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l008com · 11:26 PM

So there's this iBook. Its a 14", I think its 800 MHz. Recently it started crashing. A lot. Sometimes when it would crash the screen would scramble, BUT when I was using it I kept touching the screen trying to make it go and it wouldn't, so it doesn't seem like a monitor cable to me. So a completely format and the problem came right back. Not right away though. Another odd thing, after I reformatted, and installed. When he logged on to iChat, all of the Idle times next to peoples names, instead of being numbers of hours etc, were instead gigantic negative numbers. Does this sound like anything specific to anyone? I'm thinking it sounds like a hard drive but its too tough to say.

billybob128 · Oct 8, 2003, 02:54 PM

if it sometimes starts up but there is no screen or when it starts up and works but there become lines of grey and black acroos seemingly randomly then wait a little for mine to get back from that same problem and ill tell you wat it is
its been away for a week now so it should be soon

l008com · Oct 8, 2003, 03:00 PM

OK apparently the screen gets scrambled every time it crashes and further more, sometimes it won't boot at all, you hit the power and it lights up and goes out. So now I'm thinking maybe it really is the video cable. I should have a picture of the screen to post soon.

billybob128 · Oct 8, 2003, 04:00 PM

yeah sounds just like mine ill see what it is for you

l008com · Oct 8, 2003, 04:56 PM

l008com · Oct 10, 2003, 05:56 PM

More info:
Now I tested it booted off my ibook in firewire mode. It ran perfectly off my computer. But from his hard drive, and when booted from a CD installing ONTO his hard drive, it will crash and scramble. I used it for a good 10 minutes opening a whole bunch of apps and it was comepltely flawless. I also unmounted its built in HD right away to make sure it was totally isolated. So I can't imagine it would be anything other than a bad hard drive, except, it make no strange noises, at least that I heard. But I actually have yet to hear it crash. Oh one more thing he told me. It would happen while he was listening to mp3's, and the MP3 would skip a little, and then a few moments later the machine would crash, and the mp3 would play the same small segment over and over like a broken record. Ive had crashed like that before but they were very rare, his happen constnatly.

l008com · Oct 11, 2003, 02:13 PM

Originally posted by billybob128:
yeah sounds just like mine ill see what it is for you

Any word yet?

billybob128 · Oct 15, 2003, 01:32 PM

just got it back but the people in the shop said all that they did was a full diagnostic but from the slight internal damage(just by the airport card the grill with holes is bent a bit) and the smell i reackon that its a new logicboard inside it
is there anyway i can check this?

scottiB · Oct 15, 2003, 02:53 PM

If there's a new logic board, there will be a new MAC (or ethernet ID#) address. A new sticker should've been applied over the old one (at least it was when my G4's motherboard was replaced).

If not, compare the number listed when you open network control panel (not the IP address) to the one that's listed on you iBook's box (on the sticker with the serial #).

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FYI, l008com, my 12" iBook 700 (May 2002) model began to have the funky screen lines and failure to boot, too. Right now, it's at Apple Tech (I have AppleCare). I'll post if they note what was done when I get it back.

scottiB · Oct 18, 2003, 07:29 AM

iBook received (sent in Tuesday, returned on Friday). The video cable was replaced, and the techs cleaned it up a bit.

Works great.

l008com · Oct 18, 2003, 11:38 AM

hmmmm

scottiB · Oct 18, 2003, 06:39 PM

Originally posted by scottiB:
iBook received (sent in Tuesday, returned on Friday). The video cable was replaced, and the techs cleaned it up a bit.

Works great.

Check that. I got a new motherboard. I have a new MAC (ethernet ID address) sticker under my keyboard.

brapper · Oct 19, 2003, 12:37 PM

I had two iBooks with that same problem. Apparently Apple has trouble mounting the logic boards proerly and after awhile of flawless use it becomes a problem and completely screws up the system. You need to get your logic board replaced for sure and make sure when you call apple to tell them that you know that it's the logic board.
They actually replaced my first unit with another that after three months of use experienced the same problem. Eventually I got a refund and put it toward buy a Powerbook...let's hope that it doesn't come to that for you.

see4pio · Oct 22, 2003, 07:43 PM

I'm having this same problem. Just started today. After first time it happened I was able to start up in target disk mode and made a backup of the drive. Then tried to restart the ibook but nothing happened. Went to class, came back a couple hours later and tried to start it up again. Ran fine for 5 minutes then crashed with a screwed up screen display.

Guess I better go dig out my reciept and take the little guy in for repairs since it seems like this is a common problem and that it's the logic board.

l008com · Oct 22, 2003, 07:47 PM

Yeah I hope your still in warranty, if not its $300