[KatieBDA]

A few days ago, I unplugged my iBook G4 and took it and the power adapter to class. I didn't end up plugging in the computer while I was in class, I just used the battery. When I got home and plugged the power adapter into the wall and into my computer, the power source icon showed that the power adapter was being used (rather than the battery), yet there was no orange or green glow where the adapter attaches to the computer.

The battery isn't recharging, but it's also not getting depleted, and there's still no orange or green glow. Does anybody know what's wrong? I've tried restarting the computer, trying different outlets, etc. but nothing has worked.

[amazing]

Hi, welcome to the forums!

First thing to try is resetting the PMU (power management unit) and then the nvram (non-volatile RAM). How you reset the PMU depends on your iBook model, but here's the link to apple's support that tells you how:

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

If this doesn't work, then reset the nvram by booting into open firmware:

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=2238

Shut down the computer.
Locate the following keys on the keyboard: Command, Option, P, and R. You will need to hold these keys down simultaneously in step 4.
Turn on the computer.
Press and hold the Command-Option-P-R keys. You must press this key combination before the gray screen appears.
Hold the keys down until the computer restarts and you hear the startup sound for the second time.
Release the keys.

If these steps don't help, then borrow a friend's charger just long enough to see if its light changes color when plugged in to your iBook. If your friend's charger works as expected, and yours still doesn't, then you probably need a new charger (do you have applecare? how old is the iBook?)

If nothing above words, report back for more suggestions. Good Luck!

[KatieBDA]

Thanks for the suggestions. Unfortunately, neither worked. I'll try to find someone nearby who can lend me their adapter.

[amazing]

It's possible that the charger is damaged, namely the cable. Apple has been getting flack about the flimsy way the thin cable goes into the charging block, with the cable deteriorating faster than it should. When you wind the cable around the block, that puts a lot of stress on the connection. (hint: don't bend the cable super-tight when you wind it up for transport.)

If your friend's charger works, then your's is damaged.

Try this:
With the iBook plugged in, bend the thin cable gently where it goes into the white charger. Does the charging light change color in one position? If so, then the cable is damaged--you can buy another or perhaps a third party charger that might be sturdier.

If you've still got applecare, they might replace it. If you contact Applecare, be sure to be polite and never get angry, just be friendly yet insistent. The reason I say that is because Apple sometimes balks at replacing the chargers, saying that they've been damaged by user abuse (so just stay calm and reasonably insist that you've never damaged or dropped it, etc.)