Thread
PowerBook 520c white screen of death
I just bought myself a nice condition PB 520c which was said to be working.
When I powered it on, it only showed white picture, so I guessed that the contrast must be off or something. I perhaps saw a very very faint picture in the background of the Mac OS loading screen. The contrast control doesn't react when pressed.
As I recently also got a PB 165 with similar problem (it needed new caps on the LCD panel), I was wondering if the 520c was also affected by this.
What should I try before opening it?
When I powered it on, it only showed white picture, so I guessed that the contrast must be off or something. I perhaps saw a very very faint picture in the background of the Mac OS loading screen. The contrast control doesn't react when pressed.
As I recently also got a PB 165 with similar problem (it needed new caps on the LCD panel), I was wondering if the 520c was also affected by this.
What should I try before opening it?
I solved the problem. The picture came at different screen angles, so I figured that it must be the connection issue.
I took the whole PB apart, cleaned all the connections with the contact cleaner and then put it all back together.
I also checked the LCD screen, and it has some electrolytics at the back, but all of them are small radials (through hole) Nichicons 50V unknown value.
Also there is a SMD 100uF 25V cap on the logic board that may leak in the future, but for now I left it there. There are also two SMD caps on the modem board (4,7uF 16V and 10uF 16V), which may require replacement.
I took the whole PB apart, cleaned all the connections with the contact cleaner and then put it all back together.
I also checked the LCD screen, and it has some electrolytics at the back, but all of them are small radials (through hole) Nichicons 50V unknown value.
Also there is a SMD 100uF 25V cap on the logic board that may leak in the future, but for now I left it there. There are also two SMD caps on the modem board (4,7uF 16V and 10uF 16V), which may require replacement.
Glad you solved it.
I need to do this to mine, it looks like, though mine goes dark, not white. Only happens when I move the screen a certain way though.