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!
Um, welcome. Congrats on the beat-to-hell MacBook I suppose.
I am going to fix it! Didn't you realize that by my post? ;D
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.
Hey. that's nice of you |) I think that may be the best post ever directed towards me on this forum! I'll post piccies of the original and Final Product.
You are Trash80's long lost son I think.
That really sounds like a cool project to have, it's really neat to see someone being so resourceful like this.
That really sounds like a cool project to have, it's really neat to see someone being so resourceful like this.
:lol:
Go for it, kiddo!
(evil moment) so, ... whats your fix to kill ratio looking like these days :O
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.
32-bit macbook FYI.
Yeah but I've been on an Atom as my most powerful mac/hac for almost a year. This is a monumental step forward. I am getting High 90's to 100's in Xbench! The atom got like 40's
Okay, here is the after pics (All I have)
looks pretty darn good
Ditto! Great start, can't wait to see what you come up with for the future revs! [] ]'>
] ]'>
That is an awesome Greybook Mars! 
I especially love the fact that you took the pics near your Christmas Tree. 
Great mod/repair/job! 
I especially love the fact that you took the pics near your Christmas Tree. Great mod/repair/job!
Nice "remix".
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!
Looking great. Nice to see those MacBooks coming back to life again. Looking forward to seeing your next steps!
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.
Two-tone Macbook is rock }
I'm not a fan of the tiled/checkerboard keyboard look. I reckon a black keyboard on a white upper body would look better - or black alpha keys with all the others being white, or vice versa. But that's just me. Whatever floats your boat.
I'm not a fan of the tiled/checkerboard keyboard look. I reckon a black keyboard on a white upper body would look better - or black alpha keys with all the others being white, or vice versa. But that's just me. Whatever floats your boat.
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)
No, I have been accustommed to the closed spaced keys of my MSI Wind. It's a big jump ( and probably a positive one. ) Today is the first day I take the GrayBook to school to see the reactions of the people who saw it in it's original state. I can't wait
I can't wait
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.