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	[x] Attachment Details

iBook G4 12-inch Black Screen on bootup

Zones: Apple Hardware, Apple Operating Systems

Tags: ibook, g4, screen, black

Hi Experts,

As another Apple n00b i want to ask a few questions. I got an iBook G4 12-inch it is the 1.2GHz, 256MB, 30GB.

When i power it on it gives the MAC fanfare sound every other time but the screen stays black, from time to time i could see that it is lightened up a little but basically no picture. There was an Apple Hardware Test CD stuck in the CD drive. I say stuck since the eject button did not eject the CD even though it spins up on boot up as well as you can hear the CPU fan spin up after some time.

I've read a lot on that model online and i'm aware that the problem might be the plannar/logic board/motherboard same thing different names :). As an expert on PC platforms i feel confident enough to open the machine up and see if there could be any loose connection between the components or change the hard drive and try to reinstall. But i'm stuck with some basic questions since i have no experience with MAC as i do with PCs:

1. Is there a keyboard shortcut for switching between the LCD and an external monitor (i bought a mini-VGA to VGA connector and i want to see if the LCD is the problem). Or does the laptop fire up both displays when turned on?

2. I haven't tested the Target Disk Mode since i don't have another MAC to hook it up using Firewire so that option does not work in my case.

3. If the hard drive is the problem am i supposed to see the gray spinning cursor anyways or that comes on if the OS is installed and working?

4. If the HDD has to be replaced would iMAC Mac OS X CD work to reinstall the OS (MAC OS X 10.4.8)?

5. Is there a BIOS like system on the iBook that i can go to to perform any diagnostic or make the screen come back up (does command S or command C work even without the OS installed).

6. I've checked the Apple site and the PMU issue but that solution did not execute in my case. After holding Shift+Control+Option+Power nothing happens. The computer stays off. Am i using the right combination for my model iBook G4 12-inch?

7. Does most memory work for both PC and MAC or it is a bid specific, i think the iBook G4 takes PC2100 and there were some places that were selling PC2700 for this model. Does it matter if it is single or double sided? I was thinking that maybe the build in memory is out so i could throw in another module and eventually get some visual.

Please let me know when you get a chance. Thanks.

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6.6

Question Stats

Zone: Apple

Question Asked By: vaworx

Solution Provided By: eoinosullivan

Participating Experts: 4

Solution Grade: A

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Open Discussion

Comment by mrfixitpc

Do you have a minidvi to vga adapter to plug into the side of the ibook i had and ibook with a bad lcd did the same thing and i replaced the lcd got off of ebay and worked like a charm. i can see if i can attach the service manual for you to look at if like? thats if it will send on here

20080723-EE-VQP-34