I think the portable is a fine machine.   

Cap goo / and L/A and 9v battery leaks can cause anything to go to heck.

did we determine the leaky goo from the HD might also cause rot on the mb as well?

I wonder if elfen is onto something with the UNIDISK and the portable.... ?  and dead SWIM's?

i think when you run a portable with the PowerBook adaptors 2.0 and even 3.0a adaptors ,  

that mixed with leaked conductive cap goo,  maybe mixed with other leakages from batteries and additional rot 

maybe created by the goo dripping out of the conner hd.

and with out a 6v lead acid battery in there to stabilize the thing....

you are going to cause damage and not even realize how much.

i have 3 dead powerbook 100 boards..  well 4 including the one that mike sent me.

SMT electrolytic caps all over the darn thing.

also with most of the pb 100's i have seen under the MB is a crap load of hand soldered re-work, diodes, resistors ... kinda hidden from view.

i don't think apple handed the mac portable to sony and said here fix this.

I think they handed it to sony and said can you please miniaturize this.

i guess think of the Powerbook 100, as a SONY VAIO 1.0