Powerbook 145b repair attempt needs help

[TonyJay]

I pulled out my stored Powerbook 145b, in what I thought was pristine condition. Hard drive was dead (did not even try to spin), unable to revive (IBM so no sticky rbubber bumpers to fix), so I installed a BlueSCSI which worked beautifully. Nice. What the heck, I am on a roll so I then replaced the batteries in the old case. Easy rebuild, all good and I thought I was finished. However checking out my piece of art, I noticed that a couple of the keys did not work (9, O, [ ) and nothing obvious to see in the keys. So I bought a used keyboard on eBay, installed it, but then other keys did not work. Hmm. Bad used keyboard? I thought the film connectors might have an issue, so I carefully and lightly wiped with some isopropyl alcohol, put everything back together, and now it is worse. A lot more keys don't work! I take apart again, re-seat the connectors, and reboot. And now, screen lights but is blank ! I know that it has booted as it chimes that it was shut down occurred with pulling the adapter plug. It did not change anything putting in my original 'faulty keyboard'. I can now disassemble this in my sleep I have done so many times LOL. A reset (2 buttons on back) did not help.

So ...
1. What do you think might have been the problem with keys not working? Bad keyboard and I replaced with another bad keyboard? The keyboard from eBay was pulled from 'working laptop' according to the description. I know I did not damage the PCB connectors as I was very very careful with them.

2. Did I damage the keyboard connector with alcohol wipe? I noticed some black stuff come off and the contacts were dark, not tinned or copper coloured. Conductive material of some sort that I should not have touched ?

3. What do you think the problem with the no image on the screen? I know bad caps in the display can give this, but it was working a few hours earlier and this would have to be a heck of a co-incidence no? Could I have fried the main board - but if so, I would not hear chimes right?

Any suggestions apart from perhaps taking up a different hobby LOL. i have had good luck restoring Atari 8 bits, but this little Apple laptop has me stumped and frustrated.

 

[TonyJay]

I took everything apart again, re seated every connector and now I get a black screen. I think I will call it a day...

 

[3lectr1cPPC]

My first suspect would the big cable on the interconnect board. They’ve been known to go weak over time and have bad connections. The screen and keyboard are both controlled by this board, so it would not surprise me too much if that was at fault here.

The LCD will also need to be recapped though.

 

[TonyJay]

Thank you!. Do you mean the ribbon cable that connects to the lower case? I have plugged and unplugged that many times so maybe I stressed the connector and cable.

Update (from early this morning as this was upsetting me so much that I made it worse), I re seated the inverter board this time with the sliders fitted into slots (dumb of me not to have noticed they were not lined up), and with moving the sliders I can get a visible but very dim screen. With flashlight I can see images but again when I type, I can see that many keys do not work. Does this suggest the main interconnect cable is ok as there is communication, but the inverter is gone as well as a bad keyboard? I think that I should not have cleaned the printed flex cable connector. Maybe I screwed up the keyboard this way. Most familiar with flex connectors that are copper or tinned - the ones on the 145b were dark, like some sort of conductive paint.

 

[desertrout]

Thank you!. Do you mean the ribbon cable that connects to the lower case? I have plugged and unplugged that many times so maybe I stressed the connector and cable.

Update (from early this morning as this was upsetting me so much that I made it worse), I re seated the inverter board this time with the sliders fitted into slots (dumb of me not to have noticed they were not lined up), and with moving the sliders I can get a visible but very dim screen. With flashlight I can see images but again when I type, I can see that many keys do not work. Does this suggest the main interconnect cable is ok as there is communication, but the inverter is gone as well as a bad keyboard? I think that I should not have cleaned the printed flex cable connector. Maybe I screwed up the keyboard this way. Most familiar with flex connectors that are copper or tinned - the ones on the 145b were dark, like some sort of conductive paint.

Oh man, I feel you on this... sometimes things just roll downhill with a vicious momentum. I did something similar with the keyboard flat cable for a Toshiba T4600c - cleaning off conductive paint thinking it was oxidation - then stupidly thought I could tin the cable instead but just melted in completely... I should have invested in some conductive paint (like this: https://www.amazon.ca/MG-Chemicals-Carbon-Conductive-Pen/dp/B01LZX06PL) instead of being in a rushed-up dummy.

The display is an interesting issue - just no backlight? I suppose that could be an issue from the interconnect cable as the voltage arrives that way - I have a 160 parts machine that has a bad cable, so I know this pain. The potential issue here is that trying to diagnose the issue could futher develop the issue. Not sure what to suggest. It's entirely possible to reconstruct a new cable assembly...

 

[TonyJay]

Thank you for sharing my pain. Actually makes me feel better knowing I am not alone in creating self induced misery. I have ordered an interconnect cable as next step as bad cable would explain more than several things going bad all at once. The flex cable I will try to fix . Thanks for the link. I I’ll be more enthusiastic on attempting a repair if I get it to boot again with a bong, and back to just a bad keyboard. Thanks again. Update after I get the cable.

 

[3lectr1cPPC]

Those keyboard cables are annoying for sure. I've had multiple of that type develop internal microfractures that have broken rows of keys.
I wouldn't write it off until the interconnect board is ruled out though - just cleaning the contacts shouldn't cause much trouble. You never know though.
That type of cable doesn't ever have shiny contacts though. That's not an issue.

 

[Powerbook27364]

Thank you for sharing my pain. Actually makes me feel better knowing I am not alone in creating self induced misery. I have ordered an interconnect cable as next step as bad cable would explain more than several things going bad all at once. The flex cable I will try to fix . Thanks for the link. I I’ll be more enthusiastic on attempting a repair if I get it to boot again with a bong, and back to just a bad keyboard. Thanks again. Update after I get the cable.

