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12" g4 ibook fan blasting, nothing on screen...help!

kugino

kugino

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jul 10, 2003
1,170
182
hope someone could help me...my ibook just started to act strangely. i had it sleeping in my bag...i open it up again and it's not starting up. i press the power button and the CD/DVD drive kicks up like it's ready to start...and then the fans start blasting and i'm left with a loud ibook with nothing on screen. nothing. nothing stops it except removing the battery/cutting the power. i can't get any of the standard startup key combinations to work either.

it's a g4 1ghz ibook with 768mb ram. i've been running it as is since last october with no problems...haven't dropped it or anything, so i don't know what's wrong. any help would be appreciated. thanks.
 
Warning: You're not going to like this...

I was working on a 14" iBook G4-- a friends. He was given it by a doctor friend who's daughter dropped a book on the screen, shattering the LCD. He ordered a new LCD for it, and new ribbon cable as the LCD was different. After multiple hours of disassembly, and halfway through reassembly, I had the bright Idea of plugging in the battery with all the EMI shielding and cases off. I wanted to try it out to see if this display (purchased on eBay) even worked and whether or not I should bother continuing reassembly. Well, it did, then the AirPort Antenna (the big metal connector that plugs into the card) dropped onto the Logic Board. There was a pop noise, a spark, machine shut off, and the antenna was HOT! I go to turn it back on (after moving the antenna, obviously) and had the same exact thing. Fan came on full bore, no screen, no anything. So I got out my dissection microscope (I'm an electronics hobbyist) and examined the damage I did. Found a couple filter capacitors that were fried right off about the size of .5 mm. Fortunately, I have a steady hand, and they were only filter capacitors as far as I could tell. I soldered some solder bridges in place and everything was well. Not entirely sure what this means for you, unless somehow it awoke from sleep and with the lid closed melted a component?
 
pianoman181 said:
Warning: You're not going to like this...

I was working on a 14" iBook G4-- a friends. He was given it by a doctor friend who's daughter dropped a book on the screen, shattering the LCD. He ordered a new LCD for it, and new ribbon cable as the LCD was different. After multiple hours of disassembly, and halfway through reassembly, I had the bright Idea of plugging in the battery with all the EMI shielding and cases off. I wanted to try it out to see if this display (purchased on eBay) even worked and whether or not I should bother continuing reassembly. Well, it did, then the AirPort Antenna (the big metal connector that plugs into the card) dropped onto the Logic Board. There was a pop noise, a spark, machine shut off, and the antenna was HOT! I go to turn it back on (after moving the antenna, obviously) and had the same exact thing. Fan came on full bore, no screen, no anything. So I got out my dissection microscope (I'm an electronics hobbyist) and examined the damage I did. Found a couple filter capacitors that were fried right off about the size of .5 mm. Fortunately, I have a steady hand, and they were only filter capacitors as far as I could tell. I soldered some solder bridges in place and everything was well. Not entirely sure what this means for you, unless somehow it awoke from sleep and with the lid closed melted a component?
Click to expand...

you're right...i don't like it :)

i have a PM at home to work on...and most of my important stuff has been backed up...so i suppose i could take it in to the apple store...but i just hate that hassle. any more suggestions?
 
i'm able to run the ibook in target disk mode...so at least i can copy my important files.

is there any way to do a diagnostic of my ibook via target disk mode?
 
i have had that problem

My iBook G4 did that to me one day. I heard fans and nothing on the screen. It turned out to be a big issue - main board. but, apple fixed it for free - even after my warranty. sounds like u have the exact problem.
 
Eluon said:
My iBook G4 did that to me one day. I heard fans and nothing on the screen. It turned out to be a big issue - main board. but, apple fixed it for free - even after my warranty. sounds like u have the exact problem.
Click to expand...

thanks...i'll take it into the apple store.
 
Just had the same thing happen

I *just* had the exact same thing happen. A G4 ibook, bought in December 03. I have talked to Apple twice and am waiting to hear back from them on whether they will cover it as my warranty is now over.

Eluon - what was your serial number? Did it fall into the logicboard replacement range? How did you get them to fix it for free?

This is my first apple computer and I love it, so I do not want to become jaded with their products - but does this mean I should factor in the price of applecare into any apple laptop?

Fingers crossed!
 
just want to update...

i took my ibook in to the apple store and they fixed it for free as it was under warranty. if i wanted them to back up my HD it was another $89...i had some important files (though not anything i couldn't live without) and would have paid it but i replaced my HD myself (and thus "voided" my warranty)...i didn't want them to wonder why i had an 80 gigger in there.

anyway, eluon was right - they replaced the logic board and added spiral tubing (whatever that's for). they also replaced some of my keyboard keys, which had the letters rubbed off...i now have a completely legible keyboard.

turnaround time was pretty quick...i took it in friday afternoon and had it shipped to me by thursday.

i replaced my HD but they didn't notice, so if you're wondering whether you should do it or not, you might get away with it if you're very careful and don't damage the casing. when i took it in to the geniuses, they looked around the casing to see if it was cracked or anything (or whether i had opened it up) and they said it looked fine, so no further questions.
 
kugino said:
just want to update...

i took my ibook in to the apple store and they fixed it for free as it was under warranty. if i wanted them to back up my HD it was another $89...i had some important files (though not anything i couldn't live without) and would have paid it but i replaced my HD myself (and thus "voided" my warranty)...i didn't want them to wonder why i had an 80 gigger in there.

anyway, eluon was right - they replaced the logic board and added spiral tubing (whatever that's for). they also replaced some of my keyboard keys, which had the letters rubbed off...i now have a completely legible keyboard.

turnaround time was pretty quick...i took it in friday afternoon and had it shipped to me by thursday.

i replaced my HD but they didn't notice, so if you're wondering whether you should do it or not, you might get away with it if you're very careful and don't damage the casing. when i took it in to the geniuses, they looked around the casing to see if it was cracked or anything (or whether i had opened it up) and they said it looked fine, so no further questions.
Click to expand...


arghhh... mine just did the same thing last night.. .

i was working and all of a sudden everything stopped. Had to force turning it off and turn it on again and just like you said, the blasting fan comes on...

Mine's out of warranty for only 2 months, I hope they do it for free just like they did yours..

Crossing fingers
Pette
 
This is a logic board/main board failure. Textbook.

Here's another way of putting what happens, just so that we're all on the same page and we'll all be able to diagnose this issue:

If it happens while machine is in use, sometimes motion can trigger it, or it can be spontaneous and likely happen while the machine is off or when being turned off or on. But the general symptoms are:

- screen does not turn on. or very rarely does the backlight turn on, possibly intermittently.
- fan turns on full blast.
- fan will continue to blast for hours if on AC, or until battery dies, with no change.
- power button does not respond unless you hold it for 10 seconds, at which point it turns off. in some cases you may have to remove the battery if this does not work.
- when machine is off and you turn it on, it does the optical drive test spin-up (or jiggly sound if slot-loading), and where it would normally do a quick blast of the fan, the fan turns on full power and does not turn off.
- no startup chime occurs.

If this happens, it's time to call Apple and hope and pray that either:
1. your iBook was recalled
2. you're under warranty/AppleCare
3. there's no physical damage that they could say "voided the warranty," or that possibly caused or exacerbated the logic board failure
4. $DEITY is looking favorably upon your soul, that Apple might be merciful

:)
 
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