Dropped iBook = Cracked Screen

[apelet]

I dropped my iBook today. Slipped out of the 15$ case I had bought for it, fell 2 feet onto carpet. It must have hit at a weird angle because the screen is absolutely useless now. Luckily, I have a spare monitor set up, but it took me forever to be able to do anything because I have the screen spanning hack installed. After a few cmd-tabs, cmd-n's, and trying to catch and drag unseen windows on to the external monitor, I got things switched to mirroring and am able to use the iBook. But the screen looks like a total loss. I'm now backing things up to an external drive, which I luckily just bought today.

Has anyone had any experience replacing one of these? Is it worth it? I've heard prices as low as $200 for a do it yourself job and as high as $1000 to ask Apple. For the record, I've got an iBook G4 800. Paid just under $2000 Canadian with an edu discount right when it came out. How hard is it to replace the screen if I were to try? Is it time to buy a new (or used) computer?

 

[California]

My vote would be to get a used screen off eBay and have an Apple Tech install -- also retrofit new hd and memory and anything else while you are at it -- so you feel like you are getting something new for your trouble and $. Sorry about the iBook.

 

[eleveneastgate]

as high as $1000 to ask Apple

Yup, that's how much they wanted to fix mine. Instead, I just lived with this tiny white line on the bottom LHS of the screen 🙁

Sorry to hear about the drop, it could be a blessing in disguise... Maybe now is the time to going shopping in the Apple refurb section, and get a refurb iB. Then you can sell your broken one on eBay to offset the cost of the Refurb.

OR

Maybe wait until Tiger comes out THEN get the iB & Tiger (at a discount), Hmmm...?


Good Luck... Peace!

 

[sorryiwasdreami]

Man that really blows; sorry to hear about your iBook. I'm curious to see how it cracked–horizontally or vertically or whichever way. Can you post pics?

If you plan to sell it on eBay, pics would be a good idea anyway.

 

[mad jew]

It might be worthwhile just getting a whole new machine. It won't be that much more expensive and that way you get the latest and greatest from Apple. 😀

 

[Inspector Lee]

Sorry about your loss. The only way I'd go through Apple is if you decided to buy a new computer. I think the screen costs the farm. I've got a powerbook and iBook in my home and that is my biggest fear. Sometimes, I find myself getting a little too complacent.

I was at The Apple Store in Novi about 6 months ago and a girl was in their with a busted iBook screen. The crack was more like a fissure and went horizontal 3/4 across before shooting up. Overheard her say she had it in her backpack sans sleeve on a desk 😱 and somebody nudged it and it dropped.

Best of luck.

 

[apelet]

As requested...

If it weren't so tragic, I would think it looked cool.

(First time posting an image. I hope it shows up.)

Man that really blows; sorry to hear about your iBook. I'm curious to see how it cracked–horizontally or vertically or whichever way. Can you post pics?

If you plan to sell it on eBay, pics would be a good idea anyway.

 

[buryyourbrideau]

eek...ouch 😱

 

[mad jew]

Freaky, it looks like someone's unzipped your screen. 🙁

 

[Duff-Man]

Duff-Man says...I have had a couple users I support at work drop their laptops in the last few months....always an expensive repair unfortunately...if you touch the screen where the cracks are you'll probably get some really cool psychedelic effects....oh yeah!

 

[Sun Baked]

The iBooks and the PB12 are LCD repairs you can do yourself, since the screen halfs are screwed together instead of being glued.

It'll probably still be a $275-$400US part.

 

[mkrishnan]

The iBooks and the PB12 are LCD repairs you can do yourself, since the screen halfs are screwed together instead of being glued.

It'll probably still be a $275-$400US part.

I googled this quickly, so yes, it's possible, and Sun's pricing is about right. No input on this company -- never dealt with them.

http://www.dttservice.com/ibookg3.html

 

[apelet]

The iBooks and the PB12 are LCD repairs you can do yourself, since the screen halfs are screwed together instead of being glued.

It'll probably still be a $275-$400US part.

Is this something that an amateur would be able to pull off? The extent of my technical skills is being able to stick a hard drive in an enclosure and screw it together. I saw this site but it seems like a really complicated job...

 

[R.Youden]

I do a bit of Apple repairing in my spare time. Somewhere on the web you will be able to find the Apple Service manuals that Apple gives out to its engineers and it talks you through all the steps. It isnt that hard as long as you dont try to rush it and keep your screws in some kind of order. Oh and remember to get a grounding cable if you start to play with the inside of you iBook. We dont want to kill it anymore with static!

Really it aint that hard. Good luck. If you want any advice PM me. Thanks