iBook goes faulty (purchased from PC World)

[Dunepilot]

Hi everybody,

my G3 800MHz iBook purchased from PC world around a year ago went faulty this morning.

As I got to work I tried to wake it from sleep, and nothing happened (the screen stayed black). I did a force-restart and it made the startup chime, but the screen stayed black for about 3 minutes. So I powered the machine off again, by holding power button down for 5 seconds. I left it a little while, then tried to start up again. This time I was greeted by a grey screen, but no startup appeared to be happening. I forced another restart, and this time the Apple logo came up at startup, the grey startup wheel span around a couple of times, then short black horizontal lines appeared on either side of the screen. Next thing, I'm getting crazy colours all over the screen. I shut the machine down, and since then, I've not been able to get any signs of the onboard video working at all.

Does this sound like the iBook logic board problem?

Anyway, I have to get this machine fixed now. I'm going to back it up using the firewire target disk mode when I get home tonight, and then I have to decide how it gets fixed. Since it was purchased from PC World (and I bought their coverplan, which as far as I can tell from having worked there a few years back , entitles you to pretty much the same thing as Applecare, since Dixons Stores Group don't have the slightest bit of Apple-related expertise, or any other forthat matter).

Has anyone ever had their portable Mac fixed by DSG, PC Service or PC Performance as it's now called? How did you go about it - by calling the 0870 850 0635 number, and then letting them take it away before handing it over to Apple, or by dealing with Apple directly and getting them to bill Dixons/PC World? any advice appreciated

Finally, the machine is actually still within its initial manufacturer's guarantee, but there's the white blotch problem on the monitor as well as what i think may be the failed logic board. If I were to hand it over to PC World, they may decide that the repair is uneconomical and give me a new iBook (though unlikely).

 

[caveman_uk]

It's a dead logic board and will be fixed by Apple as it is a known fault on ibook G3s - my ibook 800MHz has already been repaired for it. Check out

http://www.apple.com/uk/support/ibook/faq/

for details.

 

[john1123]

yep i also got my second logic board. replacement is free and went quick and smooth for me.

call apple or drop your laptop to your nearest retail store and you'll get it back in 2 or 3 days.

 

[Mord]

i'd try through pc world first at the prices apple charge for parts they may well give you a new one

 

[Dunepilot]

I don't actually fall within the correct serial numbers, but they should cover it under guarantee anyway, I guess.

 

[Dunepilot]

i'd try through pc world first at the prices apple charge for parts they may well give you a new one

That was one of my thoughts, Hector, particularly since I'm pretty sure the screen should be replaced too (white spot problem - my gf had a similar screen problem on her AlBook 15" and it got repaired quickly after Apple picked it up). However, if I go through PC World, they may hold onto it forever before doing anything, and I'd rather not lose the use of it for 6 weeks, or whatever. Plus I'd have to go through their horrible helpline etc etc.

Decisions, decisions.

 

[Mord]

apple will cover it if it's clearly the logic board problem, call them up.

i have never bought anything from pc world so i dont have any experience with them, being told that macs suck by a sales rep is not that great incentive to buy from them

 

[Dunepilot]

being told that macs suck by a sales rep is not that great incentive to buy from them

Agreed, but buying an iBook for £499 was more of an incentive.

 

[Dunepilot]

Sorry for the double-post.

I've just called Apple, where I spoke to a telephone support person. He informed me that since I'm outside the 90 days of telephone support (but within the initial year's guarantee) , he wouldn't do any diagnostics or arrange for my iBook to be repaired, and would want to charge my credit card for making the call establish that I need a repair.

That surely can't be correct?

He was basically trying to force me to take it to Regent Street instead, so they don't have to deal with it. What if I lived somewhere in rural Scotland? This really really concerns me because that's a violation of consumer rights.

When I asked for his name so that I could take this up with customer relations, he refused to give me his name. I argued with him for about 10 minutes on this point, on the basis that if he were telling the truth, he would have no problem yielding his name. In the end he gave in, and told me he's called Stephane Pilorgat (he had a very strong French accent, so that might be his real name, or he might have fobbed me off with a false name).

I am not happy about this at all. As far as I can see, my only option now is to spend a day waiting to see someone at the Regent Street store?

 

[caveman_uk]

Ring again until you get the Irish. Apple outsources a load of stuff to India, Canada etc and quite frankly they're useless. You only get the right answers from the guys in Cork.

You are claiming something you are entitled to free. If they try to get you to pay for it ask to speak to a supervisor. A year warranty is just that. It fixes stuff that shouldn't go wrong for free. Charging you for them to tell you 'Yes, It's ****ed' is BS

 

[Applespider]

They take a charge from your credit card for the support call and if they confirm that it is a hardware fault that is fixable under the guarantee, you can have the charge refunded to you.

Not sure why they don't just give a year's telephone support along with the warranty and you pay outside that time period - I guess it's to stop stupid calls but hey, even obvious things aren't obvious to everyone...

 

[Mord]

dont take the "you have to pay to talk to them" BS it is BS say you dont want support you want your ibook repaired as it clearly is the logic board that has failed, that worked for me.

 

[elite_graphix]

call this number 0870 901 3000- 24/7 helpline-national rate.

since its still within the first years warranty you can either contact pcservices yourself and they will collect it- or you can drop it off to your nearest pc world store and make them book it in fot you.

i'd recommend going to the store- preferably the palce you bought it from.

 

[Dunepilot]

Thanks for all of the advice, guys. In my initial phone call I was telling him that I knew what the problem was, I was saying that I didn't want support, that I just wanted to get them to go through the motions quickly so I could get my iBook repaired, and so on, but I think Stephane was basically just a tosser.

Anyway, I'm now typing this from the Regent Street store (having taken a day to "work from home " and I'll be seeing someone about this at 4:15 today. I'm hopeful they'll sort it out. Otherwise, the PC World helpline it is

BTW, typing this on a top-end G5 with 2 x 30" display. Talk about an unnecessary spec for me to browse the web, but I just wanted to try it out