iBook G4 Problem: When I press power button, the power/fan comes on, but no picture

[Goddessofmoon89]

I have a iBook G4 laptop and there seems to be something very wrong with it. It started a few days ago just randomly. I was reading something on the internet and the screen went black on me, but the power was still on (I clicked CAPS LOCK to see if there was power). I then proceeded to push the power button and the power went off. When I pressed the power button again to turn it on, it made that internal noise it always makes and then the fan came on, and wouldn't turn off. There was no picture on the screen at all. Completely dead. But there was power, because when I clicked on the CAPS LOCK, the light came on). I tried pressing on the power button for at least 15 seconds and even went as long as a minute, and the power didn't go off.

The battery is completely charged. The only way to turn off the fan is to take out the battery and then put it back in. I've tried numerous shortcuts and what not's that I've seen here, but none of them work.

I went to the Genius Bar and one of the young men told me it may be the mother board. But it's 300 to get it fixed and he says it may not even be that. I'm not about to waste 300 dollars for them to fix a motherboard that may not need fixing and then pay more for whatever it DOES need fixing. He couldn't tell me what was wrong with it, just a guess, which surprised me, because I was sure they had some way of checking to see what was wrong with it.

So anyway, I guess I'm trying to ask if any of you know how/where I can get a diagnostic? The screen won't come on, which is the problem. So maybe it's not even possible? If I do have to get a new motherboard, does anyone know where I can get it cheaper that 300? I can find someone to install it for me.

Also, if that's the case, how do I go about saving all the files I have on my computer? I know that they may erase all my information if they fix the motherboard and I can't have that, as they are very important files I have from work.

Thanks for any help in advance!

[Reflow]

Have you tried to reset the PRAM,PMU? Also what happens when you hook up a external monitor?

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

[Goddessofmoon89]

Originally Posted by Reflow

Have you tried to reset the PRAM,PMU? Also what happens when you hook up a external monitor?

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

Yup, those were the "shortcuts" I tried out. Nothing worked. And I haven't hooked it up to an external monitor. I wouldn't know how to go about that. I mean, I have another Mac, a Desktop, and there's the monitor, but I can't hook that up to the laptop, as the connection cord from the computer to the desktop wouldn't fit anywhere on the laptop.

[iHerzeleid]

Its the motherboard.