12" PB with display issues...

[_bnkr612]

Hi,

So I have a 12" 1.5GHz PB (no applecare) and it has completely become useless due to the fact that the LCD has lines vertical and horizontal and you can't even get to the third stage of the setting up process (I reinstalled Tiger) without the screen completely going out of whack and the gray screen of death comes up.

I have been through eight iBooks while I was in school. They all had issues with logic board which kept occurring due to previously poor repairs, so I can sort of assume a similar problem is happening.

Some things I have tried already:

Zapped the PRAM
Re-Installed Tiger
Checked the HD (works fine in Firewire Mode)
Threw it down a flight of stairs (just kidding)

Next possible steps:

Use iFixit.com as reference to take apart, and see if I can diagnose a bad cable/connection
Cry if I mess it up more
Buy a new MacBook Pro and smile

Anyway, I thought it might be more than one problem which is the reason the display freaks out and I am guaranteed to get the gray screen.

Has anyone else had this problem? I think this little PB will turn into parts for sale if the fix is beyond its worth...

Cheers for your time.

 

[CrackedButter]

My screen died completely just around New Year. The inverter went, I still use it at the moment with another screen but it is always in closed lid mode. I was also thinking of trying to fix it myself (no time and its my only Mac) or get Apple to fix it for me (200 UK sterling).

You seem to be on the right track, but if you have the money, get Apple to fix it or buy a cheap monitor or ebay it like I'm doing once Apple update their MacBook Pro's.

 

[_bnkr612]

Still no luck...

So no luck yet with the screen. Has anyone seen similar display effects as these photos below?

I sadly will either have to sell this guy off, or buy a refurbished logic board and drop it in. Which will probably be a 2-4 hour job...

If anyone can help, that would be great.

Cheers.
Joseph

 

[Mr. MacBook]

Sell it. Like $750 will come out of it, and you can buy a normal macbook for 800 if you wait for the core duo 1.83GHz to come back into the refurb store.

I just picked up the last one a week ago

 

[_bnkr612]

Sell it. Like $750 will come out of it, and you can buy a normal macbook for 800 if you wait for the core duo 1.83GHz to come back into the refurb store.

I just picked up the last one a week ago

Who would be willing to buy a powerbook that only boots in safe mode? Not me...

Though, there are people who could sell it and turn it around I guess...

 

[EvryDayImShufln]

It's ridiculous how much value these babies hold! I was looking into getting one and figured they would be about 300-400$ by now considering macbooks are cheap, but I see them sell on ebay for like 1000$ or such! It's ridiculous how much people love these!

 

[Gymnut]

I actually just sent my 15" Powerbook G4 (1.5GHz) in for a display issue that was far worse than yours. It was completely unusable since I couldn't even see what I was doing without the use of an external display hooked up. The horizontal lines were everywhere and the problem seemed to be intermittent as sometimes a reboot would clear the problem. I sent it in to Apple and it was some sort of display cable that was the culprit and my computer was fixed and shipped out the same day it arrived. Since you don't have AppleCare I can only guess that you attempt to replace the cable itself. I'm won't be home till Monday so I cannot specify the exact part number that was replaced but it wouldn't hurt to replace the cheapest thing first before considering replacing the entire screen if feasible.

 

[_bnkr612]

Well, I ran the hardware test and got a video ram error:

2nvd/1/4:2122

So, the logic board will need to be swapped out. If I could find a logic board for sub $300, it might be worth it. Though, selling it and upgrading to a 15" PB would be nice.

 

[_bnkr612]

How about selling it for $500, anyone interested?

Cheers.
Jos.