iBook help...how to proceed!

[MattG]

My friend has a 700mhz 14" iBook (about two years old) that I sold him. It's worked great up until recently. Now what's happening is when I turn it on, I hear the chime, and then it just shows a blank grey screen. If I let it sit for long enough (about 5 minutes), it'll show an icon of a folder with a flashing "?" inside of it. I can't boot to an OS on the hard drive, and I also can't boot to a CD by holding in the "C" button.

Now, this iBook does have a serial number that qualifies for that logic board replacement program, however according to the Apple technician I talked to, the replacement program only covers iBooks experiencing problems with video, which this computer doesn't seem to be doing. The thing that gets me is that on Apple's "Repair Program FAQ Page," one of the symptoms listed is: "Computer starts up to blank screen." The tech I talked to was not very helpful and really seemed like he couldn't care less. I don't have the original Hardware Test CD, and he kept telling me that he couldn't help me unless I had it...he didn't seem to understand that even if I did have the CD, I wouldn't have been able to boot to it anyway. The computer won't boot to ANY CDs.

So, what should I do next? Has anyone else experienced this problem, and do you have any suggestions on things I could try? Or should I just call back and talk to someone else?

 

[LeeTom]

Take it to an Apple Store, or call back again. You'll most likely be able to get them to replace this.

Lee Tom

 

[MattG]

Take it to an Apple Store, or call back again. You'll most likely be able to get them to replace this.

Lee Tom

I figured I might have to take it to a store...unfortunately the nearest one is about 2 hours away. Maybe over a weekend or something...

 

[Horrortaxi]

This doesn't sound remotely like a logic board failure. When the logic board fails on an iBook, the blank screen is black--as in it does nothing at all.

A grey screen with eventual flashing question mark is, and always has been, the sign that the computer can't find a system folder to boot from. That means that something went wrong on the drive. A dead drive can cause it, but so can a corrupted file system and various other things. Here's what to do:

Restart the computer while holding down command-option-p-r and let it restart (gong) 4 times. Then hold down command-option-o-f and at the text prompt type reset-nvram and enter. Then reset-all and enter. The computer will reboot. Did it solve the problem?

If not, insert your OS X install disk and hold down the C key while booting. You should then boot from the CD and be able to reinstall the OS or use utilities.

I'm positive you will solve your problem one of those ways.

By the way, if you need to get stuff off the computer before installing the OS, plug it into another Mac with Firewire and hold the T key on the iBook while booting. It will mount on the other Mac as a hard drive and you can retrieve your data. You could install the OS from there too for that matter.

 

[MattG]

This doesn't sound remotely like a logic board failure. When the logic board fails on an iBook, the blank screen is black--as in it does nothing at all.

A grey screen with eventual flashing question mark is, and always has been, the sign that the computer can't find a system folder to boot from. That means that something went wrong on the drive. A dead drive can cause it, but so can a corrupted file system and various other things. Here's what to do:

Restart the computer while holding down command-option-p-r and let it restart (gong) 4 times. Then hold down command-option-o-f and at the text prompt type reset-nvram and enter. Then reset-all and enter. The computer will reboot. Did it solve the problem?

None of that worked.

If not, insert your OS X install disk and hold down the C key while booting. You should then boot from the CD and be able to reinstall the OS or use utilities.

Again, this is not an option. The computer will not boot to a CD at all.

 

[slowtreme]

Restart the computer while holding down command-option-p-r and let it restart (gong) 4 times. Then hold down command-option-o-f and at the text prompt type reset-nvram and enter. Then reset-all and enter. The computer will reboot.

Wha other things can I do at the text prompt? is it just a shell or no?

I also have an ibook that is not booting anymore, nor will it boot from a CD. ever since I installed the 10.3.4 update my ibook is functionally useless. the HD is scrambled and nothing will run, that is once it boots (can take up to a day to load after pressing power) the HD just spins and spins.

I was able to check the smart status, it says failing, but I dont think the HD itself is bad, just severly corrupted from that bad update. Is there a windows like scandisk ?