[tictactoe]

All I did was take it over to my girlfriend's house yesterday. It was not dropped or mishandled in any way (I'm VERY careful with it). Ever since then, it does not sit flat on any flat surface.

This is pretty lame if you ask me. I normally wouldn't care, but the fact that it wobbles a bit as I type makes it very annoying. Is there any way I can try to fix it? I tried to apply gentle pressure to it so as to bend it back a bit, but that didn't help (luckily, didn't make it worse either).

I guess I could buy some of these (Pawz) http://www.radtech.us/Products/Pawz.aspx and see if that helps. I'd probably have to only put on two of them...

[chabig]

Gentle pressure ought to work. You probably need to apply just a bit more. As a machine, all of the parts and connectors have a certain amount of play in them. It's OK to push it back into shape. Try putting it diagonally on the edge of a table for support (with the lid open) and then gently pushing down on the corner that's hanging off the edge.

Chris

[tictactoe]

I'll give that a try, hopefully it doesn't end up worse.

Does Apple's warranty cover this at all?

[chabig]

No. It's considered cosmetic. But it's common. Gentle pressure ought to fix it.

Chris

[iREZ]

Gentle push is my fix for this. Just make sure you open the book so you don't apply pressure to the lcd. Open the book, put the odd edge over a table top and push slightly till gone.

[Dr.Michael]

Don't apply force!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This might bend your case and introduce permanent tension.

Loosen the visible screws at the sides and the back and put the pb on a flat table. Then it will fall into the right shape again. Help a little with GENTLE pressure at the corners if necessary.
Fasten the screws afterwards without moving the powerbook.

I found this out after I opened my pb and found the case distorted with the same symptoms like you afterwards. Works perfect without any risk to break something.

[bbales]

I know this sounds really, really obvious -- but sometimes people miss the obvious! You didn't lose one of your rubber feet, did you? That will make it wobble as well. And they're easy to lose -- I've lost at least a couple. In fact, one is missing now and I need to replace it, as the wobble is quite annonying when you typel

[MichaelSullivan]

Originally posted by Dr.Michael:
[B]Loosen the visible screws at the sides and the back and put the pb on a flat table. Then it will fall into the right shape again. ... Fasten the screws afterwards without moving the powerbook.

That doesn't make sense. If the PB is lying flat on a table, how are you going to fasten the screws without moving it?

[Dr.Michael]

Originally posted by MichaelSullivan:
That doesn't make sense. If the PB is lying flat on a table, how are you going to fasten the screws without moving it?

You cannot fasten the screws at the sides and the back (not beneath) without moving the powerbook?
It is important not to lift the powerbook with loose screws because then the case will distort again.

[MichaelSullivan]

ah, I misread your initial post. Thanks for the clarification.

[ibook_steve]

Not sure where you are getting the whole screw loosening and tightening for fixing the wobble problem. That really wouldn't do anything. The wobble problem has been present since the first 12" aluminum Powerbooks. Gently twisting the bottom case usually fixes it temporarily if not permanently. Here's how I do it. I'm pretty sure I've posted this before. Do not try doing this over the edge of a table. That's a sure way to exert too much stress and cause some sort of problem.

1) Open the lid.
2) Hold the machine with the side you want to twist with your thumb over the Torx screw in the upper right or left hand corner and the rest of your hand under the machine. Hold tight with the other hand.
3) Twist slightly and gently along the horizontal axis of the base of the machine.

This has worked numerous times for me on many machines.

Steve

[Dr.Michael]

Originally posted by ibook_steve:
Not sure where you are getting the whole screw loosening and tightening for fixing the wobble problem.

You are right. This is really complicated and hard to understand .

[romeosc]

Just put a stack of encyclopedias on it on a flat surface! (You may need to go to an antique store to find an encyclopedia! LOL)

[ibook_steve]

Originally posted by romeosc:
Just put a stack of encyclopedias on it on a flat surface! (You may need to go to an antique store to find an encyclopedia! LOL)

Do not do this! You should not exert a lot of pressure on the top case or the keyboard. You could damage the LCD or the keyboard.

Steve

[celebyte]

I began to have this problem after I installed ram before which I had to remove the battery. So I've always thought that it wasn't warp, but the battery not aligned that caused it since the symptom will disappear after I used the powerbook for a while, and then occur again after I pick it up. hm...

Another thing is that when I close the lid, one rubber makes contact, but the other doesn't. So whenever I grab the front, it makes a click sound while both rubbers make contact. Any fix for that? Powerbooks seem to be more vulnerable generation after generation...

[tictactoe]

I solved the problem, but I did it in a very weird way:






























I exchanged it for a 15" PB.

[tie]

Well, the 15 inches wobble, too, although perhaps not as often.

My 12 inch wobbles and has since day one.

Amazing that these wobble threads have been going on for more than two years now. I guess the case isn't very strong.

I need to find a little screwdriver and try this fix.

[vmichaelsf]

Originally Posted by tie

Well, the 15 inches wobble, too, although perhaps not as often.

My 12 inch wobbles and has since day one.

Amazing that these wobble threads have been going on for more than two years now. I guess the case isn't very strong.

I need to find a little screwdriver and try this fix.

my three month old 12" pb has started to warp/wobble; i took it to the apple store and am having it fixed under warranty. i expected more from an apple product. what are you going to do. at least, i never had the trackpad problem.

[alianna_98]

My 2-week-old 15" powerbook wobbles, too. I actually sent it in for "repair" after talking to an AppleCare guy on the phone. It was picked up on Monday, I got it back Wednesday. The sheet of paper that came with it said that they replaced the bottom casing. And guess what? It still wobbles! I'll probably take it to an Apple Store sometime just to see if it's fixable at all. Using it is fine if you have the 'book on your lap, scorchingly hot it may be (I've bought two lap pads so far), but it does become annoying when typing while the powerbook is resting on a table.

[Voch]

Originally Posted by alianna_98

Using it is fine if you have the 'book on your lap, scorchingly hot it may be (I've bought two lap pads so far), but it does become annoying when typing while the powerbook is resting on a table.

Maybe a Podium Coolpad will even it out (and provide some air circulation...my primary reason for using one)? I never use my TiBook on a surface without the Traveller Coolpad.

Voch

[alianna_98]

Originally Posted by Voch

Maybe a Podium Coolpad will even it out (and provide some air circulation...my primary reason for using one)? I never use my TiBook on a surface without the Traveller Coolpad.

Voch

Thanks for the recommendation. I first got the Targus portable lapdesk from Staples. It does not work very well with this powerbook. Sitting on the couch with the PB on top of the lapdesk, it still gets too hot on my lap. The computer also tends to slip downwards which is annoying when I'm computing in bed. I just ordered the iLap which should arrive today. If that still does not work well, I'll probably try the Podium Coolpad.