-
Updated 2023-07-12: Hello, Guest! Welcome back, and be sure to check out this follow-up post about our outage a week or so ago.
powerbook duo 2300c
- Thread starter bamdad
- Start date
bamdad
Well-known member
btw, i got the modem to work and uploaded a sys 7.6 from cd and downloaded it to the duo last night. downloaded the 7.6.1 upgrade too. first i installed it, but *surprise* no ppp control panel.
well, no problem, moved the new system folder from the drive root, and re-blessed the former 8.1. nice. downloaded the ot/ppp 1.0 from pure-mac, and began to install 7.6 again. and at this point.. it _froze_.
so now i'm left with a happy mac and the dreaded blinking '?'.
so i need to take out the hd, but to do that i have to remove the top casing. and i just can't get it off.
does anybody know how to get it off properly or any links to a nice guide with pictures..?
well, no problem, moved the new system folder from the drive root, and re-blessed the former 8.1. nice. downloaded the ot/ppp 1.0 from pure-mac, and began to install 7.6 again. and at this point.. it _froze_.
so now i'm left with a happy mac and the dreaded blinking '?'.
so i need to take out the hd, but to do that i have to remove the top casing. and i just can't get it off.
does anybody know how to get it off properly or any links to a nice guide with pictures..?
beachycove
Well-known member
What good will it do you to remove the drive?
Anyway, assuming you want to go this way, you slide the two hinge covers off, remove the main battery, remove the keyboard including disconnecting the cables, tilt the display right back, and carefully pry the top up - beginning at the top left is usually best. It takes a little force, but not much. The lid has some clips along the front, and one in the battery compartment at the front left. Be careful you don't break these clips if possible, and above all, be careful that you don't break the trackpad ribbon, which WILL happen unless you go very slowly once the lid comes away from the base. There is a ribbon connector on the logic board.
Alternatively, look for the relevant manual, and disassembly instructions here: http://farrer.net/~rbf/files/docs/Apple/
Anyway, assuming you want to go this way, you slide the two hinge covers off, remove the main battery, remove the keyboard including disconnecting the cables, tilt the display right back, and carefully pry the top up - beginning at the top left is usually best. It takes a little force, but not much. The lid has some clips along the front, and one in the battery compartment at the front left. Be careful you don't break these clips if possible, and above all, be careful that you don't break the trackpad ribbon, which WILL happen unless you go very slowly once the lid comes away from the base. There is a ribbon connector on the logic board.
Alternatively, look for the relevant manual, and disassembly instructions here: http://farrer.net/~rbf/files/docs/Apple/
bamdad
Well-known member
thank you. with your help i made it.
to answer your question: previously someone suggested to take out the hd and stick it in an enclosure or mini-ide (?) to ide adapter of some kind. since that is far more easily obtainable than a scsi minidock, i'll use my g4 and that adapter to put a working system on the drive instead of scsi disc mode.@bunsen: thanks, i'll do that. i've tried all keywords every evening, but saving the search did not occur to me.
bamdad
Well-known member
hi again,
i was thinking of starting a new topic, but it's about the duo again, so..
i would like to ask for some assistance (again). in the past few months ive been able to get software onto the duo's hard disk (it's only 500 mb, so i'll eventually have to get another one). this involves taking it apart, getting the hd out, putting it into an enclosure and connecting it via usb, and after copying the files, re-blessing the system folder, doing the whole process backwards again.
so i had to pull out the keyboard quite a few times. and recently it partially stopped responding. i can use the command, shift and option keys on both sides, but nothing else. could this be caused by the metal on the keyboard wire tireing? or something more serious? i tried cleaning the connectors (didn't touch the keyboard wires fearing i might rub off more metal) and re-inserting it, zapping pram (with techtool, because opt+apple work, but p+r doesn't), but no effect.
any ideas?
thanks,
bamdad
i was thinking of starting a new topic, but it's about the duo again, so..
i would like to ask for some assistance (again). in the past few months ive been able to get software onto the duo's hard disk (it's only 500 mb, so i'll eventually have to get another one). this involves taking it apart, getting the hd out, putting it into an enclosure and connecting it via usb, and after copying the files, re-blessing the system folder, doing the whole process backwards again.
so i had to pull out the keyboard quite a few times. and recently it partially stopped responding. i can use the command, shift and option keys on both sides, but nothing else. could this be caused by the metal on the keyboard wire tireing? or something more serious? i tried cleaning the connectors (didn't touch the keyboard wires fearing i might rub off more metal) and re-inserting it, zapping pram (with techtool, because opt+apple work, but p+r doesn't), but no effect.
any ideas?
thanks,
bamdad
bamdad
Well-known member
hm, sad news. i guess i'm not going to find another keyboard easily. btw, i have a fully functional keyboard from a powerbook 5300, i could try inserting it for pinpointing the location of the problem.
do you think that's a viable option?
edit: the connectors are solidly in place, or seem to be. just checked them.
do you think that's a viable option?
edit: the connectors are solidly in place, or seem to be. just checked them.
beachycove
Well-known member
As you can scarcely make the keyboard worse than it is, why not disassemble it and see if you can fix it? The various layers in it come apart without too much fuss; you begin, as I recall, by pushing the top and bottom sideways in opposite directions. Try cleaning the rubber sheet and especially the mylar sheets with circuitry that you find there. While it's apart, inspect for broken traces that can be repaired easily with one of those circuit pens.
