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G4 Powerbook Wire Thru Hinge Problem...

S

STOSH

macrumors newbie
Original poster
May 25, 2008
2
0
Love of my life, my first and only machine, my G4 Powerbook began getting squiggly lines and the screen unreadable until I pressed and/or twisted the two hinges and then it would clear for awhile... but no more, now it's just blackness.
Fixit shop said it was the wire in the hinge and it'd cost $1200. to fix. Is it so?Can it be?? Thanks, Stosh
 
merl1n

merl1n

macrumors 65816
Mar 30, 2008
1,095
0
New Jersey, USA
STOSH said:
Love of my life, my first and only machine, my G4 Powerbook began getting squiggly lines and the screen unreadable until I pressed and/or twisted the two hinges and then it would clear for awhile... but no more, now it's just blackness.
Fixit shop said it was the wire in the hinge and it'd cost $1200. to fix. Is it so?Can it be?? Thanks, Stosh
Click to expand...

What Fixit shop?

Here are some others you can call (if you live in the USA) to get a better quote:

http://www.techrestore.com/

http://www.powerbookmedic.com/Apple-Powerbook-Repair-iBook-Repair-Parts-Hinges-G3-G4-p-3.html

http://www.iresq.com/portables/
 
S

STOSH

macrumors newbie
Original poster
May 25, 2008
2
0
G4 powerbook hinge/wire issues

Thanks Merlin, it looks as though it may be the wiring which travels through the hinge(s?)... problem seems to be that Apple cemented these G4 display screens together so that it's impossible to repair the wiring without totally replacing the screen... does that sound plausible?
 
merl1n

merl1n

macrumors 65816
Mar 30, 2008
1,095
0
New Jersey, USA
STOSH said:
Thanks Merlin, it looks as though it may be the wiring which travels through the hinge(s?)... problem seems to be that Apple cemented these G4 display screens together so that it's impossible to repair the wiring without totally replacing the screen... does that sound plausible?
Click to expand...

I really don't know. Only way to find out is by calling one of these places to find out.

Also, check this out (Parts replacement prices from another site) to get an idea.

http://www.pbparts.com/shop.php//_al+_lcd
Click to expand...

The only question is what needs to be replaced and the labor charges. That's why I suggest you call the places I mentioned before to get quotes. $1200 seems unreasonable based on the part prices, but the labor charges may bite you.
 
I

isprocket

macrumors newbie
Jul 11, 2007
24
0
New Haven,CT.
I'm nor sure if this will help...but, I also have a PowerBook Ti-G4. Both hinges
were broken but the screen still worked. The wires were still intact. I picked up
another PB G4 (broken) on e-bay . I carefully removed the hinges and epoxyed them into my PB. It was very tedious work and not for the "all thumbs" crowd.

As I was doing this I tracked another screen and upper case with wires and hinges on e-bay that sold for less than $200. An upper case like this would work for you even if you had someone else do the install. I'm sure this will result in less labor as the upper case does not have to be disassembled and glued back together. All the labor is in the glued together upper case.

The lower case must be disassembled (logic board removed) to change the upper case as a unit. This is not easy but requires much much less time.

I hope this is helpful. I by-the -way completed this repair without ever see the inside of a laptop before.
 
merl1n

merl1n

macrumors 65816
Mar 30, 2008
1,095
0
New Jersey, USA
isprocket said:
I'm nor sure if this will help...but, I also have a PowerBook Ti-G4. Both hinges
were broken but the screen still worked. The wires were still intact. I picked up
another PB G4 (broken) on e-bay . I carefully removed the hinges and epoxyed them into my PB. It was very tedious work and not for the "all thumbs" crowd.

As I was doing this I tracked another screen and upper case with wires and hinges on e-bay that sold for less than $200. An upper case like this would work for you even if you had someone else do the install. I'm sure this will result in less labor as the upper case does not have to be disassembled and glued back together. All the labor is in the glued together upper case.

The lower case must be disassembled (logic board removed) to change the upper case as a unit. This is not easy but requires much much less time.

I hope this is helpful. I by-the -way completed this repair without ever see the inside of a laptop before.
Click to expand...

I've worked on the Ti books as well without a problem. But the OP never stated whether his PB was a Ti or Aluminum.

As I stated, I have no problem opening/repairing Ti books and MBPs (as well as the Mac Mini), but I will not work on any PB G4 Aluminum books as they are a royal PIA to open and work on.
 
A

amytrip

macrumors newbie
Sep 29, 2008
5
0
So, STOSH, what did you end up doing? I am having the same problem now...for a week or so, I would get weird screen issues that corrected if I moved the monitor hinge, which was clearly getting loose on the right side -- equally clearly some sort of stress/strain on wiring running into the hinge was at issue. Now The screen is full of problems that I can't fully correct but that are also clearly affected by moving the hinge. I did open the main case and try to find a way to reinforce/reduce strain on the wiring at the hinge, but failed to get an effect.

By the way, mine is an aluminum G4 (circa late 2004). My budget was really hoping to get another 1/2 to 1 year out of this lovely thing, but it is old enough to make it hard to justify paying much in repairs/part replacements.
 
V

vixapphire

macrumors 6502
Jul 22, 2002
382
0
Los Angeles
I have this problem with a G4 TiBook at present. It's become so bad that I can surf the web and read articles (and macrumors threads) but typing is a challenge, as the video goes nuts.

I'd advise to get your quotes on repair and compare them to rebuying the same model laptop on ebay/craigslist/wherever. My first 867 TiBook got hosed when my cats knocked it off a counter; the replacement (current now dying one) cost $300 shipped early this year. Cheaper than repair!!!

good luck with your repairs.
 
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