68kMLA Classic Interface

This is a version of the 68kMLA forums for viewing on your favorite old mac. Visitors on modern platforms may prefer the main site.


Click here to select a new forum.
PowerBook 160 - Display works on one system; not the other
Hey everyone!

I have a PowerBook 160 that is not giving me any display suddenly.

I have already recapped this screen and it was working fine for a few months so I pulled out one of my other 160’s and sure enough it works perfectly fine on it…

Any ideas what I need to start looking into on the system that gets no display?

The complete top was removed and tested so it doesn’t seem to be any of the boards that are directly part of the display.

Thanks for any insight!

System 1 (broken):
View attachment IMG_6304.jpeg


System 2 (working):
View attachment IMG_6303.jpeg


Posted by: alexhoopes on 2025-11-24 02:49:06
Update: swapping the daughterboard from working laptop into broken brings the screen to life.

Broken system’s daughterboard moved into working system, no display.

Issue seems to be the daughtercard. What should I check on it/what do I need to start probing to figure out what broke?


Posted by: alexhoopes on 2025-11-24 20:50:41
If the daughtercard is this one



Then there is high chances that the ribbon cable is broken


Posted by: demik on 2025-11-26 14:17:08
Then there is high chances that the ribbon cable is broken
You can use an 80-conductor Ultra ATA cable


Posted by: luRaichu on 2025-11-26 16:04:31