Thread
BLACKBOOK! (GrayBook) W00t!
I am buying this really beat up BlackBook from my friend for 140$ including an installation of Windows 7 on his current UMPB (Windows Tiny7 No key needed }
) I am going to craft a new MacBook using the parts I have from the two other dead ones and call it the GrayBook. It'll be monochrome using keys from the Black MacBook onto the White MacBooks trackpad and stuff. I believe it's a 2.0C2D 80GB 1GB RAM.
The Screen is shattered but it's OK because I have two Screens. The Hinges are gone, and the case is scratched all around. It's missing a key on the keyboard. It's for sure a fixer upper. It'll be my Main laptop once I fix it using the 320GB 7200RPM drive in my MSI Wind using the same EFI Install on the HD without change.
It's going to be called the "To Save a MacBook Project" a play on the book "To Kill a MockingBird"
Welcome me to the Intel Macintosh Side!
) I am going to craft a new MacBook using the parts I have from the two other dead ones and call it the GrayBook. It'll be monochrome using keys from the Black MacBook onto the White MacBooks trackpad and stuff. I believe it's a 2.0C2D 80GB 1GB RAM.The Screen is shattered but it's OK because I have two Screens. The Hinges are gone, and the case is scratched all around. It's missing a key on the keyboard. It's for sure a fixer upper. It'll be my Main laptop once I fix it using the 320GB 7200RPM drive in my MSI Wind using the same EFI Install on the HD without change.
It's going to be called the "To Save a MacBook Project" a play on the book "To Kill a MockingBird"
Welcome me to the Intel Macintosh Side!
Instead of the obligatory "I hate you" posts, i'll say you're a legend. Top points for going the extra mile and fixing all this hardware, definitely not an easy task but you seem to know what you're doing.
Enjoy the new machine, and best of luck piecing it together.
Enjoy the new machine, and best of luck piecing it together.
Soo (at Osgeld...)
Typing on GrayBook Proto 1. So this is the setup, top case is from a white MacBook along with the screen assembly. Bottom Case is the original Black part. Since I used EFI for my Wind Install it booted right into Mac OSX With all my files and everything 100% normal! Whats Working: 100% Everything!!!
I'll post some piccies soon. So here's the info for it. Core Duo with 1GB Ram.
Typing on GrayBook Proto 1. So this is the setup, top case is from a white MacBook along with the screen assembly. Bottom Case is the original Black part. Since I used EFI for my Wind Install it booted right into Mac OSX With all my files and everything 100% normal! Whats Working: 100% Everything!!!
I'll post some piccies soon. So here's the info for it. Core Duo with 1GB Ram.
Hey, Thanks! ProtoType 2 will include the wonderful two colored keyboard, that I have tried on one of my black Apple Keyboards using my broken white one (Check Peripherals for the thread on it), and more black stuff. I am not sure if I will use the top cover and keep the white Bezel or use the White Cover and have a black bezel... What do you guys think?At one point I also want a black power button so that it is easier to locate at night, because on the ole MSI Wind, there was a big blue light on the power button and on the MacBook... Nada.
There are still a few kinks I need to iron out for the GrayBook To be perfect:
Wi-Fi: Being a bit flaky: Not sure if it's the card that the antennae became loose while I was switching Screen Assemblies, but the card there is a G Card, I have an Apple Draft-N Card and my wireless box is draft-n }
Sleep Light: Doesn't light up, I am not sure if the repair did this or the stepping on did, because at the area of the sleep and IR there is like a pry mark on the bottom black case, I have two IR/Sleep things though.
I like having almost two sets of extra parts for this machine (Save for the Logic Board of course
)-Mars, In pure bliss at having a MacBook (GrayBook!)
P.S. Typing from the GrayBook, my Wi-fi seems fine from my room instead of next to the router hmmm.
P.S.S Hey jt could you change the title of this to add a (GrayBook) at the end of BLACKBOOK!? Thanks!
