Conquest Two: PowerBook G3 (Pismo)

[iMac600]

Problem Found.

My processor card is bent.

I have no idea how it's possible for a card to bend, but it has. Possibly by heat, possibly as a result of the heatsink, it's hard to say. All I know is that the damn card is bent, and it's causing the connection between it and the logic board to be intermittent.

Long story short, unless I can figure out how to straighten a printed circuit board, or I can find a processor card at a relatively cheap price, this Pismo will be nothing more than a show piece, which is a shame considering I would really like to use it. I mean, it still works, and I can get it to boot successfully, but not consistently, and there is a visible curve of the processor daughtercard's printed circuit board (particularly around the CPU connector).

If I intend to replace it, i'll have to order it from the USA which is not always an option.

Failing that, I currently have the CPU under pressure with foam EMI pads between it and the upper heat shield, which is so far giving me a consistent boot. Whether or not it will continue to boot consistently or help the CPU straighten over time is yet to be seen.

EDIT: Still booting... huh. Maybe dodgy repairs aren't that bad after all. Have to see how it plays out after a night of being powered down and started up.

 

[iMac600]

Triple Post, just checking in to say that the fix didn't hold up. The CPU will require replacement.

 

[Byrd]

Ah well, at least you finally saw the bent card I'd just keep your eye out on eBay for a "faulty" Pismo, a replacement 400/500Mhz daughtercard shouldn't be too hard to source. Even try Mactalk, I was able to find parts for mine on there a while back.

JB

 

[Strimkind]

It shouldn't be difficult to find a replacement CPU. An affordable option may be this $10 + Shipping option. It should only cost about $10 to ship by international letter mail (it cost me $7 to ship some duo RAM to Australia to a fellow 68kmla member).

 

[kvanderlaag]

I have a 400 MHz processor card that you can have for shipping, if you want. It worked just fine right up until I swapped it for a 500 MHz card a month or two ago.

 

[iMac600]

The replacement 400MHz Processor should be shipping out of New York soon. The PowerBook now fails to power up completely on account of the fact that the system is dependent on having a CPU installed for even the most basic of operations, such as spinning up drives or fans.

Once it arrives, it should work perfectly again.

 

[J English Smith]

Pismo parts are very plentiful on the 'bay, you can find almost everything you need at a fairly reasonable price.

Tony ZZ on eBay (no relation) has fast shipping, good communication, fair prices. He also has a nice supply of batteries (original Apple ones) that he gives assessment of condition so you can price-match to what you need. I have had good luck with Apple batteries, many of them still hold a charge quite well. Expect to pay at least $30-35 for a battery with decent runtime.

Get that Pismo humming again! They are my daily workhorses, I started buying 'em about a year ago and couldn't stop.

Good luck!

 

[iMac600]

It does need a new battery, although it's working sufficiently from AC at the moment. The optical drive is somewhat of a problem, since I swapped in an Intel Mac slot load superdrive it's had no issues reading discs, but has lost most of its factory originality, and the open electronics on the side don't make for a good view. I'd like to get another drive to slot in there, even if it's non-functional and just for the sake of keeping it clean. I can slide in the slot loader if need be for data access.

I dismantled the LCD housing and tested the hinges yesterday. At the hinge they have only 3 to 5 degrees of play, which isn't bad at all. At the top of the LCD this translates to noticeable play in the display assembly, but the clutches are very tight otherwise and can hold the display open with minimal effort. I'm satisfied that they're serviceable, if I can inject some machine oil into them to extend the life before they even begin to wear out then i'll do that before the machine goes back together.

I love the sound hardware in this machine. It could be the placebo effect in play, but the sound hardware almost has a distinct warmth that reaches clear highs and deep, bassy lows, all of which come together to leverage the hardware in the Sennheisers I have connected to it to make music sound noticeably better.

Possibly my only gripe with the machine, albeit a minor one, is how the fit and finish holds up after so many years. It's become a bit creaky, with the odd minor panel gap from its years of use, something that could probably be fixed quite easily with some internal padding or a sealer. However it's not getting any worse and it's arguably one of the better examples out there, so there's fairly little to complain about.

Overall, i'm looking forward to getting the replacement processor. The old one was cooked, but i'm certain that the rest of the machine is working, so it should be an excellent machine when it's complete.

 

[BGoins12]

I second Tony ZZ's recommendation. I bought a 128MB module, 4.8GB HD, and rubber feet from him for my 333MHz Lombard, and everything arrived well packaged and was quick (probably because I'm 85 miles east of Toledo).

I love my Lombard... I use it for older games and programs my 1.25 Dual MDD tower and 1.42 eMac can't run.

 

[gobabushka]

IT NEEDZ FEETZ!!!

 

[iMac600]

The replacement CPU was lost before it left the supplier. Unfortunately the repair of the PowerBook G3 has been delayed once again. However i've decided to switch sources for the part this time to avoid any repeat occurrences, so hopefully this time around we may actually see some progress.

I understand some members here have offered G3 parts, I haven't forgotten about those offers, I chose to purchase one from eBay as i'd ordered the part during the time when I couldn't post here.

 

[J English Smith]

Again, for parts, I can't say enough good things about TonyZZ on ebay. Good prices, fast shipping, communicates well and promptly. Good luck with the restoration!

