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Eug · Dec 30, 2003, 12:45 AM

Well, another iceBook has succumbed to the black screen of death. The machine actually boots fine (and I can even play with the audio and eject the CD drive), but the video is completely dead. Neither the screen nor the external video port work. DASMNIT!!!

The hard drive and combo drive are still intact though. (Hard drive bootable in target mode.) In fact the combo drive is region free. It will have 128 MB RAM and no Airport, once I remove the memory and Airport cards.

How much is it worth? $200?

And just what the hell is going on with Apple reliability? Even POS Dell Inspirons last longer.

si_lance · Dec 30, 2003, 12:58 AM

May I assume from your registered date that it just turned 3 years old? And I hate to say it, but Inspirons are very worthy notebooks. I just sold one that is flawless (aside from dead battery), and it is 3 years old.

Eug · Dec 30, 2003, 01:26 AM

Laptop is a little less than 2 years old, but it started dying a few months ago.

si_lance · Dec 30, 2003, 01:33 AM

Originally posted by Eug:
Laptop is a little less than 2 years old, but it started dying a few months ago.

are you the original owner? bought it new?

Eug · Dec 30, 2003, 01:36 AM

Originally posted by si_lance:
are you the original owner? bought it new?

Bought it new, original owner, although I sold it to a friend a little less than a year ago.

d4nth3m4n · Dec 30, 2003, 01:37 AM

ill give you a

for it

d4nth3m4n · Dec 30, 2003, 01:39 AM

Originally posted by si_lance:
May I assume from your registered date that it just turned 3 years old? And I hate to say it, but Inspirons are very worthy notebooks. I just sold one that is flawless (aside from dead battery), and it is 3 years old.

dude, the icebooks came out in may of 2001. the 600s didnt hit till nov of 2001, i think

rjenkinson · Dec 30, 2003, 01:40 AM

just replace the cable connecting the LCD panel to the motherboard.

-r.

Eug · Dec 30, 2003, 01:40 AM

Well, it's booted up right now. I'm playing with the volume controls. TOO BAD I CAN'T SEE A DAMN THING!

Eug · Dec 30, 2003, 01:42 AM

Originally posted by rjenkinson:
just replace the cable connecting the LCD panel to the motherboard.

-r.

Well, that's what I thought too, except that the external VGA port doesn't seem to work either.

Is the whole VGA subsystem fried? Or is it just the cable? (Cable is $129 by the way, and I don't know how to install it.)

si_lance · Dec 30, 2003, 01:45 AM

Originally posted by Eug:
although I sold it to a friend a little less than a year ago.

oh that sucks worse than if it was yours... as if you sold a lemon.

Eug · Dec 30, 2003, 02:03 AM

Originally posted by si_lance:
oh that sucks worse than if it was yours... as if you sold a lemon.

Yes, you hit the nail on the head. (It worked great when I sold it.)

rjenkinson · Dec 30, 2003, 02:09 AM

Originally posted by Eug:
Well, that's what I thought too, except that the external VGA port doesn't seem to work either. Is the whole VGA subsystem fried? Or is it just the cable? (Cable is $129 by the way, and I don't know how to install it.)

this was posted today on macintouch:

1. The hinge design is faulty. Backlight, video and power cables pass through the hinge from the logic board to the screen and the holes are too small for the cable assemblies resulting in stress and friction on the cables each time the screen is opened or closed. Eventually one or more of the cables either break or the insulation wears through resulting in a short and the backlight/video fails. This is often accompanied by fuzzy lines on the screen or users finding that the screen fails when tilted at certain angles and works at others. If your video works fine when you plug the iBook into an external monitor then this is most likely your problem. There are links in the Apple support forums to a site describing in detail how to disassemble your iBook and replace such broken cables, though you'd want to be pretty confident to try this as it will of couse void any warrenty you have left.

2. The video chip on the motherboard comes loose when its solder gives way leading to video failures, usually with no warning. This may be triggered by flexing of the case putting strain on the chip until it eventually comes loose (some have suggested never picking up your iBook by the left-hand side alone as this is where the video chip is). If after a video failure you plug in an external monitor and it doesn't work this is most likely your problem and you need a new logic board. Some people have tried pressing down hard on the left-hand side of the case just below the option key to the left of the track pad and managed to get video back temporarily (apparently this reseats the video chip). Others have reported some success sticking rubber bands/thin foam insulation on the underside of the shielding over the video chip to protect it from flexing/pressure from the case. Seems like the case really needs to be reinforced to stop it flexing like this and/or the location and soldering of the video chip changed.

sounds like your problem is more of number two. i'd suggest opening the case and having a look at the video chip. it might be something you could fix with re-soldering.

-r.

mrgaskell · Dec 30, 2003, 06:54 AM

My wife's G3 700 iBook just went down with problem number two. The video RAM showed up as bad and gave an error code during the Apple Hardware Test (from the disk the computer came with). Had AppleCare and it should be back next week. Maybe they'll upfrade her board and video card to 32mb?! Yeah, right...

Eug · Dec 30, 2003, 08:50 AM

Originally posted by mrgaskell:
My wife's G3 700 iBook just went down with problem number two. The video RAM showed up as bad and gave an error code during the Apple Hardware Test (from the disk the computer came with). Had AppleCare and it should be back next week. Maybe they'll upfrade her board and video card to 32mb?! Yeah, right...

How did you do the Apple Hardware Test if you couldn't see the video?

Skaar · Dec 30, 2003, 10:15 AM

Hey Eug,

I'll offer $150 shipped for the iBook.

Eug · Dec 30, 2003, 10:26 AM

Thanks guys for the offers, but I'm not really looking for a buyer right at this moment, esp. since the iBook is technically my friend's not mine. I was just looking for a reasonable asking price if we do decide to sell it.

Skaar I'll keep you in mind.

WizOSX · Dec 30, 2003, 11:54 PM

Just a complete long shot-- but--have you had the external video plugged in the whole time you've been trying to use the machine. If yes, try again with external connector unplugged.

Eug Wanker · Dec 31, 2003, 10:08 AM

Originally posted by WizOSX:
Just a complete long shot-- but--have you had the external video plugged in the whole time you've been trying to use the machine. If yes, try again with external connector unplugged.

Unplugged and plugged several times.

BTW, I managed to get it work once... and the machine froze within 20 seconds.

So I picked up a new iBook 900 G3. Accepts the same memory card and Airport card from the old iBook, and the G3 iBooks are cheap as borscht.

smic · Dec 31, 2003, 09:33 PM

mrgaskell
i had my ibook 700 go in with 16mb video card, and it came back with a 32mb card
so it could happen