[P1] Hello?

[Gene Merritt]

This is from the Dec. 24th Macintouch: http://www.macintouch.com/

> David Shanahan offered some important tips for avoiding trouble with 
> iBooks:
> I recently had the video die on my 800 MHz G3 iBook for the first time 
> when it was almost out of warranty. It was fixed, though apparently 
> because of the high demand for iBook logic boards it took three weeks 
> to get it back. So far it's working fine but based on others' 
> experience this is unlikely to last.
>   I started reading the Apple support forums on the subject of video 
> failures in iBooks while I was waiting for mine to be repaired. It 
> seems there are two basic flaws in the white (Dual USB) iBooks (both 
> 12" and 14" models) which Apple seem to be studiously ignoring despite 
> complaints about them being widespread for over a year now:
> 	 1.  	The hinge design is faulty. Backlight, video and power cables 
> pass through the hinge from the logic board to the screen and the 
> holes are too small for the cable assemblies resulting in stress and 
> friction on the cables each time the screen is opened or closed. 
> Eventually one or more of the cables either break or the insulation 
> wears through resulting in a short and the backlight/video fails. This 
> is often accompanied by fuzzy lines on the screen or users finding 
> that the screen fails when tilted at certain angles and works at 
> others. If your video works fine when you plug the iBook into an 
> external monitor then this is most likely your problem. There are 
> links in the Apple support forums to a site describing in detail how 
> to disassemble your iBook and replace such broken cables, though you'd 
> want to be pretty confident to try this as it will of couse void any 
> warrenty you have left.
> 	 2.  	The video chip on the motherboard comes loose when its solder 
> gives way leading to video failures, usually with no warning. This may 
> be triggered by flexing of the case putting strain on the chip until 
> it eventually comes loose (some have suggested never picking up your 
> iBook by the left-hand side alone as this is where the video chip is). 
> If after a video failure you plug in an external monitor and it 
> doesn't work this is most likely your problem and you need a new logic 
> board. Some people have tried pressing down hard on the left-hand side 
> of the case just below the option key to the left of the track pad and 
> managed to get video back temporarily (apparently this reseats the 
> video chip). Others have reported some success sticking rubber 
> bands/thin foam insulation on the underside of the shielding over the 
> video chip to protect it from flexing/pressure from the case. Seems 
> like the case really needs to be reinforced to stop it flexing like 
> this and/or the location and soldering of the video chip changed.
> These problems appear to be common with every model of white iBook 
> from the original 500 MHz up to at least the 900 MHz G3s. The new G4 
> iBooks may have the same problem(s) but they're so new it's probably 
> too soon to tell for sure (the hinge design has apparently not 
> changed). [...]
>   P.S. I'd advise readers to avoid buying 2nd hand white iBooks - many 
> people seem to be selling theirs after the 2nd/3rd/4th logic board 
> replacement and buying something else (not always another Apple 
> product of couse, which has got to hurt Apple if they continue to 
> ignore these problems).

Gene
bsirius at earthlink.net