Q: iBook G4 AirPort broken, will not reboot

As a first test, what happens if you remove the AirPort Extreme card?

https://manuals.info.apple.com/MANUALS/0/MA984/en_US/ibg4-apc-cip1.pdf

Correction

Sorry, according to an iFixit guide (https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/iBook+G4+12-Inch+1.33+GHz+AirPort-Bluetooth+Board+R eplacement/707), the model that you mentioned appears to have a different AirPort solution, making the process much more difficult. I do not know whether the computer would operate correctly with this board/card removed.

Someone familiar with reading & understanding the Kernel Panic logs, could probably be able

to connect the cause to the Wi-Fi card. In the iBook G4 12-inch 1.33GHz + 14-inch 1.42GHz

models the card also supplies Bluetooth as well as 801.11 wireless frequencies.

•Technical Note TN2063: Understanding and Debugging Kernel Panics:

https://developer.apple.com/library/mac/technotes/tn2063/_index.html

•Mac OS X: How to log a kernel panic - Apple Support

•Resolving Kernel Panics - troubleshooting:

http://www.thexlab.com/faqs/kernelpanics.html#Anchor-Troubleshooting-49575

This card was noted to be a cause of kernel panic and some users were able to disconnect

the card, then use a USB wireless adapter (when available, years ago, USB2) for wi-fi.

So the cause of the Panic is probably the hardware related issue some of these get.

{A company such as wegenermedia.com or powerbookmedic could probably perform

some repairs. While in the shop, other upgrade or repair could be done for little extra

labor costs, since computer would be apart on the bench. These can use an upgrade

to SSD such as legacy OWC ATA version, & replace HDD, to speed things along.}

Back to the kernel panic...

The repair requires a take-apart since this wireless card is essentially on the bottom

of the logic board held there by a small screw or two, & it has a tiny connector there.

With that carefully detached, the computer should no longer kernel panic. It also would

have no built-in wireless support for BT or wi-fi.

Good luck & happy computing!

Given the availability of the hardware in question, although you may remove the AirPort kexts

they may reappear on a restart once the system sees the hardware is still there. To remove

access to the hardware, (or replace the part) would be a sure way to not have it appear. Also

once the AirPort card is detached from the logic board, further testing to be sure it is the only

cause of kernel panic, would be advised.

You may be able to get a replacement wireless BT + AirPort card from companies such as

powerbookmedic.com or others. Be aware some places will offer defective cards for sale

and offer them cheap. I'd noticed a few, alongside others listed in sites, labelled "in-op."

So if shopping, be sure to get a replacement known-good. There are used, tested-good.

Or perhaps wegenermedia has the card they may sell a hobbyist, new-old-stock.

Or if you need to use an iBook G4 1.33 series portable to run certain software, you could

check the wegenermedia site to see if they list any -- that they've repaired w/ guarantee.

Don't need a PowerPC model? They may offer the early MacBooks 2006-2010. Late 2008

MacBook 13" was the only Aluminum MacBook Unibody, outside the MacBook Pro series.

However the MacBook (13-inch Mid-2010) was a good model that can support to 16GB RAM.

Check specs on those models at everymac.com or by use of mactracker.ca application.

Anyway...

Good luck!

Yes, that is usually a fair option, to get a working or restored example of the

one you had, and get it from someone who knows about it. Anyone can sell

but only some really know what they have or how to fix it, if offered as such.

You can get an older iBook G4 1.2GHz 12-inch for under $150 from wegenermedia

with a limited guarantee. Of course depending on the software you need to run, the

model and build year series could vary. {A MacBook early edition may also be a deal.

Then you could run Snow Leopard 10.6.8, almost as good as Tiger 10.4.11 but not

as obsolete.} That and a faster spin-rate hard drive; a 7200-RPM HDD can help.

The MacBook series (2006 to 2010) is fairly easy to upgrade hard drives.

The older iBook G4 requires a separate wi-fi card that hides under the keyboard,

and sometimes is missing; the AirPort Extreme toward the end, plain AirPort if

early model. Somewhere I have as spare Extreme wi-fi card, it was for iMac G4.

Anyway, hopefully you can get the device you need to continue in your works.

Going forward, the effort to keep an older portable in running condition will take

some effort, money, or a bit of self-taught repair effort with better manuals...

Good luck & happy computing!

Of that, I'm not sure; however if you are lucky someone such as 'spudnutty' who has repaired

several iBook G4/G3 models, and other Macs, may see your post here and offer ideas on this.

Usually if the AirPort +BT wireless module is defective, you can start & run the iBook G4. It

may (if nothing much else is wrong) be able to start in SafeBoot mode, with shift-key held

for quite awhile on first boot, then if you see the desktop or a regular start appearance begin

it may try after awhile to allow you access to Finder. From there, you could look into Console

system Logs, to see if you can find any evidence of the trouble by time and date, etc. Tedium.

Sorry to draw a blank on this situation!