iBook Clamshell White Screen

[Retro Rider]

I got an Indigo iBook G3 recently for $30, the guy said that he had it on for an hour, than the screen went white and nothing else, I've tried resetting the PRAM, the PMU, I haven't checked inside the iBook yet if the connection is loose (but idk how since he had it running for an hour before it went bust) because I don't have a way to organize the screws yet. Can anyone help?

 

[davidg5678]

It is possible that an internal capacitor or other component has failed. If this is the case, the failed part would need to replaced with a new one. To start off, I would unplug and plug the screen from the motherboard and check if this fixes things. If this does not help, look for charred components on the motherboard. I would recommend using half of an old egg carton as a way to organize screws. (An ice cube tray is better if you have one) Each compartment can correspond to each step. 

iFixit.com has excellent repair guides for the Clamshell.

Good Luck!

 

[Retro Rider]

It is possible that an internal capacitor or other component has failed.

That would make more sense, it did smell wierd when I open the keyboard and look at the internals (lat least what I can see from there). Then I guess that would call for a recap? Dang these machines are already that old?

I would recommend using half of an old egg carton as a way to organize screws. (An ice cube tray is better if you have one) Each compartment can correspond to each step. 

I was gonna use a pill holder, but I didn't think about that.

 

[Retro Rider]

UPDATE: messed around with the volume settings, via the keyboard buttons, and it seems to work, I think it's the video cable.

Update 2: thought I read somewhere that maybe it was the ram, so I replaced it, it didn't do anything. More signs leading to video cable

 

[techknight]

there is a little fuse in the display. it popped

 

[Retro Rider]

there is a little fuse in the display. it popped

I'll check both the video cable and the fuse, do you know any more info?

 

[Retro Rider]

would you need to completely replace the video cable, or just reseat it?

 

[davidg5678]

If a broken fuse in the display is the cause of the problem, I would carefully disassemble the display after removing it from the main computer and look for a charred component. It may be helpful to post some pictures of the circuit boards for this. I would highly recommend following a guide as the Clamshell can be very difficult to take apart without one.

 

[Retro Rider]

I have a couple of things that might be wrong. The graphics card may need to be blow dried, it might be a fuse on the display, it might be the cable. Anyways, is there a cheap replacement screen I can get online?

 

[CC_333]

You know, I *might* have an extra clamshell display you can have, if you want?

I don't think the backlight is that great (it glows pink when cold, a sign that the bulb is close to burning out), but it has a good picture and would serve to at least get yours functional.

c

 

[Retro Rider]

You know, I *might* have an extra clamshell display you can have, if you want?

I don't think the backlight is that great (it glows pink when cold, a sign that the bulb is close to burning out), but it has a good picture and would serve to at least get yours functional.




1

I'm about to disassemble it (please please wish me luck) I'm making the screw organizer right now. I'll check out the video cable, as that's what a lot of other resources (that are available) online say.

 

[Retro Rider]

update: I'm in the machine rn, had the machine on while unplugging and plugging back in the video connector, it still showed a white screen, nothing else. I have a video here (please excuse the really bad camera work, was filming on mobile, and trying to unplug)

 

[CC_333]

I think some LCDs have a fuse on the LCD panel or something, and when it blows, the LCD displays a white screen.

Also, if the video cable is bad somehow, that could also explain it (in particular, one spot it is prone to breakage (this is also true of virtually any laptop) is where it winds through the display hinges). There's also a chance it could be a logic board fault, but I don't think so; those clamshell logic boards are usually quite resilient.

You can PM me if you're interested in my panel (it's a complete assembly, including hinges and cables, but it's from an Indigo clamshell; however, if you have any other color, the innards (cables, LCD panel) should be interchangeable.)

c

p.s. Also, it's a very bad idea to try plugging and unplugging internal cards and cables while the computer is powered on. You could fry things quite badly (I learned this the hard way, after damaging a $2,000 Macbook Pro after upgrading the display *while it was still powered on*; I wasn't very happy with the result [xx(] ).

 

[Retro Rider]

You can PM me if you're interested in my panel (it's a complete assembly, including hinges and cables, but it's from an Indigo clamshell; however, if you have any other color, the innards (cables, LCD panel) should be interchangeable.)




 

I actually got a indigo one, so I'll probably PM you later.

 

[CC_333]

OK

c