I managed to kill the cpu board of a 140 by taking it apart . No idea what I did that caused it though. The interconnects really suck in these computers, so far I haven’t managed to kill any of the PowerBooks I have take apart other than that (new cpu board fixed it). It does sound like something could be wrong with the interconnect board at that point since both keyboards now have even more bad keys. Maybe someone could reproduce the cables in future so that they don’t become a common failure point…

On a side note, when I killed my 140, it didn’t boot at all. Black screen and no bong. I only managed to diagnose it by swapping parts with my other powerbook 145B and 170. Thankfully, parts don’t seem to be that expensive for them, and a new cpu card was about $25

 

[3lectr1cPPC]

Generally when it comes to parts, if there is a single part or couple of parts in an old laptop that fail often, every other part will have a surplus from people parting them out. Since the screens often need attention on these, they're hard to find. But other parts are pretty cheap as a result.

 

[TonyJay]

Well all seems to point to that cable now. Will get it next few weeks, depending on mail service and am very interested in effect once replaced. Honestly I plugged and unplugged that cable many many times, often bending it to get the connector to line up, never once thinking that I could be damaging it. Lesson learned from you and others. Appreciated.

 

[desertrout]

Well all seems to point to that cable now. Will get it next few weeks, depending on mail service and am very interested in effect once replaced. Honestly I plugged and unplugged that cable many many times, often bending it to get the connector to line up, never once thinking that I could be damaging it. Lesson learned from you and others. Appreciated.

Where / how did you order the cable? After replying earlier, I popped over to Digikey to see what kinds of assemblies they had but couldn't find anything with the four-row through-hole end... would love to know!

 

[TonyJay]

I ordered on eBay from seller that even replaced the PRAM battery. There is another seller that has a couple for a bit more (I paid $30), but if you are in US, then shipping will be less for you ($12). I went for one that cost of shipping was less to Canada, using regular mail. Just enter "APPLE 661-0724 820-0411-02 630-5001 INTERCONNECT BOARD POWERBOOK"in eBay search and you should see. Says there are 2 available.These do not come up often I think. Good luck.

 

[3lectr1cPPC]

In the future, don’t bend it wherever possible. Old cables hate being bent. You live and you learn though, I messed up multiple laptop keyboards that way. I hope replacing that board fixes your troubles!

 

[TonyJay]

I

I ordered on eBay from seller that even replaced the PRAM battery. There is another seller that has a couple for a bit more (I paid $30), but if you are in US, then shipping will be less for you ($12). I went for one that cost of shipping was less to Canada, using regular mail. Just enter "APPLE 661-0724 820-0411-02 630-5001 INTERCONNECT BOARD POWERBOOK"in eBay search and you should see. Says there are 2 available.These do not come up often I think. Good luck

I should clarify that I ordered the Interconnect board with attached cable. Not sure where you would get that 60 wire cable with those connectors. Sorry for confusion.

 

[Dogmander]

I

I should clarify that I ordered the Interconnect board with attached cable. Not sure where you would get that 60 wire cable with those connectors. Sorry for confusion.

https://www.digikey.com/en/products/filter/rectangular-cable-assemblies/450?s=N4IgjCBcoBw1oDGUBmBDANgZwKYBoQB7KAbRACYBWAFgE5yBmEAXQIAcAXKEAZQ4CcAlgDsA5iAC%2BBWgAYEIZJHTZ8RUuHJgG5AGwt2XSLwEjxU8LRi15i5bgLFIZOc3MBaCNAWpM9tU-AAdhYJc0p5NigwdkjIKlCgA

I've done some research and something like one of these may work, although not sure about the interconnect board side.
Maybe one of these days I should try to recreate it

 

[TonyJay]

https://www.digikey.com/en/products/filter/rectangular-cable-assemblies/450?s=N4IgjCBcoBw1oDGUBmBDANgZwKYBoQB7KAbRACYBWAFgE5yBmEAXQIAcAXKEAZQ4CcAlgDsA5iAC%2BBWgAYEIZJHTZ8RUuHJgG5AGwt2XSLwEjxU8LRi15i5bgLFIZOc3MBaCNAWpM9tU-AAdhYJc0p5NigwdkjIKlCgA

I've done some research and something like one of these may work, although not sure about the interconnect board side.
Maybe one of these days I should try to recreate it

Thanks. Not sure if the board side is soldered or has detachable connector. Will look more closely when I am replacing the board. Beyond me to create one but would be great if there was an option to replace just the cable and not the whole board.

 

[Papichulo]

I have a powerbook 165c that did the same thing. Turned on when i got it then after i took it apart it decided not to work anymore… same thing happened with the spare one i got.. i think the interconnect cable goes bad and messes it all up

 

[TonyJay]

I have a powerbook 165c that did the same thing. Turned on when i got it then after i took it apart it decided not to work anymore… same thing happened with the spare one i got.. i think the interconnect cable goes bad and messes it all up

Well I am a bit anxious about my 'used' replacement now. I will be very careful on installing. Sellers on eBay understandably can't really guarantee parts from such old computers. Here's hoping on my board.

 

[TonyJay]

I bought a 145 on eBay for parts. It is in better shape than I thought, so thinking that I may try to fix up as well... you know how it goes, Next thing you have a half a dozen Powerbooks in various repair states while you keep looking for parts LOL

Anyway, this one came without a latch button so you need a screw driver to slide it open to position. I could not find an stl file online to print one out. Anyone got a suggestion ?

 

[3lectr1cPPC]

Next thing you have a half a dozen Powerbooks in various repair states while you keep looking for parts LOL

I know the feeling. I had one rare WinBook laptop with a bad keyboard and ordered another really cheap one in poor condition off eBay because "there's no way it will work".

It worked. I still need a new keyboard for the other one.