Ibook G3 800 - Advice on Prolonging Life

[haemogoblin]

Hey everyone!

I repaired a friends Ibook G3 800mhz by replacing the logic board with a tested board from ebay. Seems to be working fine and dandy, however I know enough about these Ibooks to know this will probably not last. I read some place that some Ibook users resorted to using software to control the internal fans, keeping the board cool and prolonging the life of their laptops.

The only Ibook I ever owned was a broken one, so using a working model is a unique experience. Does anyone have any advice? I realise the logic board could be reflowed, but given the value of the Ibook, it's cheaper to buy a working model off ebay.

 

[Cory5412]

I know enough about these Ibooks to know this will probably not last.

the logic board could be reflowed, but given the value of the Ibook, it's cheaper to buy a working model off ebay.

It sounds like you've got your answer.

If you're interested in a working dual USB iBook, I recommend looking at the earliest models, the 500MHz and Rage-graphics 600MHz models in both sizes are fairly reliable, physically. I have also heard varying things about some of the G4 iBooks, so you may as well go all the way to a 1.2/1.33 or 1.42GHz 12-inch or 14-inch iBook G4, if it's about the machine itself and not about having a particular model of machine.

If you're looking for a reliable laptop, look for a Mac made in 2009 or later, or a ThinkPad other than the T30 and T61/p with nVidia graphics.

One other thing you could do is get one of those laptop cooling pads that's really just a USB powered fan that you set your laptop on, if you're going to remove the mobility and tranquility of using a mobile machine. (I do this with a ThinkPad T42p that has a failed fan, it works pretty well to keep at least that particular machine cool under duress.)

 

[TheMacGuy]

I actually had 2 snow iBooks (original 500MHz and the next revision which had a 600MHz processor). The 600MHz had the graphics problem, but the 500MHz model is still running to this day (knock on wood). Ended up parting out the 600MHz one.

Like Cory said, very, very early G3s (500MHz) or late iBook G4s. I have one of each (500MHz snow, and 1.42GHz 14" G4) both are great machines.

 

[Gorgonops]

Cranking up the fan most likely isn't going to help, at least not very much. The problems with those systems involve mechanical cracking of the solder joints under the video chip. Unless you're literally talking about keeping an ice cube on top of said chip so it never rises above the ambient temperature of the underlying PCB those solder joints are going to get stressed every time you turn the system on or off. I doubt measures like slightly increased airflow will do it. (According to the Danish report on the solder cracking in the G4 iBook their conclusion was that it was inevitable unless the system were never turned off.)

When it does fail you could always try fixing it yourself with a tea light. Nothing to lose at that point.

(Additionally, a little bird who may have been in a position to know once told me that on the G3's Apple had actually experimentally determined that the placement of the chip contributed to the problem and that normal handling with the lid open flexed the board enough to encourage the cracks. If it's true then another way to extend your system's life would be to *never pick it up*, but of course this is just hearsay.)

 

[Hugh]

I've just 'shimmed' a G3 900 iBook with a British 2 pence coin. Surprisingly it seems to have worked and the video is fine for the time being.

Unfortunately I didn't realise the CD drive doesn't work, so it's got to come apart again some time.

Cheers

Hugh

 

[haemogoblin]

Hi guys

Thanks for the replies, I thought this would be the case. The Ibook G3 seems to be one of those models that work on borrowed time. I've read on some sites it is THE higher end models that are less prone to fail and the 500, 600 models THAT are more likely to fail.

Back in '06 I had both "12 & "14 models of the G3 800mhz Ibook, both of which succumbed to same video gpu fault. I used the shim fix, but i found it only worked for a short while. So I went back to my Pismo and G4 Powermac and was put off buying anything newer then my Pismo.

Fast forward to 2013 and my friend had given me her faultly G3 800mhz Ibook, it had the GPU fault. Which i fixed by replacing the logic board with a working one bought from ebay. It hasn't put me back that much and I was just hoping I might be able to fend off the woe's of the deadly GPU for as long as i can. I kinda like the white Ibook look, its a really nice looking laptop. Not got a clue what I'm going to use it for

-Hugh hope your shim fix works and lasts you longer then mine did.

 

[TheMacGuy]

Thanks for the replies, I thought this would be the case. The Ibook G3 seems to be one of those models that work on borrowed time. I've read on some sites it is THE higher end models that are less prone to fail and the 500, 600 models THAT are more likely to fail.

Not really, I have never noticed it being the higher end model lasting longer. It has been the earlier models with the Rage 128 and 8MB of VRAM (12" 2001 models) that have stood the test of time (thus far). I don't know about the 14" models. The ones after that had the BGA problem, IIRC.

Also, it turns out the 600MHz model I had was from 2002. I double checked the specs (wrote them on a sticky).

 

[haemogoblin]

See that is what i thought, but this was something I read online last week when I was researching the problem of the GPU. I hadn't touched an Ibook since 2006, after having the whole GPU problem then and swearing never to try fixing one ever again. This one however has come up, the person who own's it just wants her data and me being me, I couldn't bring myself to bin an otherwise mint looking laptop.

If and when the replacement logic board does fails, I wont be buying another.