How to Remove a Powerbook G4 17-Inch Aluminum Hard Drive
- 1). Turn over the laptop so that the latch is facing you but the battery is pointed up. Locate the two tabs on the sides of the battery door. Push them down with your thumbs and then lift the battery away from the PowerBook. Take out the three screws holding the memory door in place using the Phillips-head screwdriver and lift it out of the way.
- 2). Pull apart the tabs located on the sides of the RAM at the top of the opening and pull the chip out of the computer. Repeat if there is a second RAM card installed. Locate the tan connector underneath the RAM. Pull the locking bar that secures the ribbon cable to the clamp using your hands.
- 3). Remove the screws along the top of the case by the hinge using the Phillips-head screwdriver. Then remove the screws along the bottom of the battery compartment using the Phillips-head screwdriver as well. Remove the screws immediately to the left and right of the RAM slots using the T8 Torx-head driver.
- 4). Turn the case so the ports are facing you. Remove the screws along the edge using the Phillips-head screwdriver. Flip the computer around so the headphone jack is toward you and remove those four screws using the Phillips-head screwdriver. Open the laptop as you would normally, then lift the top of the case off, leaving the keyboard in place.
- 5). Locate the hard drive in the lower-left corner of the open case. Carefully disconnect the orange ribbon cable that goes over the hard drive using the spudger. Locate the ribbon cable that comes out of the top half of the hard drive. Unplug it from the logic board using the spudger.
- 6). Unscrew the hard drive bracket from the case using the Torx-head driver. Lift the hard drive out of the case, maneuvering the ribbon cable out from under the other cables in the process. Unscrew the brackets from the side of the hard drive using the Phillips-head screwdriver, and remove the ribbon cable using the spudger.
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