Gregory's Serverlayer 2 is basically done. i've even got some copper pours! all this from staring *through* the top copper layer.
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  not satisfied with layer 3, so i am going back over it with a new technique: on a user defined layer, i'm drawing lines ONLY where i see a visible plane cut in that layer. then i'm adding "S" on top of every via that has spoked connections to the copper on that layer. ahh that makes more sense. there are a few higher current connections, but more importantly, there are cuts in the ground plane! this creates a star ground at the large highlighted pad near the middle. this is the negative battery terminal (but after the current sense resistor) anyway, i could fix up a few footprints but this reverse engineering job is essentially completed. you can find the design files here: https://github.com/schlae/Thinkpad700CPower i haven't reverse engineered many 4-layer boards, but i'm kinda amazed it worked out this well. @tubetime Amazing job, would love to see a video on how exactly you go about it. reassembled like a magic trick. the layout CAD was quite helpful for finding footprint locations.  @tubetime That's amazing. What's the quote? Ah, yes. "Sometimes, magic is just someone spending more time on something than anyone else might reasonably expect." -- Teller @tubetime Wow. How in the world do you figure out the middle layers? It’s a good thing this one was only four - I think some modern PCBs are 12+ layers. The aim is not to be able to re-make a PCB, but just to be able to debug one? @gogobonobo the thread explains how i did it. higher layer count boards require more invasive methods. but yes i wanted to be able to debug boards corroded by a leaking capacitor. @tubetime How did you get to these middle layers? I mean, you can measure some connections, but not get the layout exactly, unless you open it or have some 3d x-rays or something. @http i have a schematic (that i ohmed out) already, and i can see *part* of the traces on that layer. that and a process of logical deduction led me to an approximation of the original layer. |
layer 3 was sorta hard and easy. it is mostly a ground plane, but there are a few other copper pours. i've got 100% connected, but there are some mystery pours that are just wired in parallel with pours on the top or bottom layer.