PowerBook 180 Trackball removal.

[KC13]

I just acquired another PowerBook 180 and want to clean the ball contacts. The trouble is that the ring holding the ball in refuses to rotate. Given how brittle this plastic is, how should I go about rotating it safely? Suggestions very welcome!

 

[3lectr1cPPC]

It can be really tough to get it off - it seems to get stiff and then stick. I've never broken the ring this way on any of mine, but if you're really concerned, you can take the computer apart, remove the trackball module, and then clean it that way.

 

[KC13]

OK, managed to get the ring off. It had been hot glued in place for reasons I cannot fathom. There was nothing broken inside to warrant glue. It is now cleaned out and functions just as well as my other 180.

 

[3lectr1cPPC]

Hah. That’s a strange thing to do, isn’t it? Glad you got it figured out.

 

[Byrd]

It had been hot glued in place for reasons I cannot fathom. There was nothing broken inside to warrant glue.

A solid guess would be that laptop came from a school and kids used to like stealing the balls from mice, in the day ...

 

[KC13]

LOL, that may be the answer.