Comments on: ibook G4 logic board fix

By: Jeff

Jeff — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 02:50:06 +0000

I just did this to my 1.2 Ghz ibook g4 and it worked perfectly! I found that 2 plastic washers stacked on top of each other with some glue worked flawlessly! I hope this fix lasts through my cruise vacation! thanks again man!

By: Rich B

Rich B — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 04:18:53 +0000

Thank you very much brother. I had taken my whole G4 apart and was going to give it the “Flame Fix”. But luckly enough I found you page and volia….Its fixed!!!! That is GREAT!!!! Now hopefully it will last a while till I can save up for a Macbook pro!!!!
Thanks AGAIN!!!
Rich B
justickit inc!!!!

By: Notimetoulouse

Notimetoulouse — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 14:25:07 +0000

Sorry everyone, I forgot to mention that 99 times ex 100 this works simply by placing the stack smack bang in the middle underneath the ibook, and the weight of the beast will do the trick without any heavy pressure.

By: Notimetoulouse

Notimetoulouse — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 13:40:47 +0000

Big thread, great advice, but if, like me, you don’t have the ‘bottle’ to start taking your ibook apart and messing about with metal across circuit boards, just get a pack of Post It notes, (I use the small 1.5″x1.75″ ones), place your ibook on it on the table, and press down on the left and right side as you switch it on. Keep the gentle pressure on till you get through to the blue screen and all should be well. It’s not a permanent fix, but it works and needs doing at each bootup. I’m happy doing it each morning, as I work from home, but it might ruin your author street cred if you have to do this in a cafe or public area.
If you only want to boot up to get your files off prior to sending it off for repair it might just be all you need.
How did my ibook begin to die? Worked fine for 4 years, then someone stole my bespoke ibook case, and I used an old pc one that was lots bigger than the case size. I think using that case and the constant bouncing around my car boot for hour upon hour as I travelled the country has loosened the board slightly.
Hope this helps at least one person out there.

By: Gene Teigland

Gene Teigland — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 03:11:48 +0000

Thanks so much! I haven’t had my laptop running for two years. Now I get to use it again. A weird fix but whatever does the trick.

By: Kardos

Kardos — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 10:09:30 +0000

THX!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You are the BEST!!!!!

iBook G4 14″ 1Ghz works FINE!

By: Amy Briggs

Amy Briggs — Thu, 27 May 2010 14:57:56 +0000

Thank you so very very much for this! I just resurrected my ibook G4. I had given it up for dead, but then came across this. I’ve got 2 small furniture pads on top of that chip, and it seems to be working perfectly. That chip (the one with 28 pins) wasn’t quite in the same location on my computer. Looking at the pictures you took, mine was located up and to the left, rather than under that black ribbon.
But anyways it works, I’m so very very grateful!

By: Buzz Nichols

Buzz Nichols — Thu, 27 May 2010 02:34:26 +0000

Thanks a bunch.

This fix is working great so far!

By: Lee

Lee — Sun, 16 May 2010 01:11:01 +0000

Thank you! Got mine working, took two attempts but after placing a second shim rubber foot it works lie a treat now. 3 days so far *crosses fingers*

Thanks again!

By: steve roche

steve roche — Thu, 13 May 2010 01:50:45 +0000

I came to Mexico with one iBook. It cracked. Then I got another one with
bad screen. I replaced that. the iBook was also cracked.

I have 2 iBooks and this has saved both of them. You need to be crowned “King”
of something! Honestly, if “Useful Blog Of The Year” award is given away,
you get it. (though Steve jobs might have your house sealed off…

2 iBooks–your repair has worked 6 months so far!

The first iBook I placed an old 10-peso coin from Mexico (very thick) inside the plastic casing.. it lasted 3 months, so I cut a 1/2 inch square of MDF board (home depot) to match the shape of the iBook. I clamp-glued the upper right
corner and lower left corner to the board.. with a little folded up cardboard stuffed under the left-of-trackpad area. Perfect!

The other iBook, I didn’t crack the case, I just placed a huge thick button (1/8th inch thick) from a woman’s overcoat, and I place it under the
laptop at the left-of-trackpad area, and once again… clamp-and-glued the upper right corner and (gently) the lower left corner, to the MDF board. slowly.

The laptop is a bit heavier, with the board, I don’t know about heat dissipation
(drill holes next time?) but both have lasted 6 months now,
until #2 has been giving me the black box of “restart” last night now..

(but that is perhaps an HD or RAM issue)

SO… to future iBook repairers: buy some 1/2 inch MDF at the lumber store or Home Despot,
draw an outline of the iBook, cut the piece, buy 2 cheap C-clamps,
and some 100% silicone caulk (no water-based crap!), and experiment with the
coins or buttons which feel comfortable (remember you are basically
‘warping’ the flat bottom, so make sure the CD tray pops out, and in, etc)
Do tis carefully; you can always add another “shim” (don’t glue the button
or shim, so you can move them around with a butter knife)

PS an early post said this did no good– I HAVE seen an iBook which did not respond;
however it also had a suspected HD problem, and the cd drive had been switched, disabling the ‘sleep’ switch, so it was always on sleep… I left it to the
original mexican repair guy (since I am in mexico right now).
I do not think he knew about the sleep switch on top of the CD drive; whatever.

But the Queretaro, Mexico apple store is better than most.!.
they fix stuff no one else can figure out. And they clean your keyboard.
They are fabulous. LA– not so much.

steve
visiting Mexico