Powerbook G4 1.5ghz 12inch DC-in port problem?

[stephalope]

Hey there,

I have a Powerbook G4 12" 1.5ghz, I have had intermittent problems with it (installing Leopard and then never getting off the start up screen, iphoto and ichat refuse to work and crash my computer if opened). Now, the DC-in port won't work. For a while I could get the charger to connect if I jiggled the cord or found that "sweet spot". Now, I have to hold the cord in at a ridiculous angle and the power will waver in and out. The port is visibly loose, and the other ports aren't working either (firewire refuses to register my external harddrive, and the usb ports will only work occasionally, sometimes recognizing my ipod othertimes not). If you go into disk utilities it will just sit there and load not showing anything, and then you unplug whatever is plugged in (harddrive in firewire or ipod in usb) and then it will recognize it on disk utilities and won't again when its plugged in.

Do you think I need to just get the ports replaced (costs? I don't have any warranty remaining) or could there be a problem with my logic board (again, approximate costs?)?

Thank you,
Stephanie

 

[compuguy1088]

Hey there,

I have a Powerbook G4 12" 1.5ghz, I have had intermittent problems with it (installing Leopard and then never getting off the start up screen, iphoto and ichat refuse to work and crash my computer if opened). Now, the DC-in port won't work. For a while I could get the charger to connect if I jiggled the cord or found that "sweet spot". Now, I have to hold the cord in at a ridiculous angle and the power will waver in and out. The port is visibly loose, and the other ports aren't working either (firewire refuses to register my external harddrive, and the usb ports will only work occasionally, sometimes recognizing my ipod othertimes not). If you go into disk utilities it will just sit there and load not showing anything, and then you unplug whatever is plugged in (harddrive in firewire or ipod in usb) and then it will recognize it on disk utilities and won't again when its plugged in.

Do you think I need to just get the ports replaced (costs? I don't have any warranty remaining) or could there be a problem with my logic board (again, approximate costs?)?

Thank you,
Stephanie

What your describing is exactly the problem I had with an old Dell Inspirion 7000 Laptop. It was quite annoying to have it at such odd angles. The only difference is that if it was not in the "sweet spot", it would after some time power down.

 

[deadpixels]

i don't think you can just get the ports replaced, i guess the logic board must be changed if a re-install does not help. you could try a hardware test, normally you start from your install dvd and press the 'd' key or 'option-d' at startup i think. If its the logic board and considering the resale value of the laptop you might want to get a newer laptop.

 

[mrfett]

it'll cost i think $310 if you take it to the Apple Store, and they'll have to send it away (I know, as I took mine there to see how much getting a loose power jack fixed would cost).