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Repair G3 IBook

B

Ball

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Aug 7, 2007
20
2
My sister sent me a G3 Ibook that won't turn on. I was told that the problem may be the logic board or a CMOS battery. When I say it won't come on I mean nothing happens not even a sound. The main battery is fine.

Here is what I cannot figure out. I can't figure out how to open it up to get to the logic board I take out the screws and the back/bottom will not come off. I don't want to force it because it seems kinda flimsy.

There are no Mac Repair shops near me and I don't know if it is worth putting any money into it although I would like a Mac so I can use Garageband.

How do I take this thing apart?
 
mick4394

mick4394

macrumors 6502a
Oct 25, 2006
554
0
Flyover country
Taking the bottom case off is the biggest pain about servicing an iBook. It does require a bit of brute force, especially on the back edge.

Just be very careful around the DC-in board.
 
mick4394

mick4394

macrumors 6502a
Oct 25, 2006
554
0
Flyover country
Really, though, if you're having this much trouble with the case, maybe servicing this thing yourself isn't the best idea.

I do this for a living, and find servicing an iBook to be, somewhat, challenging.
 
Artful Dodger

Artful Dodger

macrumors 68020
May 28, 2004
2,357
1
In a false sense of reality...My Mind!
mick4394 said:
There are three inside the battery compartment. One for the top-case. Two for the bottom-case.
Click to expand...

Thanks as it took me some time to find the 12" iBook I took apart and counted the screw holes in that area. I'm glad I put everything in separate bags and labeled them to cut down on the stress :p

Yeah if your not sure or have mixed feelings about doing this I'd think twice and get some help or have someone do it for you. Just don't lose any screws and take it easy when putting them back in.
Good luck…;)
 
mick4394

mick4394

macrumors 6502a
Oct 25, 2006
554
0
Flyover country
Artful Dodger said:
Thanks as it took me some time to find the 12" iBook I took apart and counted the screw holes in that area.
Click to expand...

I remembered off the top of my head.

How pathetic is that? Unfortunately, I could probably dismantle a G3 iBook with my eyes closed. I've taken these things apart more that I'd care to remember.
 
B

Ball

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Aug 7, 2007
20
2
I have it opened now and I am going to try that quick fix of putting some business cards under the GPU. I hear that it becomes de-soldered.

Also, if the motherboard is fried how do I identify the speed 600 700 ect..?

I don't want to put much money into this because it's old and there are no Mac repair people nearby. The closest one charges 90 dollars just to look at it. I think a new board is 250 bucks.

I really want a Mac but I can't afford a G5 and I am a bit leary of the G4 logic board problems. I have read there is a 15% failure rate. Is this true?
 
shu82

shu82

macrumors 6502a
Jan 10, 2007
697
4
Rocket City, AL
It is an art. I can break down and reassemble a g3 ibook blind folded after drinking a pint of whiskey in under 5 minutes. (that would make a good youtube video;) )The first time is really hard. My room mate thought I was crazy.

There are screws underneath the rubber feet. Also there are 2 screws in the battery bay. After they are all out you can pop it open with a butter knife or whatever you have.

I would recommend humming the Macgyver theme song while you do it.

Make sure you're careful. Dont do it on carpet, and ground yourself during the process.
 
shu82

shu82

macrumors 6502a
Jan 10, 2007
697
4
Rocket City, AL
Ball said:
I have it opened now and I am going to try that quick fix of putting some business cards under the GPU. I hear that it becomes de-soldered.

Also, if the motherboard is fried how do I identify the speed 600 700 ect..?

I don't want to put much money into this because it's old and there are no Mac repair people nearby. The closest one charges 90 dollars just to look at it. I think a new board is 250 bucks.

I really want a Mac but I can't afford a G5 and I am a bit leary of the G4 logic board problems. I have read there is a 15% failure rate. Is this true?
Click to expand...

If the Motherboard is fried it doesn't matter what speed it is. Also a cigarette box folded in half usually worked good for me.

You are rolling the dice on any ibook when it comes to logic boards. You just have to live with it/fix it. My wife loves hers.
 
mick4394

mick4394

macrumors 6502a
Oct 25, 2006
554
0
Flyover country
Ball said:
I have it opened now and I am going to try that quick fix of putting some business cards under the GPU. I hear that it becomes de-soldered.
Click to expand...

That fix will not solve your problem. That solves a very specific problem that causes a loss of video, and it doesn't do it very well, I might add.
 
