[iBook] Dual USB Black Screen symptoms

[Kevin Avery]

My wife's Dual USB white iBook has what looks to me the failed logic
board problem. It never displayed any of those problems before
yesterday.

The screen has suddenly turned black, I can still get to the drive on
the iBook over the network, I did a complete backup of all of her data
last night.

I did try resetting the PMU by following the directions on Apple's
website, same symptoms. I have tried other things that I have found
suggested on the web as well all with the same result.

Also, for a while I was able to get to the machine via Chicken of the
VNC, I was in there and it was working fine. Then after trying the PMU
reset I tried to get back into it via CotVNC and the video was
scrambled.

After that point I dug out the dongle and tried to hook it up to an
external vga monitor and got nothing on the screen at all. The monitor
is known good. Did I do that correctly? I plugged the dongle into the
machine and plugged the monitor into the dongle and then booted the
machine. I once again got a black screen on both the monitor and the
iBook screen.

The serial number on the iBook falls within the range of the iBooks
that were eligible for the logic board repair program, but the website
says that it ended on March 18 a year ago. (2005)
http://www.apple.com/support/ibook/faq/

Looks like the cheapest I could find a logic board from for it from a
parts dealer is about $240 plus shipping. I certainly wouldn't want to
buy something like this via ebay or the swaplist considering the fact
that these logic boards were invlolved in a recall. The iBook itself
isn't worth much more than $240 anyhow (if it were in working order
that is) so I guess this is a loss. She has had this thing for a
little less than 5 years so I think it has lived it's useful life, I
have already replaced a failed hard drive in it and  the screen hinge
as well within the last few years.

Based on things I have read on the web I have had the thought that
perhaps the cable that runs to the screen has failed, I am not sure
how to test that without tearing the machine down. Then I am not sure
I could test it without buying a new cable.

Are there any definitive tests I could run to determine if this is a
failed logic board? Does the fact that I could not get a signal to an
external monitor mean that this is a logic board issue and not an
issue with the cable going throught the hinge to the screen?

The apple website about the logic board replacement is here;

http://www.apple.com/support/ibook/faq/

on that website it says this;
==================================================================
How long is the Expanded iBook Logic Board Repair Extension Program available?
The program covers affected iBooks for three years after the first
retail sale of the unit or until March 18, 2005, whichever provides
longer coverage for you. Apple will continue to evaluate the repair
data and will provide further repair extensions as needed.
==================================================================

Do you think that the last sentence means they may still be replacing
the logic boards in these machines? Should I take  this thing to the
genius bar and see if they will replace the logic board? (My first
thought on that is that there is no way they will even think about it
since that program was supposed to end a year ago)

Any thoughts on any of this are greatly appreciated.

thanks,
Kevin Avery