Broken Powerbook Screen?

[ride2bhi]

So my little sister mangled her G4 Powerbook screen and it is gone. I removed it from the computer and was going to convert her laptop into a desktop using an external monitor. Only problem is the G4 still thinks it has its original monitor attached and thus puts the external monitor as a second monitor. The only work around I have found is to lay the broken laptop screen on the computer after turning it on, thus forcing it to use the external monitor as the primary. I can then remove the broken monitor. A bit of a hassle for every startup. Does anyone know how to permanently disable the broken monitor so that it will default to the external one at startup? Thanks.

[eSDee]

You have to hit the power button on the inside of the powerbook anyways don't you? Just have the external monitor connected, hit the power button then close the lid. That should make your external monitor the primary.

[ride2bhi]

The problem is that she broke the hinges and tore the wiring connecting the screen to the laptop. So I just removed it. Two seperate pieces that I have to put back together for startup and then remove to type. Installing Tiger to see if that might help.

[eSDee]

I looked for a while on the Mac discussion board to see if anyone had your problem but no luck. For most the latches break and won't stay open. The external monitor option works well then but not so much with your problem. The only think I can think of is that you have to figure out what triggers the power in the screen. Most likely it is in the latch or atleast through it. You might have to figure out a way to keep the screen attached and then go external mouse/keyboard/peripheral. A usb hub would probably be a good investment should the primary usb still work.

Or you could try and find a low-level programmer to hack your laptop and turn the latch variable to always on ;)

[ride2bhi]

eSDee, as always, you da man! Thanks for looking. Did the same and it seems that the only solution is to figure out the trigger. The thing is, the powerbook with no monitor would be a sweet desktop. Small and accomodating for my sis. She has already bought a 12" iBook, so this would be a nice compliment to that little screen. Tiger was no help, same problem. I will keep my eyes open for a solution. Thanks. :cheers:

[ride2bhi]

Ok, so I found a bit of a workaround. If you boot up with the external monitor plugged in, then you can finish booting up and you will see the external monitor in the secondary position. Hit cmd-F7 and it will put the display in mirror mode. Unfortunately it means that it will be in a widescreen mode with max resolution of 1280x1024, but at least it works.

[JackHammer]

I think the question is how the hell did you mangle the laptop. Not only is the screen gone but the whole top got rip off its fricken hinges. WTF?

[hapoo]

I'm not familiar with Macs so excuse me if i'm completely off target. On most laptops theres usually a really small physical switch/button thats depressed when the case is shut. I assume that macs have a similar setup, external or internal. If so, would it be possible to just rig the button so its always depressed?

[AmRivlin]

the switching thing hapoo is refering to is the latch that hold the computer shut... on the front when u push the release it lets the hook up opening the screen. So it is that latch and button that recognizes if the laptop is open or not is the culprit you want to look at.

[ride2bhi]

I think the question is how the hell did you mangle the laptop. Not only is the screen gone but the whole top got rip off its fricken hinges. WTF?

Yeah, she is a nightmare when it comes to electronics. I don't even ask anymore. Just try to pick up the pieces and save her some coin.

I looked for the button you are refering to, but Apple is tricky. I went so far as to tear out the little latch that hooks into the button on the base of the G4. That wasn't it. So I layed the now incredibly mangled monitor back down on the base and it once again recognized it was there. Amazing! Guessing it is a magnet or some other trigger mechanism that allows the mac to know when the lid is closed.

[hapoo]

does it trigger when you just lay it on top?

does it have to be latched in?
If so its in the latch mechanism on the laptop side (usually in the hole that the hook goes into)

does it work if you float it on top?
if so then its another type of sensor.

pics might help. Im not sure how the lid is held in place on these

[eSDee]

Yeah, she is a nightmare when it comes to electronics.

:heh:



does it have to be latched in?
If so its in the latch mechanism on the laptop side (usually in the hole that the hook goes into)

This is it. The magnet is on the laptop case and the little latch comes out when you put the lid down.

[AmRivlin]

i think the latch is a magnet. that is how it is on my ibook.

[hapoo]

so just put a small magnet in to trigger the shut mechanism

[ride2bhi]

Ok, here are some pics of the disaster. Excuse the mess.

Here is the infamous switch that I yanked out thinking it was a mechanical problem.
http://floppysbox.com/1.jpg

Here is the setup that I came up with using cmd-F7 and mirroring the monitor. As you can see it is the widescreen on a standard 4:3 monitor.
http://floppysbox.com/3.jpg

Here is the poor broken monitor, ripped cables and all...
http://floppysbox.com/2.jpg

And finally what it looks like with the lid in place and the magnet triggering the laptop to use the external monitor as its primary.
http://floppysbox.com/4.jpg

The only thing with the magnet idea is I was always taught magnets and computers don't mix. My workaround should be good enough, especially if she buys a widescreen LCD. She seems almost over it, so I was thinking of using this as a music server and hook it up to my TV. For some reason, the TV won't let this happen. Shows that it is starting up with grey screen with white apple, but then cuts off once it is going to login screen. The TV is a RCA D34W20 with DVI input.

[Daversinger]

WOW! My dad... i can't imagine what he would do to me if i did the same thing. :throw: lets just say that monitor would be me.