Wi-Fi is Fixed. It was a loose antennae, and I could not replace the card, because one of the screws holding the card down was stripped. Ah whatever. G is fine, I think our slowish internet would Bottleneck N Speeds anyway. Sleep light is still a nogo. I just tried reseating the Ribbon instead of replacing it. It's fine. It takes about five seconds though to fully go to sleep... ideas?Looks good.
The only idea I have for your sleep issue is three fold:
1. Run updates. Maybe OS X isn't as happy with the new HW as you think it is.
2. Slap in a temp HD and load a fresh install of OS X to see if it sleeps properly and the light comes on.
3. Try replacing the light / sensor anyway and see what happens.
The only idea I have for your sleep issue is three fold:
1. Run updates. Maybe OS X isn't as happy with the new HW as you think it is.
2. Slap in a temp HD and load a fresh install of OS X to see if it sleeps properly and the light comes on.
3. Try replacing the light / sensor anyway and see what happens.
1. Done many times, the only thing that comes up is the MacBook EFI update that does not install because of "An unexpected error occurred (0). Your firmware can not be updated"
I believe this is result of my EFI partition being full of MSI Wind Drivers ETC.
2. Will try once I find my Snow Leopard disk.
3. This is the final step and most likely what's gonna fix it.
GrayBook 1.3:
-Wi-Fi really was not fixed, it worked and then flaked out. A Stripped screw on theG card prevented me from removing it easily, and with anger at the stripped screw I ripped the Standoff holding the screw and the wifi card right out! I then put my N Card and it worked speedy fast and nice reception, I am seeing many WiFi networks I have never seen.
- Added a Gigabyte of RAM putting it at 1.5GB, just a half gig less than my Wind.
- More screws put back in.
Now for the deets on 2.0:
- Tiled Keyboard
- Working Sleep light
- Colored Apple.
- Black bezel.
-Wi-Fi really was not fixed, it worked and then flaked out. A Stripped screw on theG card prevented me from removing it easily, and with anger at the stripped screw I ripped the Standoff holding the screw and the wifi card right out! I then put my N Card and it worked speedy fast and nice reception, I am seeing many WiFi networks I have never seen.
- Added a Gigabyte of RAM putting it at 1.5GB, just a half gig less than my Wind.
- More screws put back in.
Now for the deets on 2.0:
- Tiled Keyboard
- Working Sleep light
- Colored Apple.
- Black bezel.
Looks like somebody beat me to the title mod.P.S.S Hey jt could you change the title of this to add a (GrayBook) at the end of BLACKBOOK!? Thanks!
BTW, it's p.p.s. for post-post-script, you can add as many "posts" as needed, but you never need to add a second "script" to the "postscripts" to your (script) message/letter.
I like the name "GrayBook" a lot, but it'd be worth considering some play on words regarding the Black/White contrasts, seeing as there's not really any "Gray" involved . . .
. . . unless you've got something evil up your sleeve! }
:rambo: 
) Yeah, that was me.Looks like somebody beat me to the title mod.P.S.S Hey jt could you change the title of this to add a (GrayBook) at the end of BLACKBOOK!? Thanks!
I came online last night and I figured it'd be just as well done by me as it would anyone else. Either way, it looks like a great project...I can imagine you'd be pleased to finally have a working MacBook!
I agree. I think you (Mars, not Bunsen) should keep it two-tone. It shows that it's unique, that work was done on it.Two-tone Macbook is rock }
I think those are both great ideas as well. The keyboard should be opposite-color from the surround; possibly with alpha keys and numerics/extras different. (Or maybe just the F-keys.)
If you're going to have it single-tone, I'd say see if you can actually make it gray. (But that's a lot more work, of course.)
The tiled idea has been losing points in my book. Yesterday I saw one that one row of keys was white and another was black, IT looked like stairs it was so cool.
I do have a bottle neck, on the Black Keyboard, I am missing the F key, so I have to work around that.
Now, It takes some time getting used to this chiclet keyboard :lol:
I do have a bottle neck, on the Black Keyboard, I am missing the F key, so I have to work around that.
