Help! My iBook died :(

[Chris Madeley]

I need some help from someone who is computer-smart and knows about macs. My iBook G4 (August 05 vintage) isn't working anymore... the day before my first exam!

When I wake my iBook from sleep, the backlight doesn't turn on (although the computer is on), and then around five seconds later it goes back to sleep. If I shut it down, and start it up again, it backlight is on while it starts up, then it boots up, and after 4 seconds of being loaded it goes back to sleep, and I have the same problem happening again.

So has anyone had something like this happen to them before, or have any ideas to fix it? I know I should take it into a mac shop, but it's not under warranty and they'll charge me through the nose... I'm only a poor student.

I have to say, I'm a big apple fan, but they always keep breaking on me! I've already had to have my ibook serviced (for a month!), and I've had to have an ipod serviced (for 2 months!) as well. Not a good record for apple.

Any help/ideas would be greatly appreciated! (telling me to get linux is not help!)

[Liam]

Have you tried plugging into an external monitor?

[ninevalleys]

buy a laptop... thats an easy fix, sure they may be more viruses (im yet to see them) but at elast they are easily and readily fixable.

nv

[Sandy Hancock]

Might the battery be losing its ability to hold charge, thereby putting the computer into energy saving mode all the time?

And ninevalleys, an iBook is a laptop :silly:

[The One]

Definately make sure it's plugged in - even if charged, the battery may not be holding charge, as has been said, and may need a battery reset (may be some software out there for this purpose - need to do that for an old G3 I bought...)

[Chris Madeley]

Hi guys,
thanks for all of the responses so far. I've tried using it with the power plugged in and had the same problem.

I don't have an external monitor, but I'll try that on the weekend. Might give me some idea what's happening.

After more (frustrating) further inspection I've got a feeling that the mechanism that 'senses' whether the lid is open or not is not working, and always thinks that it's closed. That could why the backlight doesn't come on and it goes back to sleep. Does this sound reasonable? Would anyone know how it works or how to fix it?

[Eberbachl]

buy a laptop... thats an easy fix, sure they may be more viruses (im yet to see them) but at elast they are easily and readily fixable.

nv

:rolleyes:

What makes you think PC laptops are more easily and readily fixable than Mac laptops?

Do you actually have any clue?

:silly:

[Marcus]

Try this one Chris

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=14449

[Chris Madeley]

Try this one Chris

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=14449

Tried it just then. Came up with a message saying the power management unit has been reset (or something to that vibe), then five seconds later went back to sleep. Still has the same problem.

thanks for the suggestion though.

[Chris Madeley]

:rolleyes:

What makes you think PC laptops are more easily and readily fixable than Mac laptops?

Do you actually have any clue?

:silly:

have you ever used a pc before? i've always found that when there's not working a couple of good kicks on the side tends to fix them...

... helps relieve some stress at least anyway!

[Progen]

have you ever used a pc before? i've always found that when there's not working a couple of good kicks on the side tends to fix them...

... helps relieve some stress at least anyway!

Works wonders most times but there's a fine line between permanently busted and back to working 'normally'.

[Archangel]

Um, I don't suppose those Maccy things have a low-level setup screen like BIOS you can get into? Such a thing might have an option to let you turn that behaviour off, which might help you figure out what it is?
I don't think I've ever seen one saying "press delete for setup" though...

[hoyt for life 2]

I know its illigal to install apple os on a bios based computer.

[Archangel]

I know its illigal to install apple os on a bios based computer.
Yeah, you're supposed to use that brain-dead EFI thing.
Since Chris's is a ppc chip, I don't imagine it'd have either - I thought it might have something of it's own that did sort of the same thing.

[Marcus]

What about if you boot from the Mac OS X disk. Does it still show the fault?

[Chris Madeley]

What about if you boot from the Mac OS X disk. Does it still show the fault?

thanks marcus!!!

I booted from the install disk and it booted up allright. It's not having the problem at the moment (although the screen is on the dimmest setting and cannot be altered). I went into the system profiler and it says that the clamshell is closed (when it obviously isn't), so this does seem to be the problem...

so next question, is there a way to fix this through the software (possibly be entering something into terminal?), or do i have to open the case/ take it to a repair place?

[Eberbachl]

Not sure about how to fix the sensor issue Chris, but have you tried to boot with the OS X disk, and use the Apple Hardware diagnostics utility to further isolate the fault?

[Chris Madeley]

Not sure about how to fix the sensor issue Chris, but have you tried to boot with the OS X disk, and use the Apple Hardware diagnostics utility to further isolate the fault?

I booted from the OS X disk and used system profiler to establish that the ibook thinks the lid is closed when it is actually open, hence it keeps going to sleep.