 

[bd1308]

I'm really Jealous of your pismo! I cant find any of them for cheap/trade or under $250 on ebay.

 

[J English Smith]

None of my eBay Pismos have cost more than $75, and most had working batteries and AC adapters. Keep looking. There is a 500mhz one on there now with no price reserve that looks clean. RAM is cheap, about $25 for a 512MB stick.

Or, this one...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/G3-PowerBook-APPLE-14-1-Laptop-500MHz-512MB-20GB-Complete-Vintage-Working-/260911378994?pt=Apple_Laptops&hash=item3cbf87b232

 

[jsarchibald]

Thanks a lot guys, all this talk of Pismos made me buy this:

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/180776251821?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

Now you'll have to speak to my wife and explain whatyou made me do! You should all be ashamed of yourselves! :lol:

 

[iMac600]

Steve Jobs once described fitting a G3 processor as standard to as to "put a killer engine in this car", alluding to the newly introduced iMac's advantage over its Celeron powered competitors. It proved to be a sound move and sure enough, a killer engine it certainly turned out to be.

So I have no issue in saying in such a context that the PowerBook G3 Pismo is now prepped and ready for its engine transplant, courtesy of PowerbookMedic. A replacement processor daughtercard from a donor system is currently on its way from the United States to Australia, meaning that after 20 months of no action from the Pismo, it should only be a few days before it's returned to service.

I opted to keep the 400MHz processor in place instead of upgrading to the faster and more expensive 500MHz variant. The memory is a dual 256MB module configuration for a combined total of 512MB and the Pismo's 40GB hard disk drive, on loan to one of my other PowerBooks, will be returned to the Pismo during the reassembly. It has a Pioneer Slot Load DVD-RW drive in the secondary bay, which is confirmed functional. An 802.11b AirPort card has been fitted. The entire system has been stripped and cleaned, the hinge clutch packs have been inspected for slack and lubricated as necessary and the fan cable has a connector block from a 2006 iMac to replace the older, brittle and cracking connector.

Still to be attended to is a PowerBook Weight Saving Device or a custom made slot load faceplate, a re-cell of the battery pack and replacement of the rubber feet on the base. Does anyone know if feet from a Wallstreet will fit or can be modified to fit? I'll have to source aftermarket replacements if not.

I'm looking forward to having one of my favourite classic Macs functioning again. It's been way too long!

To everyone that recommended eBay, I did not ignore your advice, but I had considered and placed an order for the replacement parts only to find that most prefer not to sell to buyers with no to little activity, and I'm not exactly active on eBay. I decided to proceed with the order from a storefront retailer instead and gained a 12 month warranty on the parts in the process.

 

[iMac600]

Well, the PowerBook CPU arrived. The system now powers on, chimes and begins loading the Mac OS. I can hear drive activity and the volume adjustment tones as I hit the volume keys. However I have no video. Not just backlight, but absolutely no video.

It worked before I placed it into storage. The only part that has been changed is the processor card. I have reset the PRAM and PMU. Still nothing. I'm attempting to test with an external display but don't get anything there either, although I could be doing this incorrectly and not entering Clamshell mode correctly.

EDIT: Fixed it. One of the pins in the processor connector block was slightly bent. After managing to get it absolutely dead straight, the system now displays video on both the internal and external displays.

 

[Hugh]

Good work. I was going to offer a 400mhz daughter board (for the cost of postage from UK) if you needed it, but it seems not.

I currently have a 400mhz, 450 (overclocked 400, being used at the moment in my Pismo, running stably), but I'm waiting for a G4 daughter board from the US, so won't be needing the 400.

If you still feel the need you can have the board as a spare, plus I believe there's 768mb RAM on the G4 if you'd like it (the RAM, not the G4 8-o )

Cheers

Hugh

 

[iMac600]

400MHz PowerPC G3. 512MB RAM. 40GB Hard Drive. ATI Rage Mobility 128. AirPort Wireless Networking. Pioneer Slot Load DVD-RW 8x SuperDrive. Dual Boot between Mac OS 9.2 and Mac OS X Tiger.

This is the PowerBook G3 Pismo in a nutshell. It's an absolutely beautiful machine. My favourite feature by far is the audio hardware as it's so rich and warm, but clear, the product of old school audio hardware engineering. It's a very warm machine, a friendly and inviting machine. I likened it to sitting at a fine wooden desk under the warm glow of a desk lamp with a vinyl on in the background. It's certainly a computer with character.

I think in the coming days and weeks I will attempt to use the PowerBook more often, perhaps use it as a dedicated workspace for that novel I had been intending to write for much too long. I think it would suit it quite nicely.

Now all I need are four rubber feet and either a battery (functional or not), a weight saving device or an optical drive to blank the right bay, which looks incomplete with the addition of the slot load drive. As I asked, does anyone know if Wallstreet feet can be fitted or modified to fit? I have a few spares already if so.

Hugh: I'll certainly keep it in mind. I wouldn't mind a spare. Only issue is at the moment I'm in between jobs so I need to watch what I spend on shipping or anything else for that matter. Hopefully things will settle fairly shortly though.

 

[Hugh]

He he he ...



You're welcome to have the G3 for postage cost mate, just pm me when you are ready

Cheers

Hugh