 |
 |
Why Do MacBook Top Cases Keep Failing?
|
|
|
|
|
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Stoneham, MA, USA
Status:
Offline
|
|
I've opened up plenty of MacBooks over the years without incident. I've replaced displays, optical drives, etc. But from time to time, I've had top cases completely stop working during the process of removing and reinstalling. I'm very careful when I remove and install. It's very strange. The top case is just suddenly dead. The macs that have this problem, work find after getting a new top case. And the MacBooks can still be turned on with the power shorting pins on the logic board. How is it that a MacBook's top case can be killed so easily? Are they really dead? These things are expensive. In the past, this has happened to my own macbooks that were still under warranty, and I've just brought them to apple to have the top case replaced. But I just had it happen to an older macbook so that's not an option. Another strange thing is that when I try to google this specific problem, of top cases dying when they are removed, I don't get any results. Am I cursed? What is going on with this. Any ideas.
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Stoneham, MA, USA
Status:
Offline
|
|
I think I just found my answer. The pins on the top case's connector are separating from the little board they are attached to. There's no way I can solder these microscopic pins back in place. What sucks more is that it looks like I'm going to get stuck paying for this since it broke while I was taking it apart to replace the optical drive. Too bad the ribbon isn't replaceable. It's kind of stupid having to replace the entire top case because one little tiny connector failed.
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Stoneham, MA, USA
Status:
Offline
|
|
Oh snap, spoke too soon. The cable is replaceable, now I just need to find one. Any ideas on that?
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Stoneham, MA, USA
Status:
Offline
|
|
Geez what good are you guys 
922-8278
That's what I need. And it's cheap. Now I just need to find it in stock, in person. Which is unlikely. But at least I can order one and settle this without losing money.
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Join Date: Sep 2008
Status:
Offline
|
|
Because Apples quality is NOT that great, no matter what is said in quality surveys(go check out the Apple community forums). This is true ESPECIALLY on their polycarbonite based machines. Apple's kit has ALWAYS been more about STYLE, not sturdiness. You want sturdy/built like a tank, get an old IBM thinkpad (pre lenovo), although I hear the newer lenovo's are quite rugged as well.
In additon however, all laptops are a pain in the arse to work on (I've fixed my share of all vendors), but I still personally feel Apple's contain the most fragile components overall. After all, it's where they cut costs the most I assure you...
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Cambridge, UK
Status:
Offline
|
|
Yes I broke one of mine - couldn't find a replacement cable though. Perhaps I'll investigate soldering...
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Stoneham, MA, USA
Status:
Offline
|
|
Google up the cables, turns out they're cheap and easy to find. Just not in person. I'm going to try to be extra cheap and salvage one off a junked top case.
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posting Junkie
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: UK
Status:
Offline
|
|
I replaced literally hundreds of these. I kept a good supply of cables from top cases replaced for mostly cosmetic reasons. Anyone who wants one can PM me. I have orange or silver.
(
Last edited by Waragainstsleep; Jun 14, 2011 at 08:16 PM.
)
|
|
I have plenty of more important things to do, if only I could bring myself to do them....
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Professional Poster
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Columbus, OH
Status:
Offline
|
|
Originally Posted by osxtasy 
Because Apples quality is NOT that great, no matter what is said in quality surveys(go check out the Apple community forums). ...
Speak for yourself.
My Macs (starting with the original iMac from September, 1998):
iMac G3 (1998) - Running OS X Tiger.
iMac DV SE (1999) - Running OS X Tiger.
PowerBook G4 TiBook (2001) - Finally died after 10 years of service.
PowerMac G5 (2004) - Running OS X Leopard.
MacBook Intel (2006) - Running OS X Snow Leopard.
MacBook Air (2008) - Running OS X Snow Leopard.
MacMini Intel (2010) - Running OS X Snow Leopard.
I haven't bought a PC since 1998 but every single one I ever had died after a few years.
And those surveys are statistically valid. You can't refute them no matter what your opinion is.
Nobody said Macs don't break. The number of people who post on Apple's discussion forums with some kind of problem are a minority as reflected in those surveys.