Now, It takes some time getting used to this chiclet keyboard :lol:
If you're used to a desktop keyboard, yeah, it will be hard. One of my main concerns when buying my MacBook was that I was afraid that the keyboard might be a bit, well, crap. However, I actually really quite like it....its probably the first laptop keyboard I've used that I would put on par with the PowerBook 1400's keyboard (which is by far the best keyboard I've ever used on a lappy)
The GrayBook is being awesome. Everybody loved it.
Well sleeping takes like 10 seconds to actually sleep any ideas?
Also The sleep light is dead, I have two replace it
and I have two swap the fan, it just makes the most horrible noises, like if it's chopping something. I have two other ones which work better than this one, I guess it got messed up because of the step on. It like clicks at idle, (no it's not the hard drive) and at full speed it sounds like those really old Hard Drives (like the stock ones in the first iMacs)
And I am decided on the Black Bezel and keyboard the keyboard will either be:
Rows: One row black, one white
or
Letters white: All the letter keys will be white while the other keys surrounding will be black.
Well sleeping takes like 10 seconds to actually sleep any ideas?
Also The sleep light is dead, I have two replace it
and I have two swap the fan, it just makes the most horrible noises, like if it's chopping something. I have two other ones which work better than this one, I guess it got messed up because of the step on. It like clicks at idle, (no it's not the hard drive) and at full speed it sounds like those really old Hard Drives (like the stock ones in the first iMacs)
And I am decided on the Black Bezel and keyboard the keyboard will either be:
Rows: One row black, one white
or
Letters white: All the letter keys will be white while the other keys surrounding will be black.
Sleeping takes around 10 seconds? Welcome to the world of Intel Mac laptops. It's called Safe Sleep - it's writing the contents of RAM to the disk in case the battery dies or is removed or the power is otherwise cut while it is asleep. If that should happen, next time you start it up, it'll restore the contents to RAM and be right back where you left it. It's rather annoying and I turned it off on my Air
Hey Mars, great job on this - and you really capture the essence of liberation, getting multiple partial or broken machines and making a working one out of them. I love the Black MacBooks (I wish Apple would've made the remaining $999 plastic MacBook black instead of white), and congratulate you on your good work.
Why thanks Comrade! :beige:
So I completed my keyboard now, I did the mod with the letter keys white and everything else black ( I left out the the top function keys, because I broke two keyswitches, and they were so hard to take off and put on, but it looks cool
)
:lol: YES, I do! [] ]'>
Retro Rocks! [] ]'>
] ]'>Dunno, if it were my hack, it'd skip any modernistic expressionism re: KeyCap coloration and emulate the two-tone keyboards of years gone by. Take a look at the beige/tan and platinum/gray keyboards of yesteryear and duplicate that color division for a "classic" design aesthetic to set off your contemporary 'book's design statement,Yes. And the arrow keys.You like it? I have received approval from tinker master supreme :lol: Any suggestions though? Should I make the Space Bar Black?AWESOME! [
Retro Rocks! [
] ]'>
Current Status: Building a New upper screen assembly using the screen from the latter white macbook I received (I do not know if it works by the way) and a black top case and a red apple (using some red present paper It looks awesome). My main goal is to hopefully just do a whole assembly swap without any hang ups. I will be using the bezel from the current screen assembly as it is the only one that does not have chipping. I will be replacing the fan and Sleep light (If I can remove it from the carcass of the latter macbook, I broke the ribbon on the first first white macbook I received.)
And I think that would wrap it up for the GrayBook Project!
It looks awesome). My main goal is to hopefully just do a whole assembly swap without any hang ups. I will be using the bezel from the current screen assembly as it is the only one that does not have chipping. I will be replacing the fan and Sleep light (If I can remove it from the carcass of the latter macbook, I broke the ribbon on the first first white macbook I received.)And I think that would wrap it up for the GrayBook Project!
OK, so I installed the new fan and sleep light. Both work wonderfully. Seems like the old sleep light was borked even though the IR was recognized in system profiler. The fan is much better than the old one.
As for the new top case, everything is perfect but I did not install it for there is a noticeable (albeit small) scratch on the screen. The Screen I am using now has a few/ pressure marks on it, but they are very faint, the other screen has no pressure marks but a scratch. I am also going to perfect the apple with some red filmy stuff you find at art stores, because the red packing paper look pink when it glows. And I do not want that :
I still have one outstanding problem, sleep takes like 10 seconds to actually sleep. It is already out of safe sleep mode, any ideas?
