Macintosh Portable (upgraded to backlit)

[Cosmo]

Picked this today after an ad at local macintosh users forum. I was looking for the backlit-display parts for my Portable i got from Juhani few weeks ago, this guy replied that he has an whole machine if i was interested. We agreed if it works i'll pay him 100€ (he was first looking into prices from eBay but agreed that if it goes to a "good home", 100€ will do). Not excatly "cheap" but in this condition it's an real find i think. Had to drive some 80 km roundtrip to get it. I have already an original bag for this.

Macintosh Portable (M5120)

+ Battery (dead of cos, but it's really good shape to do the recell-job on it)

+ Power adapter

+ 40Mb Conner HDD

+ This has an backlit upgrade kit on it and as well an 8Mb RAM expansion card - this was just fantastic suprise!

Amazingly clean and white. Real find absolutely.

Now i have both models and if i find non-backlit panel, i can do the swap and have both models. Brilliant!

 

[uniserver]

does it boot up?

does the back light work?

does the 40mb conner hd work?

 

[Macdrone]

Wow congrats I am jealous.

 

[Cosmo]

There'll be obiously some work to be done as the battery is dead as a rock (naturally). Need to recell it somewhere. No boot with PM100 power adapter either for some reason. The guy who sold it, offered to recap it as well wich will be done after i test with another (working) battery and another power adapter.

 

[mcdermd]

With a known good 9V battery installed, remove the power to the hard drive and try pressing both the reset and programmer switch simultaneously a few times. Be sure that you have the battery cover installed to close it's microswitch.

 

[Cosmo]

Replacing the 9V extra battery shortly. Did already try the programmers switch trick with no go. Will try another power adapter and friend's "known good" battery.

 

[Cosmo]

Techknight once said:

http://68kmla.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=17078&start=25

Answer: YES. You can. I tried it, it works. Idles at 1.80amps, takes about 2.2 amps surge to spin up the drive. There is a catch. You must have the battery cover removed. Why? the 9v isnt connected to the circuit at all until the saftey interlock is disengaged. The interlock switches out the 6V battery and switches in the 9V battery when the cover is slid off and removed.
Is it advisable? no. Why? it runs the switching regulators harder/hotter. Heat shortens the lifetime of components in the long run.

So one can try the 9V battery when the battery cover removed.

 

[Macdrone]

Not enough power with just the 9 volt battery, the small wires were only meant to retain clock while changing out battery. If you use a PowerBook series power plug 7.2 volt 2amp cord it should work. I use mine like tat now while waiting for the new cyclone batteries to recall a pack. The cord that comes with the portable is only meant as a charger not a power supply. They changed that with the first PowerBooks is why you can use it. After recalling of course with battery in use original plug for correct charging.

 

[Macdrone]

I'm gonna also repeat that the motherboard caps will keep the unit from doing everything including charging and powering on.

 

[Cosmo]

I'm gonna also repeat that the motherboard caps will keep the unit from doing everything including charging and powering on.

Yes i am fully aware of that

 

[Byrd]

That backlit upgrade is awesome how it runs off the expansion slot in the Portable. Still have to give my Portable more love, will try a higher amperage PSU on it one day. It chimes, starts up, HD starts to spin then powers down. It's been recapped.

 

[Cosmo]

I am looking into redoing the battery with this:

http://www.partco.biz/verkkokauppa/product_info.php?cPath=2092_1367_1387&products_id=10032

The guy i got this portable have this replacement battery and it works fine (he recapped his board just last weekend). We'll recap mine as well, if not both, i have.

 

[shred]

I've never seen an original Portable with the backlit display upgrade fitted. Thanks for sharing the photos.

 

[Macdrone]

That's cheaper than what I just did. I ordered exact replacement batteries at 10 dollars a piece and I am soldering them together now.