I have a spare 270c Duo keyboard, on which the keyboard action is poor, but which you could possibly use for parts to restore your (much better) 2300c keyboard, assuming the above doesn't work or that the cable is indeed broken. PM if interested.
I still don't understand, however, why you went about removing the drive repeatedly. Even if you don't have a Dock, why not just install software by networking the thing with another Mac over localtalk?
I too really like my 2300c. Have you checked out the videos on www.powerbookduo.com and the brochure on the Duo over at www.macmothership.com ?
I have a spare 270c Duo keyboard, on which the keyboard action is poor, but which you could possibly use for parts to restore your (much better) 2300c keyboard, assuming the above doesn't work or that the cable is indeed broken. PM if interested.
I still don't understand, however, why you went about removing the drive repeatedly. Even if you don't have a Dock, why not just install software by networking the thing with another Mac over localtalk?
I too really like my 2300c. Have you checked out the videos on www.powerbookduo.com and the brochure on the Duo over at www.macmothership.com ?
bamdad
Well-known member
hi,
i have a feeling that the previous owner (some 10 years ago) took it apart, and wasn't a bit concerned about damaging it. the end of the wires are bent as if someone was trying to pull out the keyboard by force. the connectors, although, are in good shape, and show no damage. i'd like to see how it works with the 5300 keyboard (trying tonight), and in the meantime i'll clean it carefully.
thanks for the offer, if the keyboard or the wiring turns out to be the problem, i'll contact you and we'll make a deal.
to be honest, i don't have a clue how on to connect the duo to any of my macs. they all have modern ethernet ports, and the duo has only a modem (dams slow, and only works with its own software: 'powerport' or something like that) and a printer port. i don't even have wires with appropriate plugs.
i love this little machine, and hate to see it in such a condition. i'll take a look at the links, thanks for those too.
edit: powerbookduo.com is down..
i have a feeling that the previous owner (some 10 years ago) took it apart, and wasn't a bit concerned about damaging it. the end of the wires are bent as if someone was trying to pull out the keyboard by force. the connectors, although, are in good shape, and show no damage. i'd like to see how it works with the 5300 keyboard (trying tonight), and in the meantime i'll clean it carefully.
thanks for the offer, if the keyboard or the wiring turns out to be the problem, i'll contact you and we'll make a deal.
to be honest, i don't have a clue how on to connect the duo to any of my macs. they all have modern ethernet ports, and the duo has only a modem (dams slow, and only works with its own software: 'powerport' or something like that) and a printer port. i don't even have wires with appropriate plugs.
i love this little machine, and hate to see it in such a condition. i'll take a look at the links, thanks for those too.
edit: powerbookduo.com is down..
beachycove
Well-known member
Worked until recently....
Anyway, the same clips are on youtube. Just search on youtube for powerbook duo apple commercial or the like and they should come right up.
As for networking, you urgently need to do some reading on the subject of localtalk. Localtalk networking is simple, and is built into the Duo, like every other Mac of its time. If you have another Mac with a printer port, the two machines can be networked with a standard cable. You can then (generally, not always) find a way to install software by mounting disks etc. from the other machine, or by copying the installer files to the Duo. It's slow, but it works. Very basic guide:
http://www.dur.ac.uk/~dbl0www1/Well_connected_Mac/serialguide/serial.html
Anyway, the same clips are on youtube. Just search on youtube for powerbook duo apple commercial or the like and they should come right up.
As for networking, you urgently need to do some reading on the subject of localtalk. Localtalk networking is simple, and is built into the Duo, like every other Mac of its time. If you have another Mac with a printer port, the two machines can be networked with a standard cable. You can then (generally, not always) find a way to install software by mounting disks etc. from the other machine, or by copying the installer files to the Duo. It's slow, but it works. Very basic guide:
http://www.dur.ac.uk/~dbl0www1/Well_connected_Mac/serialguide/serial.html
bamdad
Well-known member
well, after hours of tinkering with the keyboard, it finally seems that the wires are the real problem. sometimes the function keys work, sometimes they don't. so i'll have to cut a bit off the end of the wires, and use some sandpaper or a knife to connect the metal part to the connectors.
the 5300 keyboard doesn't work either: one of the wires has to be inserted upside down and even then it does nothing.
@beachycove: i'll read this in the near future, thanks, but i think you fail to see the point. you see, i have no other mac with a printer port, or in fact any of these old connectors (lpt, scsi, you name it). i only have a g5, a quicksilver g4, and a first gen imac. and they all have only ethernet. the powerbook 5300 i have is only for parts, since its display is broken, and i guess there's a serious motherboard problem too, 'cause no matter what i do, it won't even get to the startup chime. belive me, if i'd have another mac with a printer port, i wouldn't even bother taking the duo apart, since i'm not an expert in hardware.
the 5300 keyboard doesn't work either: one of the wires has to be inserted upside down and even then it does nothing.
@beachycove: i'll read this in the near future, thanks, but i think you fail to see the point. you see, i have no other mac with a printer port, or in fact any of these old connectors (lpt, scsi, you name it). i only have a g5, a quicksilver g4, and a first gen imac. and they all have only ethernet. the powerbook 5300 i have is only for parts, since its display is broken, and i guess there's a serious motherboard problem too, 'cause no matter what i do, it won't even get to the startup chime. belive me, if i'd have another mac with a printer port, i wouldn't even bother taking the duo apart, since i'm not an expert in hardware.
