Update:
Components on both the MacBook Black and the MacBook White are beginning to fail after regular usage. The Broadcom wireless chip on the MacBook White has some sort of issue (temporarily solved with an external USB realtek nub, it’s so small one can hardly call it a dongle), and the speakers are failing on both computers. I imagine I’m going to need to obtain more parts computers to keep these devices functioning with actual, daily use coming at them.
A bit worrying when multiple parts are starting to fail… 
I guess if this is really proving a winner for you, then investing in a few spare machines for parts will make sense - should be reasonably cost effective, too, given the age of the machines.
Reminds me I should get the Pismo out again… Love(d) that machine.
Both machines were used hard when they were contemporary primary machines, and I just spent 5 weeks using the MacBook White as my sole machine, where it was banged around and jostled every day to and from my coursework, and then 5 airplane trips between Saigon, Da Nang, Hanoi, Ha Long, and Tokyo. This isn’t entirely unexpected, I will guess.
I opened up the MacBook Black, and there at first appeared to be no issue other than the speakers. Well, other than the issue with the optical drive (it refuses to function when seated back into its place, connected but left out, it works). This is hardly an issue, not only does leaving it out reduce weight (or add the potential for extra storage if I can find an appropriate connecter), I RARELY use an optical drive, and if I really need one, I can get one of those external superdrives pretty cheap.
It SEEMS like the main issue is the left speaker has died and the middle speaker has a hole in it. The right speaker works just fine. Everything else seems clean since the last time I opened it up (and I redid the thermal paste at that time, so it all looks good). The speakers aren’t very good to begin with, and it’s not a priority, because if I am using this as a work/school machine, I am almost guaranteed to be using speakers or headphones, depending.
After putting it all back together, I even cleaned the entire computer, and it looks really good. I used a magic eraser to pull off dirt and take out all but the deepest of scratches and then I used a moisturising oil to restore the matte. It looks great but picks up finger prints in the worst way. They wipe right away though.
Attempts to fix the MacBook White’s issues (Broadcom Chip, Speakers, Thermal Paste):
Take off the keyboard and… OH DEAR LORD.
Okay, let’s see about that thermal paste. Yup. Chalk.
Clean, clean clean…
New stuff:
Put it all back together and… Oh boy.
So, turns out I had the heatsink too tight. I loosened the screws just a bit and no more GPU issue. Neither Broadcom chip worked, and they are identical. They could both be dead, but I doubt it. I do have a third, but it’s in the MacBook Black, and I don’t want to mess with a working system. So back to the $6 external USB thingie. Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s the connector on the logic board. I bet it is.
As for the speakers… Not both of them needed to be replaced, just the right speaker/middle speaker combo part. Left speaker from the parts computer was also dead, so good thing I didn’t need it! 2008 MacBook speakers might be crap, but at least it’s back to the normal level of crap, and not crappier crap.
Changing the thermal paste did make a difference in temperature and fan usage. It also noticeable increased boot up and shut down (this already has an SSD, so that was surprising). I’m very quickly eating up my spare parts.
I still need to get Tara on the MacBook Black, but when I do, this will look so much better on it than it looks on the White:
Looking pretty decent:
But between the problems with Linux Mint 18.3, my lack of DVD drive without opening the case every time I want to use it in order to install 19, and failing components, I’m living that dongle life with only two USB ports. On the MBW, one is taken up by the wifi usb nub, and in the MBB, the headphone jack is staticy, so I need to use a dongle for that… Basically this means I always need a hub with me.
Sad to report that I don’t think either the 2006 MacBook Black or the 2008 MacBook White will give me another decade of service. Bits seem to be dying on both of them.
2006 MacBook Black:
-Audio Jack static
-Wifi dead (not WiFi card, connector)
-One speaker not working
2008 MacBook White:
-Ethernet jack dead
-Wifi dead (not Wifi card, connector, just like the MBB)
-Second USB port flaky
-Bottom case cracking/flaking in rear
I’ve got an upcoming trip to Europe, and I don’t want to take my 2015 15" MacBook Pro, as it is my main mobile and work machine. I even use my 2009 MacBook White Unibody a lot, so I was thinking I’d take the 2008 MacBook White, but… I don’t think that’s going to be possible. Because if all the I/O dies on the 2008 Macbook White (the 2006 Black just isn’t capable of keeping up, though it DOES have the better keyboard), then all I basically have is a very heavy portable media player and storage device. And that doesn’t seem worth the luggage space. So I think it’s going to be my 2009 MacBook White Unibody. I admit, I am a bit disappointed, because I’m trying to use these machines until they completely die, but my ability to use them is really decreasing not just by years but by months. They both were used well in their prime, so I suppose it isn’t too surprising they’re starting to wear out.
Unless you’re ready to get into logic board level repairs…
You’ve done well by them; better than thorough-bred race horse.
Nope, definitely not. I’m on the 2008 MacBook White, I’m messing around with XFCE, and I’ve produced a very nice Dark Theme. I abandoned Gnome 3 both because its global menu only worked half the time whereas XFCE’s appears to work most of the time. And because it’s very resource intensive. Truth is, I have pretty basic needs, and what I’ve liked about this project is being able to identify what in macOS I have to have and what I could do without.
