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APMike

Q: Logic Board Problem

Hello,

I own a 14" ibook 1.42 GHZ G4. I have recently been experiencing what others have called "the whirring fan of death." My computer shuts down or goes to sleep abruptly. Only the fan continues to run. Everything else is dead. I can't power up - usually. If I can, I get the sound of the fan running at high speed and black screen, then it powers up. Interestingly, I have noticed that if I remove ALL power (unplug the AC adapter and remove the battery), then put them back, the computer will power up. I am almost certain that this is a logic board problem.

My computer is only 2 years old and has been treated with respect. I intended to buy AppleCare but simply forgot about it, so now my computer is out of warranty. I have read that Apple has acknowledged a logic board fault in earlier G3 models, but not these. I have always been very loyal to Apple, (this is my third ibook and my fifth Apple), but now I may be faced with a repair cost that simply may not be worth it, and worse, I am thinking about buying a PC. Ugh...

So, here is the big question:

I have heard that Apple charges $300 for a logic board repair, including parts and labor, and backs the repair with a one year warranty. This is some sort of charge where they will fix whatever is wrong (not due to owner negligence). Is this true?

Thanks,
Mike

ibook G4, Mac OS X (10.4.11)

Posted on Jan 13, 2008 9:14 PM

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Q: Logic Board Problem

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  • by cornelius,

    cornelius cornelius Jan 14, 2008 8:28 PM in response to APMike
    Level 6 (17,825 points)
    Jan 14, 2008 8:28 PM in response to APMike
    APMike:

    Welcome to Apple Discussions.

    I am not sure of how the fact of your disconnecting the power supply and removing the battery and then getting the computer to start leads to the inescapable conclusion that you have a logic board problem. You may be right, but can you clarify your thinking on this, please?

    Cheers

    cornelius
  • by Prairie Hound,

    Prairie Hound Prairie Hound Jan 18, 2008 9:40 AM in response to APMike
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 18, 2008 9:40 AM in response to APMike
    I have an IBook G4 1.2 (Summer 2004) that is now a paper weight. Yes, my logic board crashed. I had symptoms similar to yours, as well as a blue screen with no response. Back up your data now. The local Apple Store wanted $300 to send it out for a tear down and diagnosis. I used a local Apple certified repair shop who confirmed the logic board failure for $129. For my machine, it was about $600 for the new board and about $200 to install. OUCH. If you declare your machine dead, you might consider having your hard drive removed and installed in an empty enclosure. Mine connects to my desktop via Firewire. Please do not go over to the dark side. Macs are way better than PC's.
  • by spudnuty,

    spudnuty spudnuty Jan 18, 2008 11:17 AM in response to APMike
    Level 5 (7,097 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jan 18, 2008 11:17 AM in response to APMike
    APmike,
    My computer shuts down or goes to sleep abruptly. Only the fan continues to run. Everything else is dead. If I can, I get the sound of the fan running at high speed and black screen, then it powers up.

    Yah that sounds like the U28 problem. U28 is a dual voltage regulator.
    Try the shim fix as described here:
    http://www.coreyarnold.org/ibook/
    If that works you can leave it that way or remove the board and have it repaired for ~ $48.
    Richard
  • by spudnuty,

    spudnuty spudnuty Jan 18, 2008 11:22 AM in response to Prairie Hound
    Level 5 (7,097 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jan 18, 2008 11:22 AM in response to Prairie Hound
    Hey Prairie Hound,

    I have an IBook G4 1.2 (Summer 2004) that is now a paper weight. Yes, my logic board crashed. The local Apple Store wanted $300 to send it out for a tear down and diagnosis. I used a local Apple certified repair shop who confirmed the logic board failure for $129. For my machine, it was about $600 for the new board and about $200 to install. OUCH.

    Was that Lapin or the Old Orchard store?

    I gather, restore, upgrade and repair computers from Evanston. These computers are then donated to schools in the inner city. These are typically high needs schools. Many have no computers at all!

    Harry Porterfield did a piece on me some months ago:
    Here's the URL to the TV station site:
    http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=local&id=5097319

    Email me if you would be interested in donating your "doorstop".

    Richard
  • by pinorain,

    pinorain pinorain Jan 19, 2008 2:33 AM in response to APMike
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 19, 2008 2:33 AM in response to APMike
    I had the same problem, it's due to a chip problem in the logic board.

    the next link (spanish) shows alternatives to fix this common problem (the best: to resolder the chip).

    http://blog.luisfdez.es/2007/11/24/reparar-la-placa-base-de-un-ibook-g4-y-ahorra rse-700e/

    Good luck.

