OT? PowerBook 5300

From: Paul Braun <nerdware_at_laidbak.com>
Date: Thu Mar 15 21:32:08 2001

I think every 5300 was a problem child.... that's why Apple offered
to take every stinkin' one of 'em in as trade towards a G3
Powerbook. In fact, I think they just reinstated the offer....you get
around $500 credit towards a new Powerbook.

Every one I've had come across my bench (I do pc repair in my
"spare time" at a friend's surplus shop...this is after I play network
admin during the day and before I play network admin/sound
designer at home....I may need to get more of a life....) has had a
problem or two. Most are completely dead, or the lid hinges are
split, or both. Most common problem is a design flaw on the
motherboard where the power connector is soldered on. Usually
breaks loose from the system board, or actually breaks the corner
off the system board.

Apple got tired of wasting money on service techs to fix recurring
broken machines, so they made the offer to get them in from the
field. Didn't matter if it worked or not. They just wanted to make
them go away. Made the same offer on PB190's....

Paul

> Ah, but of course, I have the 5300ce, so I guess I have inherited a
> problem child? :)
>
> I did find some info on it - it seems to be a 'between' model - it's
> the first PPC notebook, but doesn't have open ROM's. That means I
> can't run NetBSD on it (requires the open firmware on PPC).
>
> Right now, I don't even know how to power the thing on! I need to find
> the power requirements, and hope that I can hack together an AC
> adapter for it...
>
> >
> > I believe that the 5300cs was the problem child -- if yours is a
> > 5300c or
> just 5300, you might be fine.
> >
>
>






Paul Braun WD9GCO
Cygnus Productions
nerdware_nospam_at_laidbak.com

"A computer without a Microsoft operating system is like a dog without a bunch of bricks tied to its head."
Received on Thu Mar 15 2001 - 21:32:08 GMT