Powerbook 170 questions

[Unknown_K]

Well I finally won a PB170 on ebay (my first 68K notebook) and I have a few questions.

The unit is pictured looking mint, but the seller says it will not power on, so what should I look for when I get it?

These units use SCSI laptop drives correct?

Anything special about the power brick?

 

[coius]

I would say try a new power brick. Yes they use SCSI drives and no they do not use any special bricks. Just a PowerBook 100-series powerbrick (the big grey ones with the thick cord that the rest of the 100 series uses).

I miss mine that I used to have in junior high, but I have a PowerBook 145B now, so I feel pretty happy

 

[FlyingToaster]

The battery is probably completely dead. They don't power on without at least a small charge (from what I have read). Maybe having it plugged in for a while will revitalize the thing.

 

[JRL]

The battery is probably completely dead. They don't power on without at least a small charge (from what I have read). Maybe having it plugged in for a while will revitalize the thing.

Yup, exactly the case, except that no amount of charging revives the batteries; they're as good as dead most of the time. I just run my PB 1xxs with no battery at all except for one aftermarket one I have, just to make sure the dead battery won't leak and such.

There is nothing too special about the power adapters (the brick-shaped ones that should say "Macintosh PowerBook AC Adapter"; there are three variations, but the PB works well with all of them. Just don't get the one that says "Apple Low-Power AC Adapter" as that's for the PB 150 only.

 

[Unknown_K]

What voltage and amp rating is the power brick (don't have one)? So I need to remove the battery and it will boot from just the brick?

 

[JRL]

What voltage and amp rating is the power brick (don't have one)?

PowerBook 100 Series M5140 The first AC adapter, 15 W, came with PowerBook 100, 140, and 170 computers.

Note: This adapter was replaced by model M4662.

M5651 The second AC adapter, 19 W, came with the PowerBook 145b, 160, 165, and 180. This adapter works with PowerBook 140, 145, 145b, 160, 165, 170, and 180 computers.

Note: This adapter was replaced by model M4662.

M5652 The third AC adapter, 24 W, is identified with 24 W on the AC adapter tip. This adapter came with PowerBook 165c and 180c computers, and works with PowerBook 140, 145, 145b, 160, 165, 165c, 170, 180, and 180c computers.

Note: This adapter was replaced by model M4662.

Those three are the one that work. The M5651 that I have has an output of DC 7.5V and 2.0 A.

So I need to remove the battery and it will boot from just the brick?

Yup.

 

[Unknown_K]

Got the unit in today, seems clean and intact except for a port cover in back? The battery is dead as expected. I installed the battery into an old Apple deep charger unit and it did nothing (funny the stuff you have laying around with no use for years on end). I popped the cover off and looked inside, there is a 40MB Apple HD installed and there is some sort of small RAM module installed on the motherboard. I suspect the unit has 2MB onboard and a 2MB upgrade for 4MB total RAM?

Since Apple power bricks seems to cost more then what I paid for this thing I ordered a Sony 7.5VDC 2A power brick off of ebay for $6 shipped and will try running the unit that way.

 

[JRL]

Yup, that's the total amount of RAM if the module is the small 2x1 sized one.

Let us know if it boots or not!

 

[Unknown_K]

Will know in a week or so when the power brick shows up.

 

[Unknown_K]

OK, the power brick showed up and I grafted the correct end on it, removed the main battery, and still no life.

I then took it apart and checked the main fuse, it is good.

I didnt see anything out of the ordinary untill I removed the motherboard. On the bottom side close to the main battery terminals there are 2 transisters that have the solder on the ground area melted and golden colored (they also melted into the plastic of the bottom case) with 148 Ohm to ground on one pin when others of the same variety are in the MOhm range so I assume they are toast.

Markings are IRFR I+- R9020 2S 3Y AND Q41 and Q43 are silkscreened by their legs

https://picasaweb.google.com/107784270771159898725/Broken#5589655970400132978 <== shows their location (sorry for the fuzzy picture).

What would cause them to blow (over voltage, bad power brick by the seller?) and not blow the main fuse? Is this a common failure? Would replacing them be the only thing I need to do?

 

[techknight]

only way to know for sure is to remove them with a REALLY hot iron, or a hot air pencil and check them statically out of circuit.

Heavens knows what else could be bad

 

[Unknown_K]

Currently looking for spares parts. Anyone have a spare 170 motherboard?

 

[JRL]

The motherboard itself should be relatively easily to find, as it's shared between PB 140/145/170s. Finding a parts unit should be relatively easy.

Sorry to hear about the burnt components!

 

[Unknown_K]

No big deal, you learn about machines when you have to fix them.

 

[techknight]

ive got a 145b and a 160 parts unit sitting here.

I picked up a 180 the other day, fully complete with working HDD believe it or not.

 

[Unknown_K]

Willing to part with the 145b?

 

[techknight]

machine boots and works fine. but the plastics/casing is damaged beyond usability. This is why its a parts unit, I did re-cap the LCD panel which restored the low/varying contrast condition.

So if your interested hit me up in a PM

 

[basalgangster]

I am looking at a PB170 LCD. The only capacitors on the board are surface mount. Did you replace the surface mount capacitors? If so, what is the procedure for removing the old ones?

 

[techknight]

only the surface mount electrolytics. you remove those like you would remove them from a mainboard. same procedure. just be careful with the traces. AND CLEARANCE. cant substitute, either need the same ones, or new smaller tants. larger radials will FAIL clearance checks.