I'm not sure where to get the apple diagnostics utility from? I didn't see it on the list of apps on the startup disk.

[Eberbachl]

I booted from the OS X disk and used system profiler to establish that the ibook thinks the lid is closed when it is actually open, hence it keeps going to sleep.

I'm not sure where to get the apple diagnostics utility from? I didn't see it on the list of apps on the startup disk.

If you put the Apple OS X CD (or DVD) in the drive, and boot the computer with the Option key pressed down until a list of available boot devices appears, you should be able to select Apple Hardware test.

Then you should be able to perfom an exhaustive test of the Laptop's hardware (...although it takes a little longer, choose the extended test).

;)

[Chris Madeley]

Ok,

I ran the hardware diagnostics (thanks Eberachl) and it says there's nothing wrong with my mac.

Good thing? Bad thing?

not sure.

[Archangel]

Well, the most likely thing is that the sensor that tells it that the lid is closed has stuck. I imagine it's a wee thing in the hinge somewhere - some laptops have a little post sticking up near the base of the screen, but I'm sure Apple wouldn't resort to something so classless ;-)

Anyway, I don't think the diagnostic is likely to consider that as something being 'wrong' with your laptop, since it's still there and communicating, it's just sending the wrong information.

If you were feeling particularly keen, I suppose you could open it up and have a look yourself (probably best to have the MacGuyver theme playing while you do), although I'm not sure I'd be up for that. You might just have to suck it up and pay for it to be fixed.... :-(

[Eberbachl]

I agree with Archangel - sounds like the sensor that tells the laptop the screen is closed is stuck.

I would drop in to an Apple Centre and ask them for advice ;)

[Chris Madeley]

You might just have to suck it up and pay for it to be fixed.... :-(

You don't know me well enough!

First I'll try fix it myself, make a total mess of it, then once it's totally ruined I'll take it into get fixed and pay 4x as much!

[Eberbachl]

You don't know me well enough!

First I'll try fix it myself, make a total mess of it, then once it's totally ruined I'll take it into get fixed and pay 4x as much!


...dude - I would seriously just take it into an Apple Centre (not Myer, Dick Smith or Harvey Norman etc...) and ask for an opinion first. The people at Apple Centres generally actually have some idea about what they're doing.

That will cost nothing.

If you're lucky they might be able to fix it quite cheaply.

If you make a total mess of it, you might not just be paying 4x as much for the repair - you might be buying a new laptop.

:thumb:

[recurve boy]

You don't know me well enough!

First I'll try fix it myself, make a total mess of it, then once it's totally ruined I'll take it into get fixed and pay 4x as much!

You have no idea how many screws these things have.

If you are keen, the hardware docs are floating around the internets. They detail all the hardware and should allow you to fix it yourself.

[Robin Dud]

Hi Chris, I mentioned your problem to my Mac tech and he say its definatly the the sensor, but it depends on which model you have. If the sensor is in the lid then it's had it. If it is by the track pad then it could be fixed.

[Chris Madeley]

Thanks robin,

I've got exams until thursday, so i'll take it in to get a diagnosis after then. Hopefully it's not in the screen and not fatal... fingers crossed.

[primal]

buy a laptop... thats an easy fix, sure they may be more viruses (im yet to see them) but at elast they are easily and readily fixable.

nv
if you cant be helpful STFU!


and if all your going to do is blindly follow the PC crowd, like me, then at least know better then to post **** about PC's when mac people are reading....

DUH!.....

[Archangel]

Wee suggestion for ninevalleys: If you're yet to see a virus, get a computer, wipe the drive and install XP (the "most secure operating system ever" according to it's marketing documents). Connect it to the internet and go and have a coffee for quarter of an hour or so. When you come back, you'll have plenty of virii to observe.

[Chris Madeley]

In the same way that there is positive and negative bacteria for people (and animals) to keep our health in balance, perhaps there are positive and negative virii for windows.

Sure, there might be the virus that wipes all of your important documents, but don't forget that there was also one that read them all first and sent copies back to someone else. So in essense no information has been lost, and the world is in balance!

[Eberbachl]

Chris,

Here's a link to the Apple Service Manual for your iBook ;)

http://www.eserviceinfo.com/index.php?what=search2&searchstring=iBook+G4

You'll need two files (it's a multipart .rar file)

iBook (16 VRAM).part1.rar

...and

iBook (16 VRAM).part2.rar

It may be useful;)

The manual discusses a reed switch in the LCD assembly, and describes the operation for it's replacement. I'm not sure if the reed switch is the switch responsible for telling the machine if the lid is closed, but I suspect it may be.