Got 2 living-dead G3 iBooks

[protocol7]

I rescued 2 iBooks (dual-usb) today. The first is a 500Mhz one that boots into OF with

DEFAULT CATCH! code=300 at %SRR0: 0d005468 %SRR1: 40003030

mac-boot will then lead to

DEFAULT CATCH! code=900 at %SRR0: 2b5c214c %SRR1: 40003030

I can't boot from the Apple Hardware Test CD.

Tried the reset-nvram, set-defaults, reset-all commands too but still can't very far. When I try to get it further with mac-boot, I can hear the hard disk working away but every few seconds it will power off and then right back on again.

The second is a 800Mhz model (like my main one). It had a dead display initially (wouldn't even output to an external) but after poking at it with a big stick for a little while I now have a flashing system folder/question mark on-screen. This one doesn't want to boot my Hardware Test CD either but it seems a bit more functional.

Do any of these symptoms sound eerily familiar to any of you guys?

Update

Well, the big stick fix didn't last long. When I ejected the CD I got a band of horizontal lines up the right hand side of the screen (like a barcode) and now it's dead again. Wonder if has the famous logic board graphics problem after all.

 

[Strimkind]

Sounds like the 800mhz is a lost cause. Definitely has the logic board graphic chip problem.

I would personally concentrate your work on the 500mhz which has what seems to be a more fixable issue.

Have you tried booting from the FW port to install a new OS? The CD drive could just be shot and that would be why its not booting.

Could be the PRAM battery is shot as well.

 

[protocol7]

Actually, the Hardware Test CD is booting now on the 500. I got a bit muddled and was actually using the AppleCare TechTool CD instead (it's been a long day :I ) .

I think it might have froze up though (will try again soon). It might have just been the memory test but I had no cursor.

I tried both iBooks in TDM. The 800 worked fine and was empty (installing OS9 onto it now). The 500 wouldn't mount. I could hear the drive spinning up, then powering off and back on continually. I guess the disk is shot.

Update:

Hardware test passed on the 500. Even mass storage (!?!). So I guess all it needs is a replacement hard disk. Also, neither of these have chargers but I'll worry about that later.

 

[protocol7]

I got the 500 to boot off a iMac install CD (my iBook only came with 10.2 install CDs) so it seems in ok shape apart from the hard disk.

As for the 800, I read about applying heat to the chip to get it to re-solder itself (either with a heatgun or this). Then there's the shim method. I guess the heat method would be the more long-lasting, but riskier way.

 

[Osgeld]

the heat gun would work as long as you keep in mind thermal stresses, and dont heat up or cool down anything super quick. Also its going to have to be a fairly stout heat gun, I tried it on my g4 cpu board, with the little weller basic bare bones model heat gun at work, and it managed to melt my hobbiest 60/40 solder no problem but did not even phase the factory stuff

 

[protocol7]

Seems the shim method isn't the best. Works for a while then dies.

I've been reading plenty of weird and wonderful re-flowing techniques involving heatguns, burning alcohol in metal cups and even heating up a heavy coin to 250F and putting it on the chip till it cools down. Basically you just have to make sure the board is dead level, and slowly apply and remove the heat source if using a gun. I'll probably risk it soon once I muster up the courage.

 

[Osgeld]

a toaster oven with a device controlling the thermal curve would be the best, and closest to the factory, a hot coin is not going to do anything, a can of burning whatver is just going to burn the board up and a heatgun is tricky but doable

edit (by device I mean it could be as simple as pluggin it into a switched outlet and using an oven thermometer or as complicated as a computer controlled device)

 

[protocol7]

The hot coin is the only method I could do right now due to lack of tools. But I just don't think it would be the safest as you would be applying a huge amount of heat immediately and directly onto the GPU. One guy in this thread placed a strip of aluminium on the GPU and gradually heated that up with success. I found an old P3 heatsink that might do the trick. I could place that on the GPU and heat it up with a heatgun. That way I'm not directly applying the heat to the GPU itself.

 

[protocol7]

From doing a bit more reading, people are saying their iBooks won't boot at all if the GPU is loose. In my case, it does boot (I can hear the hard disk rattling away as it boots into OS9), so do I have a loose GPU or is it the inverter cable? Applying pressure to the left of the trackpad (another commonly-mentioned GPU fix) makes no difference.

