Fixing a PowerBook G4 display

I recently had to fix the 15″ display on an Apple PowerBook for a family member. Basically the notebook still worked fine (it was only ~4 years old) but it had been abused to the point where the bottom third of the display was displaying static and acting like it was cracked (even though there was no visible crack).

After some time to observe the machine, I noticed that as I closed the lid, the displayed flickered on perfectly when the hinge was held at about 45 degrees. This led me to believe that the cable connecting the panel to the mainboard was either loose or damaged.

After a bit of exploring inside the guts of the notebook, I was able to get things worked again — and I only stripped one screw in the process!

Pictures of dissection (this one goes to eleven):

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