Ibook screen randomly goes dark - would appreciate some help

[JoQue]

regarding ibook g4 running os x 10.4

The screen on my ibook g4 randomly goes dark sometimes. The computer is still on as the fans are whirring, and I can hear the hard disks etc. While the screen is dark, when I close the lid it sometimes will not go into sleep mode. When it goes to sleep mode, when I reopen the lid, the screen is back to normal. But lately, closeing the lid won't even put the laptop into sleep mode and i'm forced to restart. I have no idea why this is happening. How can I fix it??

I realise my computer is dated, so I put it in this forum as it's the closest match for the g4.

 

[Giuly]

regarding ibook g4 running os x 10.4

The screen on my ibook g4 randomly goes dark sometimes. The computer is still on as the fans are whirring, and I can hear the hard disks etc. While the screen is dark, when I close the lid it sometimes will not go into sleep mode. When it goes to sleep mode, when I reopen the lid, the screen is back to normal. But lately, closeing the lid won't even put the laptop into sleep mode and i'm forced to restart. I have no idea why this is happening. How can I fix it??

I realise my computer is dated, so I put it in this forum as it's the closest match for the g4.

G4 = PowerPC. So are G3 and G5. You're right in this section.

However, what causes this is the graphics chip. The solder joint get loose and the screen turns black. You can fix this either by squeezing a penny between the enclosure and the graphics chip, or by resoldering it's connections.

 

[kona0197]

Is this a common issue with old G4 iBooks?

 

[JoQue]

G4 = PowerPC. So are G3 and G5. You're right in this section.

However, what causes this is the graphics chip. The solder joint get loose and the screen turns black. You can fix this either by squeezing a penny between the enclosure and the graphics chip, or by resoldering it's connections.

thank you.

It's a relief to hear that it's probably not the logic board. are there any online instructions about how to fix this, preferably with pics?

@ kona0197: I'm not sure how common this is with g4 ibooks, but i know that this was pretty common with g3.

 

[max¥¥]

thank you.

It's a relief to hear that it's probably not the logic board. are there any online instructions about how to fix this, preferably with pics?

@ kona0197: I'm not sure how common this is with g4 ibooks, but i know that this was pretty common with g3.

unfortunately it is the logic board as the gpu is soldered to it and it is the joints that go, as for a fix i did this for the same problem on a ibook g3 https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/672401/

 

[raysfan81]

You could also try this method.

http://geektechnique.org/projectlab/726/diy-obsolete-ibook-logic- board-repair

 

[max¥¥]

You could also try this method.

http://geektechnique.org/projectlab/726/diy-obsolete-ibook-logic- board-repair

i actually used that on an ibook once but after that i found it was not a solder problem but the chip atually completely failed