The immortal PowerBook 100

[Morrick]

In a recent thread, I wrote:

By the way, I'm trying to resuscitate my good old PowerBook 100 but, alas, to no avail.
I put it away some months ago, switched off, perfectly functioning (well, the hard drive was dead, but the PowerBook worked well using floppies and RAM disks). Recently I fell in love again with it, and decided to give it a second chance, while looking for a hard drive replacement. Nothing. I even put 3 new lithium backup batteries. Nothing. It doesn't start up. It doesn't run from the power adapter alone. I have 2 batteries but evidently they're both dead.

Sadness, frustration, etc.

Well, guys, that fucker's alive! [] ]'> As Björk sang, I'm violently happy!

After trying resetting the PMU countless times, disassembling the PowerBook 4 times, checking the checkable -- and re-checking, I was pretty sure it was all a matter of battery. "The lead-acid battery has drained beyond repair and unless I find another one, this good old PowerBook won't power up", this I said to myself the other day. As a last resort (and because there's always hope) I left the PowerBook 100 connected to the power adapter and with the battery inserted, hoping it could recharge a little.

Well, today I went out and returned home after a few hours, quite worried because there was a sudden, violent rainstorm and I was concerned for all the Macs left sleeping and the AirPort bases, etc. I rushed to my studio and heard a strange whirring sound... it was coming from the PowerBook internal speaker... I remembered that whirr very well... I opened the PowerBook, turned it on and *bling!* [] ]'>

Looking at my alarm clock on the nightstand, I noticed that the thunderstorm caused a small black-out while I was away. I don't know but, could that power interruption / resumption have provided the "boost of life" to the PowerBook?

In any case, it's alive, and I'm amazed. Sorry for the length but I had to share!

:b&w:

Cheers!

Rick

 

[equant]

"It's Aliiiive!!"

 

[MacMan]

"It's Aliiiive!!"

My thoughts exactly! You could just imagine a Frankensteinien moment of the PowerBook 100 being risen from the dead by a bolt of lightening into the power connector.

Glad to hear it's working!

 

[Morrick]

Haha, yes indeed! Thinking over it, the whole situation does have a creepy touch. LOL.

Thanks for your support

Cheers!

Rick

 

[equill]

From your first post it might have been speculated that the battery (batteries?) had, during storage, sulphated beyond resuscitation, which could have been solved only by their total replacement. However, and any 'explanation' is more speculation than explanation, it may have been that yet another MLB reset during the possible power outage was the cause of Lazarus' resurrection.

However it was, bonne chance to you and the PB.

de

 

[Morrick]

From your first post it might have been speculated that the battery (batteries?) had, during storage, sulphated beyond resuscitation, which could have been solved only by their total replacement.

Which is, better worded, what I was led to think by the PowerBook's behaviour.

(And by the way, I apologise for my verbose rambling in my last PM -- I was indeed frustrated by what I thought was an irreversible situation.)

Cheers!

Rick

 

[naryasece]

What an eery story! I think I will try that with my PowerBook 100. Although, If i recall, it killed every power supply I tried to use with it and corrupted every floppy i tried sticking into the external floppy drive... maybe some things are better off left for dead.

Congrats on reviving your 100!

 

[Bunsen]

I can see this starting a trend of wiring dead Macs up to lightning rods ...