On the hardware side, bluetooth still works, so my Magic Mouse works just fine. I’m updating everything and I’m going to try to go to work with this MacBook all next week and see if it can handle it. If it appears to be doing just fine, I’ll go ahead and take it to Europe with me. But if it can’t take heavy use for the next week, then I’ll take the 2009 Unibody. I’m only taking old devices (like my iPhone 6S) with me, so that way, should things get stolen/lost/damaged I’m not out anything really super expensive or important.
I love what you’re doing with these machines. I had a few 08/09 machines that I pulled apart and built one working one which I sold off and a second one that was mostly working, I sourced a new battery and was debating between MacOS and Windows for one of the kids to use for school until the backlight started failing and it’s beyond my knowledge to fix.
It’s an '09 MacBook, 4GB RAM, maybe a HDD of some sort if I haven’t pulled it out but no power adaptor (that’s shared with another machine). The only downside was that the wiring for the backlight is sketchy so when it’s sitting just right it works, but otherwise turns off.
You’re welcome to it for parts/repair if there is any cost effective way to get to from Melbourne to you.
Might be too expensive. I think when my parents sent the 2006 MBB and 2008 MBW from Texas to Japan, it cost them US$75. I imagine it might well be the same from Melbourne to Tokyo. Is the 2009 a unibody or the older style like the 2006-2008?
I’ve done more tweaks in Linux and I am currently using it for union business and so far everything seems to be running really well. Switching from Gnome 3 to XFCE 4 has made a huge difference and except for newer swipe gestures and a reliance on keyboard shortcuts, it’s surprisingly close to what I need.
I can’t seem to get my iPhone 6s to add files to work though (on 13.1.3).
Couple more screenshots to show how close I’m getting to the macOS workflow.
As you can see, while almost all apps work with the global menu, there’s a few apps which double the menu, like Shotwell, which is a Photos/iPhoto like app:
Was always my favourite photo app on Linux.
If its cost prohibitive for @kionon I’d be interested - I have a stack of 2006 - 2009 MacBooks that I’m slowly restoring 
Are you restoring them to last working OS X or are you also interested in what I’m doing with linux? Because I’ll be happy to keep a running list of what I’m doing to get the general look of macOS in a light desktop environment and without all the unnecessary eye candy (which just tends to slow down these computers unnecessarily). Truthfully, I can do without a lot of the bells and whistles. They just aren’t that important 99% of the time.
Mostly to the last working OSX or the latest version that can be hacked onto it.
I might able with linux at some point so would be interested if you could document a bit of what you’re doing
Works for me, there is something in the wiring for the backlight, it works if it’s at the right angle but I don’t have any other replacement parts to try swapping in. I’ll shoot you a PM.
Good old MacBook inverter cable wiring. Very Apple-esque design to route a thin 4-wire cable - prone to breaking from metal fatigue with repeated bending - around a hinge. Replaced around 10 a week when these machines were still in active service in schools across SA.
Apparently with one of the most recent updates, iPhone files now working with Nautilus file manager:
Also GNOME Web/Epiphany browser is the most Safari like and also seems like the best at brightness and contrast on this inferior TN panel and with the best compromise of toolbar/address bar space (given, again, the limited screen space on this panel).
So far, been really putting this through its paces in the work space (I am in a major meeting right now) and I am impressed by just how well it works. The fans are going full bore though, this seems to a downside, but the actual temperatures are okay. Might need to install a fan control app.
Sad to report the audio jack is now full of static on the 2008 MBW–same as the 2006 MBB. I’ve been traveling around Europe for the past three weeks and I did take the 2008 MBW. It’s been good enough for my few full computer tasks, but it is indeed sad that slowly but surely these logic boards are dying.
Update time on the Save The Polycarbonates. With the latest 2008 MacBook White I grabbed from a junk bin, I was able to use it for a restoration from the one I had taken with me Vietnam and Europe. As I mentioned in my previous post.
I also made a discovery–this MacBook came with an Atheros WiFi card, not a Broadcom card like the other three Polycarbonates I have had. And wouldn’t you know it–it works just fine in the other Polycarbonates. …and the Broadcoms work just fine under 10.7.5… Which means the issue is not that what I suspected–that the connectors themselves were failing. Nope; the Broadcom driver just doesn’t work in Linux Mint, and given how good driver support generally is, this means that it’s likely a Linux wide issue. So that’s something to consider (and I’ll mention in the Linux thread, when I update that on the software side).
I also cleaned the entire inside, and the logic board looked to be in good repair. I redid the thermal paste.
The screen is also in good condition except for the tiniest of knicks I usually forget about it quickly. The plastic is generally still pretty white. Very little cracking or scratching (unlike the one it replaces).
The battery was dead, but I still have my replacement battery for MacBook White #1 that was in good condition. It still reports as having 92% capacity. It did, however, have a messed up edge, so I actually peeled off the plastic from the dead battery and put it on the replacement battery.
I got my hands on a 250GB Intel SSD, also from the junk bin, swapped in my 4GBs from MacBook White #2, and then also used the three different keyboards to create the nicest looking combination of key caps and top cover.
Then I put it all back together, and gotta say, this one is gonna last for a while, I think. And now I have even more parts anyway. And these things are only going to get cheaper, which means, I may soon get to the point where I can finally start gifting them to students. Especially students who otherwise would have no computer or are particular interested in STEM and would benefit from a Linux environment.
