[iBook] Two problems, maybe related?

[Robin Mayhall]

Hi all,

I have a G3 iBook that was new in November 2003 -- bought used by me 
in May 2004. I'm having two weird little issues with it that I 
suspect may be related -- hope someone here can help.

The first has to do with the trackpad. Every so often -- and there 
doesn't seem to be any pattern to which applications cause this, etc. 
-- my cursor will freeze on the screen or even disappear, and no 
amount of touching or rubbing or wiping the trackpad will make it 
re-start. What does seem to work is blowing on it. I discovered this 
by accident because the first time it happened, I noticed a piece of 
fuzz or lint on the trackpad, and blew on it to get that off -- 
thinking that was the problem and I had solved it. For a while I 
would blow on it every time, thinking I sure did have a lot of lint 
floating around, but after a time I started to suspect that the 
actual blowing wasn't what was "fixing" the problem. I think it's 
just time.

The second issue is with my battery. It won't stay "seated" in place. 
If I unlatch it and take it out, then click it back in and re-latch 
the lock, it will light up and connect for a few seconds, but shortly 
after that, the little battery icon will "x" out again. Efforts like 
pressing on it, holding it in, etc. don't help. So I'm stuck to my 
power cord for the time being.

I've read on this site that iBooks have a lot of trouble with battery 
failure, but with the trackpad acting funny, I wonder if there is 
something else wrong, like a logic board connection? Oh, by the way, 
I have a wireless mouse and Bluetooth adapter, and it seems to work 
fine -- no freezing of the cursor so far.

Sorry this is so long-winded, and thanks in advance for any insight.

Robin
-- 
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
robin at hieran.com

Three things in human life are important: The first is to be kind. 
The second is to be kind. And the third is to be kind. --Henry James