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My iBook Screen Dead??

M

miked_in_canada

macrumors member
Original poster
May 20, 2005
35
0
Hey folks, I slipped on the ice today.

My iBook screen now looks all blue with reddish/pink hues. It almost looks like when one of the old guns went on a terminal monitor I had years ago.

I still have my warranty, I'm wondering if Apple will replace this sort of thing. For the record, there are no dead pixels, no shattered creens or anything like that. I don't know much, but it seems like a connection problem from the video card.

I've attached a photo. If anything knows whether I can get this fixed, what I should say to Apple etc. etc. That woudl be excellent.

Here's a pic:

DSC03217.JPG
 
definetely call applecare. if there's NO physical damage at all, just tell them it just stopped working randomly, and they should take care of it.

BTW, did it actually hit the ground?
 
That looks like a video card issue to me, like your stuck in 256 colors or something, I would check your video settings real quick to just be sure its not something as simple as that.
 
Ouch. I'd just tell them the truth. You can't go far wrong. :cool:

I reckon it'll just be a slightly loose connection which shouldn't be too much trouble to fix.
 
mad jew said:
Ouch. I'd just tell them the truth. You can't go far wrong. :cool:

I reckon it'll just be a slightly loose connection which shouldn't be too much trouble to fix.
Click to expand...

If there is no actual visable physical damage, I wouldn't tell them a thing.
 
cnakeitaro said:
If there is no actual visable physical damage, I wouldn't tell them a thing.
Click to expand...


Often, being told a bit of background information can really help the person fixing the machine. Not only is this the honest approach, it may even save time (and money) in the process. :)
 
mad jew said:
Often, being told a bit of background information can really help the person fixing the machine. Not only is this the honest approach, it may even save time (and money) in the process. :)
Click to expand...

I just don't want him to get screwed over by the tech saying it was caused by "accidental damage" and AppleCare then not repairing it.
 
AppleCare

"My screen is SUDDENLY not workin normal anymore- help me Apple"

If it's not a setting, it has to be a hardware problem - ergo they gonna replace it on Apple warranty.
I really don't think that Apple will help you, if you tell them, that you slipt out on the ice...
Don't go iceskatin with your iBook =.)

that's an insurance case but not Apple warranty!
 
Hey everyone, thanks for the replies!

It was the most bizarre thing. I was walking down the street here in Halifax with a case of beer under one arm and my iBook safely tucked away in my backpack 's pocket for laptops (and inside one of those waterproof iCase's). It snowed a bit in the afternoon and it was about -10.

I took a few steps out into the intersection and one foot went out from under me. The case of beer literally broke my fall (we lost 6 soldiers). I didn't realize my laptop's problem until 2 hours later.

Back to the problem:

I checked the display settings and the system profiler. Changing the colours didn't do anything and nothing showed up in the profiler that said there was a problem with the graphics card. It's really bizarre.
 
miked_in_canada said:
I checked the display settings and the system profiler. Changing the colours didn't do anything and nothing showed up in the profiler that said there was a problem with the graphics card. It's really bizarre.
Click to expand...

I would go with loose connector cable too...most likely explanation.
 
Just got off the phone with a guy at Apple. He was excellent and super nice to put up with my nervous ramblings. We reset the logic board, looked at the video settings, did a hardware test etc. etc.

None of that worked but he determined it was a hardware issue so I escaped the nasty AppleCare bill. I have to take it into the techies with a case number.

Does this get me out of the woods? Or is there still a chance the techies will look at this and go, "you slipped on the ice didn't you?"
 
To answer in not so short, I saw a PB at the Apple store in Buffalo where the screen had a tear look to it all the way across. That was a give away for someone sat or fell on the lid (it was not covered). So as long as the tech doesn't really know why, you should be fine since the first call really made the well...call :rolleyes: As for the above, the guy said he just opened the lid and it went crazy...maybe by sitting on it to open it ;)
If you don't have any damage to the outside I think they made the right call and you'll be fine.
Good luck...
 
one vs. another

You won't have to pay probably :cool: if the case is in goodshape

I let my Powerbook once fly from a desk. The classic: Leg gets trapped in powersupply -> flying PB :eek: causing slight deformation connecting to the floor (fixed by bending over desk a bit) - It still runs ||| You just had bad luck.

My keyboard on the PB was really in bad shape. The D-key didn't work correctly. It was obvious that the problem was the massiv use. I got a free keyboard replacement on AppleCare warranty

- God bless AppleCare -
 
Wow, maybe I should spring for AppleCare then. I have to admit, I balked at the $300 price tag. I'm pretty fortunate to have this happen in the first year of purchase.

What a buzzkill it's going to be if it has to go away for a while.
 
Inform yourself about AppleCare - you can download the pdf.

If you sell your iBook after 1 year... Don't know how much a iBook with warranty is more worth then one without. AppleCare Plan can be used by new owner (read pdf.)

If you keep it anyway till it's really time for a new one I would go for the AppleCare Plan for iBooks (way cheaper then the powerbooks plan).
screen/soundcard/motherboard/keyboard etc. are things, which easily top the 300$ mark... and are vital for your iBook :)
 
mkrishnan said:
I would go with loose connector cable too...most likely explanation.
Click to expand...


Yeah, it's a classic example. To a screen looking like this you've either got a loose cable or the contrast settings have been increased in the Universal Access pane of System Preferences. Since it happened suddenly after you dropped it, loose cable seems a no-brainer. :)
 
I just noticed this today, but my laptop's screen is flickering now and depending on the noise in the room the screen flickers at times. It actually looks like a normal screen at times, but if I go to Expose or something it goes back.

Really weird.

I'm taking it to the shop tomorrow. I'm happy the screen seems to be ok, the only thing it could be is a loose connection somewhere.

Which gets me thinking, shouldn't the iBook be more rugged than this? If an indirect bump within a padded case, within a backpack results in this sort of thing, just how much do I have to baby it?
 
miked_in_canada said:
I just noticed this today, but my laptop's screen is flickering now and depending on the noise in the room the screen flickers at times. It actually looks like a normal screen at times, but if I go to Expose or something it goes back.

Really weird.

I'm taking it to the shop tomorrow. I'm happy the screen seems to be ok, the only thing it could be is a loose connection somewhere.

Which gets me thinking, shouldn't the iBook be more rugged than this? If an indirect bump within a padded case, within a backpack results in this sort of thing, just how much do I have to baby it?
Click to expand...

I don't think it was something to do with the iBook not being durable, I just think it was a defect from the factory and that little bump was all it needed to throw it off.
 
mad jew said:
Often, being told a bit of background information can really help the person fixing the machine. Not only is this the honest approach, it may even save time (and money) in the process. :)
Click to expand...

Disregard his appeal to your conscience, he is a AAPL shareholder! :p
 
Nermal said:
Hence the new magnetic connector :cool:
Click to expand...

Bigtime :cool: That was one of the things, what really made me smile after the keynote - great lil thing! Nice Job Steve
 
Just took it into the techies who dispelled my worst fear. In his words:

"Usually when someone comes in with a screen problem, we can tell if they've put their foot through it. I don't care what you did, this shouldn't happen. We'll probably have this back to you within a week at most."

Personally, I think his timeframe is optimistic but I hope to be proven wrong.
 
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