    Message was edited by: pinorain
  • by APMike,

    APMike APMike Jan 19, 2008 12:14 PM in response to APMike
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 19, 2008 12:14 PM in response to APMike
    Hi -

    Thanks for all the input.

    Well, since my initial question really has not been answered here, I will answer it myself.

    I am just back from the Apple Store. My "genius" suspected a logic board failure, though I was not able to duplicate the problem while I was in the store. He said that the bast value would be to have Apple look at it and do a repair for $280 plus tax. This is a flat fee for which Apple will go in and fix anything that is wrong, including logic board problems, and back it with a 90 day warranty on parts and labor. My ibook is a G4 and is fairly new, so I went for it.

    I guess it all depends on which "genius" you get, and if there is any obvious physical damage to the computer. It may or may not have something to do with where you buy it as well. I am really not sure about this, but I bought my ibook directly from Apple, as a refurbished computer on their site.

    Hope this helps others who are in the same position. I will post back here when I get the computer back, and let you know all know what happened.

    Mike
  • by cornelius,

    cornelius cornelius Jan 19, 2008 12:25 PM in response to APMike
    Level 6 (17,825 points)
    Jan 19, 2008 12:25 PM in response to APMike
    APMike:

    $280 is a good price for complete repair and overhaul by Apple. Logic boards, new ones, run over $500 for these computers. The standard price for logic board repair is between $395 and $495. A couple of services do it for an hourly rate, but I have heard their reliability questioned. For the price quoted and the services offered, it sounds like a good price.

    Cheers

    cornelius
  • by Jon Kerstetter,

    Jon Kerstetter Jon Kerstetter Jan 19, 2008 2:07 PM in response to APMike
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 19, 2008 2:07 PM in response to APMike
    http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/07/05/03/applegrilled_over_ibook_g4_logicboarddeaths.html

    Look at the above article on the logic board issue. Looks like Apple is making amends in Denmark. We need to push the issue to get all these Ibooks fixed.



    J
  • by APMike,

    APMike APMike Jan 19, 2008 5:24 PM in response to APMike
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 19, 2008 5:24 PM in response to APMike
    Hi,

    Well, I will hope, in vain, for an eventually recall on the logic boards of these machines. Meanwhile, I am on my third ibook, and if I buy the fourth, I will go into it under the assumption that its useful life will be three years, and I will buy Applecare for it.

    My last ibook, a G4, had problems with the display (I did have Applecare for that one), and after the three years was up, the hard drive. Surprisingly, my first ibook, a first generation blueberry monstrosity, was, and is, mechanically perfect. I still have it, and after 10 years or so, it still works great. The only thing that it is wrong with it is that the battery is dead. It recognizes my flash drive, surprisingly, and I have taken it out of mothballs to do some writing on it while my G4 is in the shop. The only problem is that I like to take my laptop to the local coffee house, and the idea of taking my blueberry ibook out in public is slightly embarrassing....

    On a related note, I work for a public library, and some of out patrons are rather, well, colorful. One guy comes in once in a while who carries in a huge 15 or 20 year old PC, puts it on a table, then goes out to his car and returns with in an even larger 17 inch monitor. He wires it all up, then comes back with a giant set of headphones, a coffee cup, and a seat cushion, plugs it all in, and goes at it. I haven't seen him in a few months. Maybe he got a hernia.

    Mike
  • by spudnuty,

    spudnuty spudnuty Jan 19, 2008 7:15 PM in response to APMike
    Level 5 (7,097 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jan 19, 2008 7:15 PM in response to APMike
    Mike,
    Surprisingly, my first ibook, a first generation blueberry monstrosity, was, and is, mechanically perfect. I still have it, and after 10 years or so, it still works great. The only thing that it is wrong with it is that the battery is dead. It recognizes my flash drive, surprisingly, and I have taken it out of mothballs to do some writing on it while my G4 is in the shop.

    Yes, those first gens were real tanks weren't they.

    The only problem is that I like to take my laptop to the local coffee house, and the idea of taking my blueberry ibook out in public is slightly embarrassing....

    Well my son carried a Tangerine around for a few years and now a friend is carrying it around right now. They say that people think it's cute and very retro.

    Richard
  • by Wayne Connor,

    Wayne Connor Wayne Connor Feb 4, 2008 4:10 PM in response to APMike
    Level 1 (15 points)
    Feb 4, 2008 4:10 PM in response to APMike
    I had this problem and repaired it myself with my soldering iron. I also have a list of the models I think are affected. I've posted the details to my blog, http://macintoshhowto.com