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Powerbook 17" Problem

Dronecatcher

Dronecatcher

macrumors 603
Original poster
Jun 17, 2014
5,290
7,948
Lincolnshire, UK
I've just got something I've been after for a long while - a 1.67Ghz 17" Powerbook.
However, after doing a fresh Leopard install, the display has started breaking up (see photos) - it comes and goes, is this heat related, do the insides need a clean out or is this a failing motherboard/GPU? Has anyone experienced this one before?
Such a disappointment as the Powerbook was a great price with 2Gb RAM and a 100Gb 7200 drive too.

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MagicBoy said:
Does it do the same when connected to an external monitor?
Click to expand...

I haven't tried that yet, won't be able to for a while. First thing I did was flex the lid to see if made a difference but it didn't. I raised the laptop off the desk to let some air circulate and that appeared to make a difference, however when the problem returned the laptop was only idling anyway.
 
At first glance it looks more likely to be either the display panel or the cable, hence suggesting trying an external display. VRAM or GPU issues tend to be artefact-y rather than uniformly scrambled.
 
MagicBoy said:
At first glance it looks more likely to be either the display panel or the cable, hence suggesting trying an external display. VRAM or GPU issues tend to be artefact-y rather than uniformly scrambled.
Click to expand...

Thanks, I'll hook up a monitor later and verify. Only seems to occur after machine has been on a while, which makes me think thermal related.
 
I think your GPU is going. I would bet that you will get the same on an external. This looks like a bad GPU versus a bad LCVD cable or dying display.

That unfortunately, means logicboard.
 
You might try first repasting the logic board with new thermal paste to see if degrading of the thermal paste is the problem. If it doesn't work, a replacement logic board for that model is not too expensive ob the secondary market.
 
Thanks for the input guys.
Tried it with an external monitor today - firstly the problem was there straightaway so it's not thermal related but the external monitor worked fine - absolutely no problems at all whilst the laptop was showing a digital snow storm. Also, moving the lid made no difference but tipping the laptop up did and managed to stop the issue (at least for a while).
Would it be too simplistic to assume something is loose? When I have the time and feel masochistic enough I'll have to crack it open and check the internals over.
 
Then it's the LCVD cable. Worn or pinched.

You can either replace it, which requires taking the back of the display off, or replace the entire screen.
 
I've never worked on one before, but you could try re-seating the cable where it connects to the logic board. With the lid off, you could start it up and poke/prod various things to try and locate the bad connection.
 
flyrod said:
I've never worked on one before, but you could try re-seating the cable where it connects to the logic board. With the lid off, you could start it up and poke/prod various things to try and locate the bad connection.
Click to expand...
I was about to say that too!, it could have come loose on either end, whether it's the connector on the LCD, or the on on the LB
 
Have exactly the same problem with my Powerbook, and it is the cable, or more precisely where the cable sits in the logic board. I had to tape the cable down to the logic board in such a way that it would work properly. I have no idea if the end of the cable is damaged (it doesn't look bad) or of the connector on the logic board is damaged.!
 
The cable goes out through the hinge in to the back of the screen.

Over time, the action of opening and closing the lid can wear away the insulation on the cable and cause this problem. The only recourse is replacing the cable or the screen.
 
This looks exactly like a problem I had on a Uni-Alum MacBook (late 08). The display cable had worn and touching/moving the screen from one corner froze the Mac on a screen like show. Luckily for you, an LVDS cable is an easy replacement.
 
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