As for the new top case, everything is perfect but I did not install it for there is a noticeable (albeit small) scratch on the screen. The Screen I am using now has a few/ pressure marks on it, but they are very faint, the other screen has no pressure marks but a scratch. I am also going to perfect the apple with some red filmy stuff you find at art stores, because the red packing paper look pink when it glows. And I do not want that :
I still have one outstanding problem, sleep takes like 10 seconds to actually sleep. It is already out of safe sleep mode, any ideas?
Good idea.
What I was referring to in my previous post is what the film/photography business calls "gels", I don't like to refer them like that because they look like film. :
I've asked when on commercial shoots and photoshoots what those were called specifically for trying to get some for my Glowing apple mods. I am going to go to a Michaels (HUGMONGOUS art store) and find some candidates.
What I was referring to in my previous post is what the film/photography business calls "gels", I don't like to refer them like that because they look like film. :
I've asked when on commercial shoots and photoshoots what those were called specifically for trying to get some for my Glowing apple mods. I am going to go to a Michaels (HUGMONGOUS art store) and find some candidates.
Here's the exact procedure for those who haven't followed the thread or my other two posts about the broken macbooks I got.
One Black Core duo which was stepped on and had a broken screen and hinges which gave me:
Only working Logic board of the Pack (2.0GHZ Core Duo) I paid 140$ for this one
2 512MB sticks (Removed one and added a 1GB Stick, yes I know matched pairs, gonna find another 1GB soon)
Bottom case.
Top lid
Half the keys for the keyboard.
The Second MacBook Free:
2.0GHZ Core Duo white gave me with coffee spilled on it
Top case with trackpad, and half of the keys
Bezel
Hinges
Screen
other screws etc.
Fan (The one inside was going clack clack clack)
One 2.2GHZ Core 2 Duo which a dog peed on, Free for getting data off of:
DVD-R Drive one that was in it wouldn't eject
Sleep Light, the one that was there originally was borked and did not light, and IR did not work. Now it does
alternative screen with no pressure marks like the one I have now but one noticeable 1/2 inch scratch.
Various screws.
I am yet to finish it,
I am still prototyping the new top screen assembly using the Black lid, a red apple, and the screen with a scratch on it, and the bezel from the 2.2GHZ which is really beat up. The current Screen assembly is straight from the 2.0GHZ White unmodified..
Thanks for reading the long post
-Mars478
One Black Core duo which was stepped on and had a broken screen and hinges which gave me:
Only working Logic board of the Pack (2.0GHZ Core Duo) I paid 140$ for this one
2 512MB sticks (Removed one and added a 1GB Stick, yes I know matched pairs, gonna find another 1GB soon)
Bottom case.
Top lid
Half the keys for the keyboard.
The Second MacBook Free:
2.0GHZ Core Duo white gave me with coffee spilled on it
Top case with trackpad, and half of the keys
Bezel
Hinges
Screen
other screws etc.
Fan (The one inside was going clack clack clack)
One 2.2GHZ Core 2 Duo which a dog peed on, Free for getting data off of:
DVD-R Drive one that was in it wouldn't eject
Sleep Light, the one that was there originally was borked and did not light, and IR did not work. Now it does
alternative screen with no pressure marks like the one I have now but one noticeable 1/2 inch scratch.
Various screws.
I am yet to finish it,
I am still prototyping the new top screen assembly using the Black lid, a red apple, and the screen with a scratch on it, and the bezel from the 2.2GHZ which is really beat up. The current Screen assembly is straight from the 2.0GHZ White unmodified..
Thanks for reading the long post
-Mars478
Hey, Please move this to the Hacks section, nice to have the new sub-forum Also here are some pictures and angles taken with my DSLR.
Prototype screen assembly
I have been testing multiple glowing Apple's and bezel's, like the broken black Bezel on my White Assembly taking pictures of it during the process. This Thursday when I have no homework and is the day before Winter break I will build the screen assembly with a Glowing NEON green Apple and a black top lid and a White Bezel using the current screen.
