plastic post that's the third support for the TrackBall. BabyPB was my first laptop love, she's in a project box with a 2300c LCD stuffed into her lid, awaiting completion of my reverse picture frame/BabyPB memorial display hack project.

 

[nvdeynde]

Don't forget to recap the LCD panel as well. All SMD capacitors on the back of the panel are shot.

This will sort display issues like over- or under contrast and unstable screen.

The hard drive issues: Most stock powerbooks 100 I've seen have the Connor 20MB or 40MB hard drive. These suffer from stiction, the rubber around the magnet that keeps the heads in the parked position has degraded or liquified and keeps the heads in the parked position so you hear the drive spinning up and down when you try to boot it. This can be solved be disassembling the HDD and replacing the old rubber around the small magnet: be carefull not to loose the magnet as it's very tiny.

If you are giving the powerbook 100 a full service anyway, then remove the metal lever of the battery switch on the logic board and the 2x contacts from the logic board to the dead battery. This way it doesn't try to charge it anymore.

When it's repaired right, the fiddling with the reset/interrupt buttons is over.

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

Found the power adapter in the box at my feet, these babies need caps: bongs, screen lights up, but nada onscreen. :-/

 

[uniserver]

yeah that is funny they used standard electrolytic caps on these.

i see alot of 10uf 16v ones… that might be tonight's project.

i will be replacing them with ceramic or tiny tants for sure.

 

[bbraun]

When you recap, I'd appreciate pics and cap sizes, particularly of the LCD.

I also have 3 non-working PB100's I'd like to fix. I completely recapped one of the logic boards that chimes, but no display. There must be 60 caps on that thing, it took forever. Didn't help. There's a couple radial caps in the display that I had a difficult time locating replacements for that were short enough to fit back inside the case. Anyway, I haven't been able to revive mine, but will follow this with interest and possibly make another attempt at fixing them.

 

[uniserver]

oh well that doesn't motivate me very much,

i hate spending time on something and not getting any results.

 

[nvdeynde]

There's a couple radial caps in the display that I had a difficult time locating replacements for that were short enough to fit back inside the case.

There are 2x rows of small radial caps at the back of the LCD panel that need to be replaced. It's a fiddling job as there's very little room.

If you have recapped the LCD and logic board but it still doesn't work, have a look at the PCB with the brightness/contrast pots.

I can't recall if there are capacitors on the interconnect board as well: I do know that I replaced every capacitor except for tantalums/ceramic one's in my 3x PB100 and they all revived.

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

Thanks much for that infusion of hope, comrade! :approve:

 

[Brett B.]

I am a little jelly that you guys have PowerBook 100's, working or not. I always wanted one, good luck getting them fixed!

I have to admit…. I like the powerbook 100, It reminds me of my 85 Toyota Corolla AKA, Chevy NOVA,
It's really a pleasure to work on, getting my hands on the insides really gives off a precision feel.

nothing about it is cheesy or chintzy.

I had an '87 Nova, sounds like you had a better experience than me though. I hated that car. Trans blew up at around 140k, lost a head gasket at 160k which was when I got rid of it. There was always something broken and it was always expensive to fix it. Never buying another Toyota after that one!

 

[uniserver]

Was your trans manual or automatic?

yes they had head gasket issues and timing belt issues. nice thing they are not an interference engine.

but this is when I bought them I had 4 nova's 85, 86 and 2 87's

I was buying them for 100 and 200 bucks

All of them the A/C always worked,

I could have the head off in like 40 min.

the gasket was 32 bucks, felpro… the timing belt was 12 bucks.

do those and they are good for another 80 to 120K miles depending on how bad you beat on er

I have some junk imac mainboards, looks like they are loaded with 10uf 16v Tantalum caps

tonight i am going to fire up the heat gun and sweat all the tant caps from this imac mainboard.

use those caps on the PB 100, that way I wont be pissed if it doesn't work, wasting my new stock.

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

By far the favorite of my vehicles was the '88 Nova Twin-Cam!