B

Ball

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Aug 7, 2007
20
2
shu82 said:
If the Motherboard is fried it doesn't matter what speed it is. Also a cigarette box folded in half usually worked good for me.

You are rolling the dice on any ibook when it comes to logic boards. You just have to live with it/fix it. My wife loves hers.
Click to expand...

I am only guessing that it is the logic board. When I try turning it on nothing happens at all. No light no sounds. The battery and the power supply are good.

Someone told me it could be the CMOS battery. Does this machine even have one and if so where would it be?

Why won't any thing not even the fan come one?
 
mick4394

mick4394

macrumors 6502a
Oct 25, 2006
554
0
Flyover country
Ball said:
I am only guessing that it is the logic board. When I try turning it on nothing happens at all. No light no sounds. The battery and the power supply are good.

Someone told me it could be the CMOS battery. Does this machine even have one and if so where would it be?

Why won't any thing not even the fan come one?
Click to expand...

Does the charger light up when plugged into the book?

FYI, it's not going to be the CMOS battery.
 
B

Ball

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Aug 7, 2007
20
2
mick4394 said:
If it's as dead as you're saying, chances are, the only thing that will fix that iBook will be a replacement logicboard.
Click to expand...

I did shim the GPU and no luck.

I read to try this: Hold down command, option, p & r keys while restarting.

This may sound dumb but which key is the command option? The key next to the control key is missing.

I'm thinking this may be a lost cause. If the logic board is fried it is not worth fixing it. Right?

It was also sugested that I leave the battery out for a week or two.

Quote from another G3 user "I had the same problem with an ibook G3 800Mhz dual USB.
It worked fine and then one day it did not want to start. I did a PMU reset but nothing. It would power up after sitting there for two days or a week. Then I took the ibook apart to check the logic board and I notice that there's a battery (like the CMOS battery on PC) soldered on motherboard. I noticed that there was some leaked black goo. I took the black plastic covering the battery off and cleaned up the goo and added solder to the points. After doing this the ibook started right up with the power adapter. THen attached battery and started to charge. I left it on all night and never turned off. Still working now. Hope this helps a little. "

I'm thinking that when that capacitor/battery on the logic board loses its charge perhaps the logic board will reset??? Does that make sense?
 
barr08

barr08

macrumors 65816
Aug 9, 2006
1,361
0
Boston, MA
This is an incredibly common problem. There are two viable solutions, short of replacing your LB, and neither are permanent. The first is the one you are trying, wedging something in there, the second is soldering it.

I reccomend just selling it whole, or parting it out to sell it.
 
mick4394

mick4394

macrumors 6502a
Oct 25, 2006
554
0
Flyover country
barr08 said:
This is an incredibly common problem. There are two viable solutions, short of replacing your LB, and neither are permanent. The first is the one you are trying, wedging something in there, the second is soldering it.

I reccomend just selling it whole, or parting it out to sell it.
Click to expand...

The problem he is describing is not the common iBook, not video problem. He can shim it all he wants. It simply does not apply.

His iBook is completely dead. No chime. No power. No nothing.

Typically, iBooks without video, are actually working iBooks. If you hook it up to an external monitor, you'll see it's booting and running OSX just like any other Mac. It just can't display the video on the LCD.
 
B

Ball

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Aug 7, 2007
20
2
mick4394 said:
The problem he is describing is not the common iBook, not video problem. He can shim it all he wants. It simply does not apply.

His iBook is completely dead. No chime. No power. No nothing.

Typically, iBooks without video, are actually working iBooks. If you hook it up to an external monitor, you'll see it's booting and running OSX just like any other Mac. It just can't display the video on the LCD.
Click to expand...

That's it. It is completely dead. FOr all I know the logic board could be OK.

Does anyone know what the possible causes are for it just being dead. The battery and the power supply are fine. Is there a fuse? I doubt is it could be the switch. They rarely fail. I'm thinking it may be something simple... like a fuse?
 
mick4394

mick4394

macrumors 6502a
Oct 25, 2006
554
0
Flyover country
Ball said:
That's it. It is completely dead. FOr all I know the logic board could be OK.

Does anyone know what the possible causes are for it just being dead. The battery and the power supply are fine. Is there a fuse? I doubt is it could be the switch. They rarely fail. I'm thinking it may be something simple... like a fuse?
Click to expand...

The only other thing would be the DC in Board, but if it were that, the iBook would run on battery power.

I think you may be out of luck. It really sounds like the logic board to me.
 
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