Apple PowerBook G3 400 Sound Card Replacement

Last updated on July 30, 2014

20 - 35 minutes

Moderate

Introduction

There are several steps to be done before you will have access to the sound card. These steps include removing the keyboard, RAM, hard drive, and display.

What you need

Tools

Step 1 Keyboard

Apple PowerBook G3 400 Sound Card Replacement, Keyboard: step 1, image 1 of 1

Pull the keyboard tabs toward you while lifting up on the keyboard until it releases from it's hold.
To lift the keyboard out pull it up and away from you. Then place the keyboard on the track pad.

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Step 2

Pull the keyboard ribbon vertically from the logic board to release connection.
The connector may be tight and difficult to remove. If stuck try rocking the connector back and forth while pulling up until it releases. This same process can be used for many of the connectors on this device.
Remove battery and CD/DVD drives before proceeding any further.

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Step 3

Your computer should look approximately like this.

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Step 4 RAM

Apple PowerBook G3 400 Sound Card Replacement, RAM: step 4, image 1 of 1

Remove the two silver Phillips #1 screws that attach the heat shield to the metal framework.
Lift the heat shield up and toward you.

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Step 5

Pull the PRAM battery cable vertically upward to disconnect it.
Remove the battery by pulling up and to the left.

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Step 6

Remove the two T8 Torx screws that attach the heat sink to the processor.
Remove the long silver Phillips #1 screw from the heat sink.

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Step 7

Lift up the heat sink unit from the left side and remove.

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Step 8

Lift the processor on the right side and pull directly up.
The RAM chips should be in the slots on the processor.

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Step 9

After removing the RAM, your laptop should now look like this.

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Step 10 Hard Drive

Apple PowerBook G3 400 Sound Card Replacement, Hard Drive: step 10, image 1 of 1

Locate the orange tab, which should be just left of the hard-drive.
You must disconnect this orange tab from the logic board to enable the next step.
It is better to do this by grabbing the plastic connection point, not the relatively flexible cable.

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Step 11

Grab the plastic strip shown here and gently remove, pulling up and left.
Pull left to avoid the hard drive catching the casing.

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Step 12

Once you have removed the hard-drive, your laptop should like this.

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Step 13 Modem

Apple PowerBook G3 400 Sound Card Replacement, Modem: step 13, image 1 of 1

Remove the single black Torx screw from the modem.
Remove the black rectangle that is being held on by the one Torx screw.

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Step 14

Using your fingers, lift the modem from the socket it is plugged into.

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Step 15

Disconnect the cable that is attached to the end of the modem to remove the modem.

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Step 16 Display

Apple PowerBook G3 400 Sound Card Replacement, Display: step 16, image 1 of 1

Your computer will look approximately like this.

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Step 17

Push the display back.
Put your index finger under the power button and gently pull the clutch cover back.
Repeat for the left side.

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Step 18

Lift the clutch cover up and off. Pull it towards yourself.

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Step 19

Disconnect the display cable from the logic board.

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Step 20

Remove the Torx screw that holds the display cable.
Pull out thick display inverter board by pulling it up and out. Two tabs will be holding it in place, you need to get pass these to pull the board free.

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Step 21

Disconnect the white inverter cable. Pull it towards the left.

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Step 22

Disconnect the inverter plug by pulling it up from the logib board.

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Step 23

Turn the laptop around.
Open the port door.
Remove the four Torx screws.

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Step 24

Turn the laptop so the front faces you.
Pull the black Airport antenna up.

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Step 25

Pull the display up as you hold it firmly with both hands.

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Step 26 Sound Card

Apple PowerBook G3 400 Sound Card Replacement, Sound Card: step 26, image 1 of 1

Your laptop should look something like this.

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Step 27

Disconnect the large orange wire that is shown.

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Step 28

Take out the one short black and three long silver Torx screws from casing.

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Step 29

Slide the black plastic shield away from you and out from under the hard plastic casing.
Disconnect the orange cable from the logic board.
Take out the two long silver Torx screws.

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Step 30

Turn your laptop over.
Take out the five small Torx screws from casing.
Remove the two long Torx screws and make sure these are put back in the right place when reassembling your device.

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Step 31

Turn your laptop back over.
Remove the three small black Torx screws from the frame.
Remove the small Torx screw that holds the logic board to the casing on the left.

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Step 32

Hold the upper casing in the place shown and pull it back to release the lock. When the lock has released, pull up just enough to keep the case from locking again.

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Step 33

The eject button on the left side of the laptop keeps the upper casing from lifting up. To get around this, you must push the button in to the point that the upper casing can pass by the button and continue lifting up.

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Step 34

Lift up the left side of the upper case just enough so that the two audio cables connected to the sound card can be disconnected.
Do not lift the upper casing too far without disconnecting the audio cables otherwise there is a possibility of damaging the sound card.
After disconnecting the audio cables remove the upper casing.

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Step 35

Your laptop should look something like this.

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Step 36

Take out the two long silver Torx screws from the power card.
Hold the power card near the black plastic shielding and lift up to remove power card.

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Step 37

Lightly hold the metal shield on the left side of it and slowly pull up and toward the front of the laptop.
These clips will bend very easily and need to be handled with care when taking it out of the laptop.

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Step 38

Remove the black Torx screw from the metal frame that it is holding it to the bottom casing.
Using a 5mm wrench or needle-nose pliers remove the small nut from the bolt.

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