PowerBook 2400c
The PowerBook 2400 was the spiritual successor to the PowerBook Duo series. It did not have the same docking capabilities as the Duos did, but it was still very small and portable, and well loved by Mac users, especially those in Japan. Japan was the main market for the 2400c, as the US did not have a very large subnotebook market at the time. They were sold in the US in limited numbers, but not many did, and the 240MHz varient was never sold in the US at all.
The 2400c was co-designed by IBM and was also built by them. As such, the general build quality on the 2400c feels better than many of Apple's other laptops did.
Specifications
| Spec | Details |
|---|---|
| Release Date | May 1997 (180MHz), April 1998 (240MHz) |
| Discontinuation Date | May 1998 (180MHz), December 1998 (240MHz) |
| Processor | PowerPC 603ev @180 or 240MHz |
| Bus Speed | 40MHz |
| RAM | 1x 144pin EDO Slot - 16MB soldered - 112MB Maximum w/ custom module (see issues section below) |
| Hard Disk | 2.5" IDE - 1.3 or 2.0GB Standard |
| Display | 10.4" TFT/Active Matrix Color LCD @800x600 |
| GPU | Chips & Technologies 65550 - 1MB VRAM |
| Main Battery | Lithium Ion |
| PRAM Battery | Varta 7.2v 3-cell NiMH |
| Power Supply | 24V RCA-style jack - same as the Duo/1400/3400/G3/iBook Clamshell chargers. Any with that plug will work. - Shipping charger is Apple P/N M4328 |
| Disk Drives | None, external 3.5" 1.44MB Floppy Drive available |
| PC Cards | 2x PCMCIA Slots - Unofficial CardBus support possible with a mod |
| Networking | None |
| Other I/O | - 1x Serial - 1x ADB - 1x HDI-30 SCSI - 1x VGA Out - 1x Floppy Connector - 1x Line Out - 1x Mic In - Infrared |
| Pointing Device | Trackpad |
| Minimum Mac OS | System Software 7.1.1 |
| Maximum Mac OS | Mac OS 8.1 |
Upgrades
SSD Upgrade
See our page on IDE SSDs for more info.
Extra Note: Some brands of IDE to mSata adapters have been tested to work in the 2400c! Unfortunately, it seems to be the expensive 40-something dollar one with a red PCB.
CPU Upgrades
The PowerBook 2400c's CPU is located on a daughtercard. As such, multiple companies released third-party G3 processor upgrades for the 2400. These upgrades were quite popular in Japan, as the 2400 had an entire subculture there, with many mods and upgrades being made.
Japanese Mods
The 2400 was so popular in Japan that companies came out with custom parts for the 2400, and many other individual users made their own customizations. One popular mod was to install an aftermarket transparent keyboard. Many users also custom painted their laptop's case parts in all sorts of fun colors.
Resources
 Service Manual |
|---|
Common Faults & Maintenance
PRAM Battery Leaks
This is the single biggest issue with PowerBook 2400c laptops. This model used a Nickel-Metal Hydride 6-cell battery pack made by VARTA as a PRAM battery. These batteries have essentially a 100% leak rate in their current age. The question to ask isn't if yours has started to leak, but how badly it already has. These are tricky laptops to disassemble, but just DO IT, ASAP. The battery is placed directly under the logic board and WILL nuke it with corrosion if left there. A vast number of 2400c PowerBooks have already fallen victim to this fate, and before long, any unit with the original battery installed will be rendered completely unrecoverable.
Brittle Plastics and Melted Rubber
The 2400c may have better build quality than other Apple laptops of the age, but the plastic is still becoming just as brittle. Don't drop it, and use care when taking it apart. The rubber bumpers on the bottom of the laptop and those on the LCD bezel will also melt with age 100% of the time.
Green Light of Death (GLoD)
Most PowerBook laptops from this time (2400 included) period will display solid green on the sleep indicator light if the Logic Board can't successfully POST. This can be caused by a variety of reasons, but on the 2400c this is usually the result of PRAM battery damage. If you've verified this isn't the case, another common cause is incorrect seating of the CPU card. It's very easy to seat it incorrectly when reassembling the laptop. I suspect this issue is actually at least part of a common misconception about the 2400c - which I'll cover next:
Does it need a PRAM battery installed to work?
A common myth about the 2400c is that it needs a working PRAM battery to be installed for the laptop to start. Apparantly, without a battery some units would enter a GLoD condition. This is untrue. Many, many people run their 2400s perfectly fine with no battery installed. I suspect that the CPU card seating issues are part of what's behind this rumor - imagine the following scenario.
- 2400c owner hears of the PRAM battery leak issue and take apart their laptop to remove it.
- They reassemble the laptop and they don't seat the CPU card correctly during reassembly. It now won't start, instead entering into a GLoD state.
- They theorize that the issue must be due to the lack of a PRAM battery, and so they take it apart again and replace it.
- During reassembly that time, they either seat the processor card correctly and now it works, or they don't and it still doesn't, in which case they just think they must have broken something.
- Rumor spreads as a result that the 2400c needs a working PRAM battery to function properly
Anyways, that's just my theory anyway. The rumor had to spread for SOME reason. In reality, no PowerBook laptop ever made needs a working PRAM battery to start. Later PowerBook G3s and early G4s won't start a lot of the time with a dead one installed though funny enough. If you unplug it they'll work again.
RAM issues
Either Apple or IBM managed to screw up the pin-out of the EDO memory standard on the 2400c. Because of this, standard modules larger than 32MB actually won't work in the 2400c, you'd have to get one that's specially made for it. Good luck finding one!
Vinegar Syndrome
Vinegar Syndrome is a common issue with nearly all vintage LCD screens. For an explanation of this fault, see this page. I felt like mentioning i there though because this issue is especially common in screens coming from Japan, likely due to climate factors. Due to the fact that most 2400s floating around are located within Japan, it's worth a dedicated mention.
Issues these DON'T have!
As mentioned on the home page, the 2400c's have better build quality than other Apple laptops of the day due to being built with IBM. Because of this, the display hinges are far more drama free than in other laptops of the era. I've seen a few with broken plastic standoffs, but those can usually be fixed up with plastics epoxy, and I've seen issues far less often on these than with other laptops.
On the topic of electrolytic capacitors, the 2400 should also be trouble free! The power section of the logic board on these used Sanyo OS-CON Polymer caps, which look like electolytics but have no liquid electolyte to leak or degrade. Generally, if you see purple caps on a board, it's these type. Check the label to make sure though!
Gallery
No images are currently available. If you own a 2400c, help the site out by sending some in!
Page last updated (MM/DD/YYYY): 08/14/2024
Update Reason: page rewritten
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