[oldmaccy]

At least it is to me.

I have as far as I can tell a new variant of the ibook display problems. The screen will go dim, flicker and or black at random; the data is still there always (even when black), and an external monitor via the VGA always works fine, no matter what state the ibook screen is in.

Sounds like a reed switch cable problem no? Well I've replaced that cable (the original seemed fine when I got in, but I swapped it out anyway) and the problem was unaffected.

What makes it more mysterious is that you can turn the screen back on by applying pressure on the case to the left of the trackpad - a symptom (so I've read) of the ATI chip on the logic board under there delaminating or similar; however, this is supposed to be associated with an external video failing too. You don't need much pressure at all to do this (so it's not flexion being transmitted to a loose connection elsewhere).

The ibook has been stable in this state for about a year now, so it doesn't seem to be a progressive failure.

Anyone come across this set of symptoms before, or have any ideas?

Thanks!

[jamil5454]

My iBook is running perfectly. I just install Tiger on it to breath some new life into it.

But about your problem - if the date on the screen is fine, then I don't think it's a video card problem. It's probably your backlight that's acting up. Maybe the cable going to the backlight is loose somewhere.

[oldmaccy]

Originally Posted by jamil5454

My iBook is running perfectly. I just install Tiger on it to breath some new life into it.

But about your problem - if the date on the screen is fine, then I don't think it's a video card problem. It's probably your backlight that's acting up. Maybe the cable going to the backlight is loose somewhere.

That's certainly what the symptoms feel like, except that it can be affected by the bottom left case pressure - as the backlight cable runs from approximately under the 'u' key out through the hinge it seems too far away.

The video data cable does plug in in the bottom left area, but anyway both cables are seated fine (and wiggling them doesn't affect the problem, as you'd expect if it was the cables).

I'm about the take the bottom shield off again and have another look...

[oldmaccy]

Right, so after going back under the bottom shield, judicious poking revealed that pressure on one corner of the ati chip made the backlight go off, and pressure on the diagonally opposite corner back on again.

Odd.

Still, with the judicious application of a blob of blu-tack on the outside of the bottom shield in the right place to transmit pressure (but not too much!) from the case to the appropriate corner, a fix (or bodge if you prefer) appears to have been effected.

I'd still really like to know from someone who knows the guts of the ibook exactly what is going on though - it all seems strange to me.

Still, ibook is back to health for now anyway.

Cheers.