gedjr

Q: Can someone give me sme information about an ibook G4 Model A1054?

The graphics adapter isn't working correctly.  I have to push on the left side of the tracking pad while booting in order for the display to come on.  The question is, can I have just the display adapter replaced or do I have to replace the logic board?

iBook

Posted on Jul 19, 2012 10:50 AM

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Q: Can someone give me sme information about an ibook G4 Model A1054?

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  • by Knucklesmac,

    Knucklesmac Knucklesmac Jul 19, 2012 10:59 AM in response to gedjr
    Level 4 (2,225 points)
    Jul 19, 2012 10:59 AM in response to gedjr

    Hello,

     

    This happens when the graphics chip becomes unsoldered from the logic board due to years of heating and cooling.

    Upon my own investigations there is no solution to preventing this or fixing it. The only way to repair an iBook which has this fault is to replace the logic board. In most cases the logic board cost more than the iBook. There are companies out there which will repair the logic board by resoldering the chip back on the board. Sadly it can't be done by DIY. Unless you have a fin point soldering equipment.

  • by Ronda Wilson,

    Ronda Wilson Ronda Wilson Jul 19, 2012 1:09 PM in response to gedjr
    Level 8 (41,547 points)
    Jul 19, 2012 1:09 PM in response to gedjr

    There are some do-it-yourself fixes out there, but they are a bit complicated, and the links are old. Let me check and see if any of them are still active.

     

    Aha!

     

    http://web.archive.org/web/20100111032638/http://www.coreyarnold.org/ibook/

     

    Thanks go to Corey Arnold for this (and to the Internet Archive Wayback Machine for preserving it). I'm not sure you'll want to do this. (The C-Clamp worked for awhile on mine if you don't mind being stuck to a tray-table.)

  • by Knucklesmac,

    Knucklesmac Knucklesmac Jul 19, 2012 2:10 PM in response to Ronda Wilson
    Level 4 (2,225 points)
    Jul 19, 2012 2:10 PM in response to Ronda Wilson

    A great suggestion, but sadly it doesn't work long term. Adding such shims to the GPU is not going to hold the kind of pressure needed to keep a join as small as these chips. It will get the iBook to boot and may work a short while. Sadly not a long term fix. As per my other post for gedjr, a logic board replacement is the only true solution. However if they can get their iBook working a while on this method then nothing is in vain. Sadly I've spent a lot of time working on both the G4 and G3 chip (graphics controller) problem and have yet to find a successful solution.

     

    However there was one thing that work very well for a while. Taking off the base and on the heat shielding sticking a coin between the case and the shielding, above the chip in question. This seemed to clamp the coin allowing the right pressure to the chip. This can only be archived by a ten cent coin, plus the coin helps with heat dissipation.

     

    As you can read... spent too much time investigation this one.

  • by Ronda Wilson,

    Ronda Wilson Ronda Wilson Jul 19, 2012 2:23 PM in response to Knucklesmac
    Level 8 (41,547 points)
    Jul 19, 2012 2:23 PM in response to Knucklesmac

    I'm not so sure you can spend too much time investigating this.

     

    That logic board problem is an iBook-killer.

  • by gedjr,

    gedjr gedjr Jul 20, 2012 12:06 PM in response to Ronda Wilson
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 20, 2012 12:06 PM in response to Ronda Wilson

    Thanks for the info

  • by gedjr,

    gedjr gedjr Jul 20, 2012 12:09 PM in response to Knucklesmac
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 20, 2012 12:09 PM in response to Knucklesmac

    Thanks for the tip.  I will try this this week end to see if it helps.