[noleli2]

When you turn it on, hold command-v. This will show you what it's thinking about while it's just sitting there. Let us know what it says.

Originally Posted by tyguy23 Hey everyone... I have an iBook G4 that I've let sit dormant for a year now. Reason being it wouldn't start up. When I turn it on, it sits on the screen with the Apple logo and the spinning "thinking bars" go round and round indefinitely. If anyone can help me cure it of this aliment I'd really appreciate it.

I'm constantly having the same problem with my ibook. However, my screen normally flashes blue for one second before the Apple logo appears in the dark screen - it's normally the only thing I can make out. But I have kind of sorted out how to manage it, when the Apple logo goes away I am able to activate my screen and it turns on by pressing my + brightness for the screen button. I'm a 'n00b' yes, but at least I'm avoiding another visit to the Mac store to get my laptop repaired! Its had its hard-drive replaced, readjusted, and many other tweaks in the last few months and it's insanely frustrating. I inherited the laptop from my mother who had left it dormant for about a year and a half after it stopped working and she upgraded.

Well, I had to help out a student with the same problem and because of low economy I came up with the idea to fix it with a clamp. Costs about 8 €.
Works perfectly, only problem is that the mac has to be 10 cm (4 inches) outside the table and need to use an external mouse.
But for how long will this work ...

I had the same problem with an iBook I bought off ebay It annoyed me so i pulled off the cover and removed the airport card Yay working! Airport card in... Airport card out. Then I went to replace the hard drive and while removing the top casing I accidentally ripped off the power button plug. Clean off the logic board. While soldering it back on I accidentally soldered off the contacts completely!. I then turned on the computer by holding a screwdriver to two alternative contacts and got my original problem. I need a new logic board (I cannot afford!) because my logic board must be cursed! Does anyone know where to get a G4 logic board for under AU$40?

This just happened to my 5.5 year old iBook G4 1.2GHz. It started while in the OS -- the LCD would go black and the system would hang; soon, it wouldn't boot at all, just spin the fan a lot. It worked fine with pressure applied to the left of the trackpad.

I took the thing apart, and put it under a microscope, and saw -- as sparkyuiop -- no obvious bad solders. So, I started poking components to see which was pressure-sensitive, and found the culprit -- on the underside of the mobo, there is a cable wrapped in black insulator. Under that, there is a long skinny chipped labeled ITL (ILT?):



We (er, the incredible electronics tech at work, while I watched) resoldered the pins on that guy, and lappy is now running fine. Beware: the pins are tiny; it'll take a steady hand.

Hope this helps!

Looks like this topic comes to live every now and then LOL

After reading all messages, I need to report this to you. First and foremost, my iBook has come back to life!!! So here we go.

- My iBook G4 12" was bought in April 2004, just before the "facelift" (it's a 640-MB-800-MHz model). After all this years, my battery still lasts 2h15min (it's the original one and I do take care of the computer hehehe).

- After draining the battery in order to give it a 100% recharge, it wouldn't turn on and its fan was spinning at full speed. That's how I got here (better saying, googled here!).

- I considered the option of opening my iBook as people said, but before that, tried taking out the battery and reset the PRAM: pressing CMD+Alt (Option)+P+R, then turning on the computer, you hear the chime before everything happens. Hold it for two or three chimes, and it's done.

- With great joy I saw my iBook come back to life after I released the keys. Still haven't put back the battery, because...

I've just found out there's a battery change program!!!

Matchin serial number and model, I'm on the phone with Apple Spain. The surprise is: the program has finished 1 week ago!!!!!!!!!!!!! October 14th, one day before my birthday.... I'm on the line with them trying to sort out a solution.

Gee... anyway, the reset of PRAM solved my black screen with full fan speed problem. Hope it will work for most of you.

thank you. my ibook g4 booted up when i did exactly what u said by applying the pressure with the laptop upside down. i had previously booted that way, but was unable to remember exactly how i did it until i saw your post. thank you.

sparkyuiop - I CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH FOR YOUR POST! - I thought my laptop bit the dust and bargained with the powers that be to get one last boot-up so that I could back up the hard drive (yes, I learned my lesson!) - I read your post after taking my iBook G4 to both an Apple "Genius" and a Mac repair shop and both said the machine was likely beyond repair. They blamed the little bit of Dr. Pepper I spilled on it once as the culprit. When I got home, I held the laptop in the air, in my left hand, pressing where you said, and sure enough it came back to life. I think I must have dislodged something from carrying my laptop around in my backpack with a bunch of heavy books. I sure won't do that anymore. I don't know how much longer this machine will last, but I am so thankful that you found this flaw and shared about it online. Thank you!!!