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Reparation of an iBook clamshell Firewire port (replacing the controller) (light version) Pascal Boeckel As usual, I cannot be responsible for any damage to your machines when you will experiment the following tutorial. And I'm very happy to post here Pascal's tutorial:-) Why ? The FW port does not work anymore... even if the Apple System Information seems to detect it. Pluging the clamshell into the power plug does not change anything. So I think it was just the connector which was unwelded. Unfortunately, as Pascal describes here, we have to go one step ahead to solve the problem. 1) Once the ibook opened... (follow instructions here and then next there)... you reach the mother board. 2) Just upturn it carefully to discover the FW controller (yellow arrow). 3) Yes, it is ruined (yellow arrow)...but two resistors have also been damaged (blue arrows) :-( The white arrow points to a self induction...now in a "Manhattan" configuration due to overheat: this prevents the FW port to be powered. 4) Another view of the controller: it has been a hot party there ;-) (see the tracks on the right) 5) The new controller right in place. (TSB41AB PHP) Pascal did not give me the replacement procedure. One thing is sure... he did not apply the "Antoine Bercovici" tip on macbidouille (UK version here): because in this tip the 2 tracks were detached from the board and would certainly be destroyed when the component were cutted off.. He did the operation with a "WACOM" blowtorch which heat the 4 sides at the same time (what a lucky guy ;-) As the whole component is burned out, there is no need to try to retrieve some part of it. The yellow arrow points to a new fresh track. Blue arrows point to 50 Ohms resistors which replace the 56 Ohms original ones. Theoritically speaking, the FW norm states that resistors must of the "75X" type...which does not mean 75 Ohms, but 56 ! Wonderfull clear specifications ;-) He did not have 56 Ohms resistors, so he placed 50 Ohms ones. Pascal has decided that these resistors must be adequate enough. But we must change both the two resistors on the bus ! The white arrows show the A couple which runs to the FW connector, the black arrows the B couple also running to the FW connector. 6) The board is also damaged in another spot (blue arrow). The yellow arrow points to the new controller. 7) Another self induction to be replaced. As usual, follow the instruction above in a reverse order to rebuild the iBook. If you wish to thank or forsten me...