Originally Posted by osxtasy
... I still personally feel Apple's contain the most fragile components overall. After all, it's where they cut costs the most I assure you.....
That's your opinion and you're entitled to it but don't try to pass it off as factual. The truth is quite the opposite.
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Clinically Insane
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: 888500128, C3, 2nd soft.
Status:
Offline
|
|
Originally Posted by osxtasy
In additon however, all laptops are a pain in the arse to work on (I've fixed my share of all vendors), but I still personally feel Apple's contain the most fragile components overall. After all, it's where they cut costs the most I assure you...
I take it you haven't been inside one of the unibody MacBooks/Pros yet.
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Clinically Insane
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Los Angeles
Status:
Offline
|
|
Are top case problems an epidemic? Is it a design flaw?
|
"The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground." TJ
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Professional Poster
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Winnipeg, MB
Status:
Offline
|
|
OK I'm confused, what issue are you guys running into on what repair? I opened up my white MacBook more reasons than I can count, including taking apart everything but the screen pretty well to fix an issue where the track pad connector had come loose. I wasn't even that careful.
Are you guys actually taking apart the back of the monitor?
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Professional Poster
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: UKland
Status:
Offline
|
|
I've never found the top case to be overly fragile. They go along the front where the lid closes on them, which Apple will still replace free in store, but I've not have one die after disconnecting the trackpad cable. I admit I am fairly careful, don't just yank the case off, a gentle prise with a plastic spudger does the trick fine.
I've also not found that Apple's quality is poor inside the case. Some problems do arise due to Apples love of compact design, which by necessity often results in smaller and more fragile components but not fragile through lack of quality.
They do make some insane design decisions though. Anyone remember trying to replace the optical drive on a 12in PowerBook G4. ONe soddin' screw placement means the whole logic board has to come out. FOR NO REASON AT ALL!
|
|
This space for Hire! Reasonable rates. Reach an audience of literally dozens!
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posting Junkie
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: UK
Status:
Offline
|
|
Originally Posted by Doc HM
They do make some insane design decisions though. Anyone remember trying to replace the optical drive on a 12in PowerBook G4. ONe soddin' screw placement means the whole logic board has to come out. FOR NO REASON AT ALL!
Oh yes. I used to leave those screws out in case they cam back for another repair.
There was often a way around these types of design "features" (I could get a PSU out of almost any PowerMac G5 without removing the logic board) but no way to avoid the dreaded 12" optical drive problem. DC board on those was the same, under the logic board.
The issue described by the OP is that sometimes when you disconnect the ribbon cable from the logic board on a MacBook the connector comes off the ribbon cable. Its actually pretty rare if you are careful but it does happen sometimes regardless of how careful you are. I figured those units just got worked a bit harder and it came loose due to frequent temperature differential or something.
As for the quality of Apple kit in general, I'm with Spheric. The quality of Apple parts is pretty damn high compared to most. PC laptops are generally cheap plastic things which creak and flex too much. Overall utterly inferior quality wise.
The issue with Apple is when they deliberately design something to be awkward or annoying. Take the Airport cards in some of the unibody MacBook/Pros. If you connect them upside down at the logic board end (you really shouldn't be able to but you can) they actually work fine for 5 minutes then burn out the logic board. This is just about as stupid as it gets. I also take issue with some of the other connectors Apple has chosen over the years. The unibody machines are full of poor ones but a lot of ribbon cable connectors are just too fragile or prone to becoming brittle.
|
|
I have plenty of more important things to do, if only I could bring myself to do them....
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Join Date: Aug 2011
Status:
Offline
|
|
On one of the Apple forums, I found a link to pbparts.com where I placed an order for just the flex cable...
I haven't installed it yet, but the fellow on the phone that I dealt with was great and the delivery came to me as quickly as could be expected, given I only requested regular mail.
Here's the link to the part for the Early 2008 MacBook Pros...I had better stop typing and get a screwdriver, etc. out to fix this machine before the keyboard and trackpad stop working again...
922-8571 $34.00 - MacBook Pro (15-inch Early 2008) Top Case Flex Cable
Cheers,
~ds
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 
|
|
|
Forum Rules
|
|
|
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
|
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Top