Also here are some pictures and angles taken with my DSLR.
Prototype screen assembly
I have been testing multiple glowing Apple's and bezel's, like the broken black Bezel on my White Assembly taking pictures of it during the process. This Thursday when I have no homework and is the day before Winter break I will build the screen assembly with a Glowing NEON green Apple and a black top lid and a White Bezel using the current screen.
Thanks! It's still rough is some places but I am getting closer to perfection. I am really excited what Green on black will look like.WOW!!!! :O
You did that a lot better than I would have done.
I also just noticed I am the first thread in the Hacks forum! I Took a screenshot to commemorate this!
Well, I got some gels from my art teacher today, and due to some family stuff I have to postpone the lid and apple swap till after the 26th when I return from vacation, for two reasons:
1. Time
2. I don't want to kill the machine before the vacation and me laptopless.
But.. I did finish the keyboard. One small Quirk i that the Black F1 key cracked and as a result to make it look better than a sore thumb The F1 and F12 Keys are white. Any suggestions? I like how it looks but want feedback.
By finishing the keyboard I mean making all the FN keys black (save for F1 and F12) The Up and down keys. I did not do the space bar because I like how it looks white. I am at GrayBook Rev 1.8
Also! The sleep is working as I like it at changing times! Now most of the time it sleeps immediately and when I do many disk intensive things it takes a few secs to sleep.
1. Time
2. I don't want to kill the machine before the vacation and me laptopless.
But.. I did finish the keyboard. One small Quirk i that the Black F1 key cracked and as a result to make it look better than a sore thumb The F1 and F12 Keys are white. Any suggestions? I like how it looks but want feedback.
By finishing the keyboard I mean making all the FN keys black (save for F1 and F12) The Up and down keys. I did not do the space bar because I like how it looks white. I am at GrayBook Rev 1.8
Also! The sleep is working as I like it at changing times! Now most of the time it sleeps immediately and when I do many disk intensive things it takes a few secs to sleep.
I wouldn't worry about getting more black plastics to finish it off. It looks alright the way it is. I'll bet you've got the only zebra Macbook around. Certainly nobody around here is going to fault you for the mismatched case components. We all have had our project Macs that were functional but aesthetically challenged.
Graybook FINAL is in process. This build includes:
Black Lid
Colored Apple logo (Red or Green, I'll decide)
many other tweaks.
Adding in many missing screws.
Basically it'll look like a seamless BlackBook from the outside and a Seamless White Book on the Inside (Save for the Keyboard, patterned.)
It's gonna be great. Updates (AND PICS!) soon to come...
Black Lid
Colored Apple logo (Red or Green, I'll decide)
many other tweaks.
Adding in many missing screws.
Basically it'll look like a seamless BlackBook from the outside and a Seamless White Book on the Inside (Save for the Keyboard, patterned.)
It's gonna be great. Updates (AND PICS!) soon to come...
I'm done! I chose the Red Apple!
In the process, I put in some MUCH tighter hinges, a New Inverter (Old one was getting all flaky and stuff, this one is much nicer and brighter.) And swapped out the speakers on the right side.
It is really nice. The Inverter cover is black, and when the 'Book is open you see the Black thing like on the New MacBooks!
Pics to come soon.
In the process, I put in some MUCH tighter hinges, a New Inverter (Old one was getting all flaky and stuff, this one is much nicer and brighter.) And swapped out the speakers on the right side.
It is really nice. The Inverter cover is black, and when the 'Book is open you see the Black thing like on the New MacBooks!
Pics to come soon.
Thanks. It's really fun to use. I was offered a job at the Apple store because of it
I was using some alcohol based cleaners and i cleaned the bezel, and my MacBook logo came off!!! It's really annoying because it's kinda there, but not really. So yeah. It's fun to use.
I was using some alcohol based cleaners and i cleaned the bezel, and my MacBook logo came off!!! It's really annoying because it's kinda there, but not really. So yeah. It's fun to use.