vowe dot net :: iBook dead

iBook dead

by Volker Weber

Snoopy died a sudden death today. It developed pinstripe lines on the display. Seconds later it shut itself off. When I switch it on now it only runs the fan at full speed. That's all. I have removed the battery and the power and reconnected. No change. Looks like a defunct logic board.

Update: I called AppleCare today and described the three issues the machine has: The pinstripes, the erroneous trackpad and the optical drive that once in a while sounds like it wants to eject a disc (when there is no disc inside). I was referred to the local repair center which did a thorough checkup and just called back. It looks like the pinstripes are gone for good after a complete reset of the parameter RAM. The trackpad is seriously broken. So they will now order a new trackpad assembly. This includes the palmrest and the rest of the body around the keyboard. This part has been very weak from day one, especially under my left palm. I could witness the trackpad problem developing over the last weeks; the frequency of the eject sound also went from once a week to a couple of times each day.

If the spare part is received tomorrow, Snoopy will be back at vowe's magic flying circus by tomorrow afternoon. I will then test it for a number of days and see if the problem has gone away. If not, they can order a logic board and replace it on site.

It was a wise decision to get AppleCare. :-)

2004-12-21 :: email :: bookmark :: digg

Comments

my ibook has the third logic board. but normally only the g3s kill themselves...

if you start it with apfel T, maybe you could save the contents of the hard drive...

Manfred Paschen, 2004-12-21 02:31

There is nothing on the hard drive that is not saved.

However, I was able to reset the PMU and the iBook just rebooted. 3 minutes later, pinstripes. Not good. Will talk to Apple tomorrow.

Volker Weber, 2004-12-21 02:39

I was looking through a recent Consumers Reports magazine and was surprised to see that within 3 years the percentage of repairs required for desktop computers was 37% and laptops 33%. Those are not good odds.

Hope it gets fixed quickly for you!

Richard van Geilswyk, 2004-12-21 04:10

See http://www.macworld.com/news/2004/12/20/ibook/index.php?lsrc=mcrss-1204. It sounds like you are not alone.

Michael Sampson, 2004-12-21 05:05

My ibook was hit twice from the logic board error. At least apple is fast at repairing it. it seems that they have much training. The ibook was away from home for only 3 days :)

Joerg Moellenkamp, 2004-12-21 07:20

Just yesterday I shipped my two years old G3-iBook. Hope, the Logic Board Repair Extension Program fits to the symptoms - I don't have an Apple Care Protection Plan for that one. I like the computers - but do never buy an iBook without Apple Care Protection Plan.

Volker Berding, 2004-12-21 08:26

Volker : http://www.apple.com/de/support/ibook/faq/ ... they repair it without apple care, but afair only after severe protests from ibook-users

Joerg Moellenkamp, 2004-12-21 09:13

My iBook is not within that production range.

Volker Weber, 2004-12-21 09:16

Jörg, thanks for the hint. My iBook is within the production range and I had a discussion with the support if my black screen (well, not mine, but my iBook's one) is really due to a broken logic board. In some days I'll hopefully know more.

Volker Berding, 2004-12-21 10:51

This might sound a little anal but I'd recommend taking photopraphs of the iBook before sending it in. Apple repaired some but not all of the physical damaged they did to my computer during changing the logic board. Screen still isn't aligned to the body anymore. They claim it's "within the specifications".
Having Apple Care surely is a good thing but a three-year warranty that costs nothing instead of a fortune would even be better.

Joerg Richter, 2004-12-21 11:37

I don't know why, but I think that Apple will treat Snoopy just nicely.

They actually changed the procedure so that you bring in the machine to an authorized repair center which either sends it in or repairs it on site. So, when I took it in today, we inspected the machine carefully and it was found that it had not external damage at all. If it returns with a damage, I will make sure that Apple takes care of that. No worries.

Volker Weber, 2004-12-21 11:47

Jörg, although my iBook really looks well used I indeed did take photos of it! :-) You never know.

Volker Berding, 2004-12-21 12:22

Well, that's what I thought, too ;-). But seriously -- I guess my problems are really an exception. Probably should have taken the computer to my dealer, too. Since they said they'd had to send it to apple anyway I thought I could safe time.

Joerg Richter, 2004-12-21 12:42

I will also take nice detail pictures with 6.3Mpx before turning in mby PowerBook again in January. The last time it came back it had scratches on its back - I wonder what wild stuff the do to the poor PBs in the repair plant...

With Volker's iBook it will be a different thing, because he will publish and he gets read.

Karsten W. Rohrbach, 2004-12-21 21:52