I know it's booting into OS9 fine because if I leave it for a minute after the hard disk activity has stopped and then hit the power button, followed by enter, it shuts down.

I'll need to borrow some tools to open this up, but I'd rather leave the GPU alone if it isn't the problem. If wiggling the cable produces something on-screen, I could try swapping it out with the one in the 500 to see if that fixes it. Then just look for a replacement cable.

 

[Strimkind]

From doing a bit more reading, people are saying their iBooks won't boot at all if the GPU is loose. In my case, it does boot (I can hear the hard disk rattling away as it boots into OS9), so do I have a loose GPU or is it the inverter cable? Applying pressure to the left of the trackpad (another commonly-mentioned GPU fix) makes no difference.

Can you see anything faintly on the screen? I have found the menu bar is the easiest to see. You may be able to get the screen to light up if you apply pressure on the left hand side of the screen about midway up (from the back of course).

 

[protocol7]

Can you see anything faintly on the screen? I have found the menu bar is the easiest to see. You may be able to get the screen to light up if you apply pressure on the left hand side of the screen about midway up (from the back of course).

No, there's nothing. I shined a light from the back (it wasn't a big light, but strong enough) and there was nothing either.

My head was spinning yesterday from so much reading up about it, so I thought that it might be just the inverter. But it can't be. If the GPU was OK I'd be able to get output on an external monitor and I can't.

 

[protocol7]

After a long an arduous few hours of almost totally dismantling the 500 just to replace the hard disk and putting it back together it worked. Briefly.

The problem now is the screen just cut out. Tilting it a bit makes it flash back again but it won't stay. Must be the inverter cable as I can see the image faintly onscreen. Great. I don't know if I can face having to take this thing apart again, they're an absolute nightmare. What the hell were Apple thinking when they designed these.

And after a reboot it's working again. I think the battery might be messing it up. Have taken it out for now to see how it goes.

 

[coius]

careful. It might be the inverter itself. I have had cases where you push on the inverter and it will work. Usually a cold joint, but I would go find an inverter. it should be cheap enough.

 

[protocol7]

careful. It might be the inverter itself. I have had cases where you push on the inverter and it will work. Usually a cold joint, but I would go find an inverter. it should be cheap enough.

I'm going to open it up again later and have a look. I also want to check if the fan is working. The battery shows up at 100% in the OS X menu bar, but it's anything but full. Given the age I don't think I'd be able to recalibrate it (I couldn't do it on the original battery from my iBook so I just bought a new replacement).

As for the 800 I think I've managed to successfully reflow the GPU using the "hot coin" trick (I had borrowed a heatgun, but chickened-out). My first attempt didn't work. I don't think the coin was hot enough. So after leaving it on a gas ring for 20-30 mins I tried again. As soon as I popped it onto the chip I could smell solder so I left it to cool down. I had also placed a piece of folded tinfoil onto the chip as I didn't like the idea of placing the red-hot coin directly onto the GPU.

On the first boot, the screen lit up, but the hard drive didn't boot. Second time, the drive booted but the display didn't kick in. Third time around it worked. So then I left it for an hour or so to settle and tried again. Booted perfect.

I've just applied some Arctic Silver 5 to the GPU and replaced the yellow thermal pad (I managed to remove it intact using a paint scraper). I have an old Intel HSF sitting on it now to provide some weight/pressure. I'll leave it alone for another hour or so then try again. If it still boots up successfully, I'll put it back together and get Panther onto it.

AND

It didn't work. Still no display. Not having much luck with these at all.

 

[protocol7]

I re-tried the same procedure last night, but this time without the tinfoil on the GPU. After I'd left it a little while to cool down, I booted it up and the screen lit up straight away. So I figured it probably didn't get enough heat the first time. Left it overnight to settle. Tried again and it booted up perfect first time again! Put it back together and now it's back to a dead screen.

I guess I'm just gonna have to take the heatgun to it after all.

 

[protocol7]

And the results are in:

Coin = fail

Heatgun = win