ibook screen goes wavy and crashes

[shu82]

When I boot up this ibook it works fine for a little while then it gets all wavy and crashes. Would this be the screen, board, or the connector? Everything looks solid.

 

[Erendiox]

What do you mean wavy? Do artifacts appear on the screen? Do they look like lines?

It sounds like it could be either bad ram, a broken motherboard, or something with the graphics card.

 

[shu82]

They are horizontal and they are more like pulls on fabric. Groups of lines pulling on both sides before it crashed. I can make this happen faster by moving the screen. If I just let it sit, it will eventually start to happen (maybe my footsteps). I don't think it is the ram, this is a new problem.

 

[Sherman Homan]

They are horizontal and they are more like pulls on fabric. Groups of lines pulling on both sides before it crashed. I can make this happen faster by moving the screen. If I just let it sit, it will eventually start to happen (maybe my footsteps). I don't think it is the ram, this is a new problem.

If you are saying that it crashes when you wiggle the screen, then the problem is most likely that the monitor ribbon cable has come loose.

 

[arkitect]

I had this happen on my TiBook — it turned out to be the video connector passing through the hinge that got worn out after a few years and would "short-out" after a few minutes.
It was repairable. Expensive though.

When I boot up this ibook it works fine for a little while then it gets all wavy and crashes. Would this be the screen, board, or the connector? Everything looks solid.

 

[shu82]

Ive taken apart an ibook before and it isn't that bad. Is this ribbon cable a separate piece or soldered to the screen? How much did it cost you? Did you have to get a new screen?

 

[QCassidy352]

this happened with my brother's ibook and it turned out to be the logic board.

 

[arkitect]

Yes, you can buy the connector ribbon online - in fact I have seen them on eBay - and no soldering at all. Just the actual wires had been worn through — like what you get when metal gets bent and unbent continually.

I am sorry it was almost 2 years ago so I really cannot remember any pricing. 😱

This link might help. http://www.macintouch.com/readerreports/ibook/topic3418.html if you scroll down there are comments about video cards and such.

BTW have you checked what happens when the iBook is connected to an external monitor? If the image is fine you know it is the connector. If that fails it'll be the video card itself. 🙁

Ive taken apart an ibook before and it isn't that bad. Is this ribbon cable a separate piece or soldered to the screen? How much did it cost you? Did you have to get a new screen?

 

[shu82]

Logic board means I have to scrap it. I really don't want that. I know if I take this to my mac store they will automatically say that just to see if I am really willing to pay alot for this. I am definitely not in that situation right now. I really hope it is that ribbon cable. Any other ideas are welcome.

 

[mick4394]

Is this a G3, or a G4, iBook?

 

[shu82]

Its a G3 800. I dont have the adapter to do an external on it. It dies on its own even when I dont mess with it. So if its a short, it must be a pretty bad one. I will try the ribbon on a multimeter. If it is not that, someone might get a brand new set of plastics at the marketplace, and I will keep what I can use out of it.