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mephastopholes · Apr 11, 2008, 12:19 PM

So I have a 15” powerbook G4 that a friend just gave to me. He was going to sell on CL because he didn’t think that it started up or worked at all, and since I have the exact same model (I think), he asked me to guesstimate how much he’d be able sell it for. I brought it home, let it charge overnight and the thing started right up! The screen, however, barely shows anything: you can see the desktop, finder, menus, etc. but its very, very dark. I’ve been told by an IT buddy of mine that it’ll either be the inverter or backlight.
So, would ya’ll say that this would be worth sending in for a repair and if so, should it be through Apple or through an authorized third party repair place? How much should I be expecting to shell out and how long would the turn around time be? If I’m able to get the screen working, my friend said that he’d let me have it for the cost of the repair and I was planning on giving it to my Dad as his first Mac.
Thanks in advance for the input,
James

peeb · Apr 11, 2008, 12:21 PM

He's right, the inverter or the backlight is gone - that should be pretty simple and cheap to repair. Check on ifixit.com

bishopazrael · Apr 11, 2008, 03:33 PM

ditto... check wth ifixit first. Apple while I love them dearly for making these machines would give you the whole song and dance....

mephastopholes · Apr 13, 2008, 02:14 PM

thanks for the reply... so i took this in to a local macintosh repair place and was told that i could be as much as $750 if its the entire screen that needs to be replaced? does this seem right?

Cold Warrior · Apr 13, 2008, 02:17 PM

The entire screen, yeah, but if it's one or the other, it should be less.

mephastopholes · Apr 13, 2008, 02:23 PM

Thanks, that's kinda what i figured, but is there a way to tell if the entire screen does need replacement, vs just replacing the backlight or inverter? Also, about how much should the latter two cost to fix? To me $750 is waaayy too much to repair this computer, when I'm seeing perfectly functioning 15" powerbooks on craigslist for $650. I'm just getting concerned that I'm being taken for a ride...
thanks again.

bballe336 · Apr 13, 2008, 02:35 PM

You can do the repairs yourself if you trust yourself. The inverter should cost no more than $100 and would be about an hour if it's your first time doing such a repair. If it's the whole panel then it'll most likely be $200-$300 for the LCD and around an hour and a half to replace it. If you were buying very marked up parts and paying for expensive labor I can't see this repair being over $600. The $750 that they quoted you seems a bit ridiculous.

mattcass · Apr 14, 2008, 10:20 PM

I just went through the whole screen/inverter hassle with an iBook G4.

I paid a shop to diagnose the problem. They tested the inverter board with a working board and it did not solve the problem. That left the screen itself or the logic board (common problem on the iBook G4). Either way, an Apple Tech repair job would have been over $800. I was told to buy a new computer instead (no thanks).

In order to test the screen I had to find someone with a screen that worked and plug it into my iBook G4. I was fortunate enough to find someone helpful and kind enough on craigslist to let me test my computer with their screen. A new screen did not solve the problem.

For me that meant it was the logic board and the end of the line for DIY repairs. However you have options!

1) Have a shop diagnose the problem, but don't let them repair it. I paid about $50 for a diagnosis that essentially tested the inverter board. I didn't find out exactly what was wrong, but it wasn't the inverter board. The shop may diagnose the problem as the inverter board and if so you are laughing because that's a cheap repair you can do yourself. If it's diagnosed as the screen, search the web for a new LCD without the Powerbook frame and replace it yourself. That will probably be $200-$300.

2) Diagnosis it yourself. You said you had the same model of Powerbook, right? Start swapping parts until you find the problem. I've disassembled an iBook and Powerbook and it's really not that bad. Just go slow, be gentle, and keep track of the screws. Everything you need to know is on ifixit.

3) Give me the Powerbook.

bishopazrael · Apr 15, 2008, 12:37 AM

No one wants to say it, but I will. If you don't really feel like dealing with the hassle of all of the above, sell it and use the money to buy a new one or a refurb or one off of craigslist.

At the point you're at now, if you're not sure if you're technically inclined or not... you're not.

You're going to say .... "But..."

No buts. It's like this... either you're pregnant or you're not. Either you're technically inclined or you're not. I try and save my customers from stress and frustration, which is why I usually wind up flapping my trap for 3 hours past the time I should have left their homes with a nice fat check for fixing their windows woes, and instead wind up switching them to a Mac. Because it's the "right thing to do".

Ugh. It's costing me money. I guess I can be consoled that I won't burn in hell next to Ballmer at any rate. But my point is that this is going to suck out a LOT of time, energy and emotion out of you. If you're not geared for that kind of up and down, don't venture down there.

Now about this time everyone else is screaming for me to shut my trap.. but it's true. See most guys here like to feel the frustration of defeat 99 times in a row because we also like the glory and rapture we feel when heaven decides to smile upon us on that 100th time we try something just very slightly different. We've beaten our sweaty brows upon our keyboards enough that paint from the asdf keys has left a mark on the hairline....

Still feel like taking on something of that magnitude? Look if you want to great, but if not just save yourself the grief, suck it in... yes it's gonna hurt.. thankfully not too much if you know how to surf craigslist and the apple refurb store... and just enjoy a new mac.

Good luck and God Speed, may he bless you in your time of trial ...

Bishop

peeb · Apr 15, 2008, 12:39 AM

I agree with Bishop here, unless you already feel confident or keen about this, cut your losses.

mattcass · Apr 15, 2008, 12:48 AM

Bishop is spot on. It's going to be a big, big hassle. For me it was a HUGE hassle dealing with the iBook that never even got fixed. The only consolation was that I knew I did everything I could to get it working and anything beyond what I did was too expensive or too technical.

I still say to at least let a repair center properly diagnose the problem. If they can't tell you EXACTLY what the problem is, don't bother trying to fix it. You'll only be out $50 and it'll hopefully answer the questions you have right now.

bishopazrael · Apr 15, 2008, 12:55 AM

One other hint... make sure they're an Apple repair center.. or Apple authorized. I know being a tech there are some things like this that I won't take on because honestly I don't know what I'm doing exactly when it comes to "diagnosing" and reporting, you have to write down on a piece of paper what exactly is wrong with the lappy. I can crack open a lappy and fix it sure... but you want someone who can point to the diode and tell you it's a diode.... not a thinghy that does the thingamajig...

Follow me? An Apple auth place will be able to tell you exactly what it is. Most repair shops don't have the ability to tell you what's wrong. Most will just incorrectly diagnose it as the screen being bad.

mephastopholes · Apr 19, 2008, 12:22 AM

If you don't really feel like dealing with the hassle of all of the above, sell it and use the money to buy a new one or a refurb or one off of craigslist.

This was what I was thinking when I first posted and seeing this affirms this notion... I just got a call from the repair store who's saying that it is in fact the display that's busted. and will cost $800. This just means that I'm out $40 and the powerbook's going back to my buddy to sell on his own... I dig macs cuz i don't have to deal w/ viruses, freezes, reboots etc and don't have time for this...
thx for the input

bishopazrael · Apr 19, 2008, 12:35 AM

Good call.

And yeah.. people get into macs because they're tired of dealing with all the bs of "pc's". Fact of the matter is that Apple just has higher quality parts for some things and the same parts as everyone else in others.. .but when it comes to the OS... can't be touched by any other.. hands down.

Good luck! Check the Marketplace forum to see if there's something there that catches your fancy. I know a couple of Macbooks are up for sale. Also check the Apple refurb section and your local craigslist.org.