Powerbook Black Screen...

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Level 1

15 points

Powerbook Black Screen...

I was wondering if you could tell me if this is a logic board problem.

The powerbook chimes but then the screen is black and nothing happens. I can't see it via target disc mode and nothing lights up on the keyboard like the caps lock.

Would like to resurrect this dead laptop somehow!

1.67 G4, Mac OS X (10.5.8)

Posted on Nov 21, 2010 5:29 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Allan Jones

Level 9

68,708 points

Nov 21, 2010 7:06 AM in response to Ed_Lee

Do you get a signal if you connect an external monitor? That's a pretty good item to check as it can help separate logic board issues from something less ominous like a worn video cable in the hinge area.

I am concerned that the inability to get into target disk mode is not working. That could be a dead hard drive. Do you have system disks? If so, see if you can boot the computer from that. That will allow you to used Disk Utility on the system to test the hard drive.

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Answer 2

Ed_Lee Author

Level 1

15 points

Nov 22, 2010 9:35 AM in response to Allan Jones

I haven't got a spare external monitor to hand but I've checked the screen to see if I can see anything faintly incase the backlight has gone.

I have checked the system discs and nothing happens also...

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Answer 3

Allan Jones

Level 9

68,708 points

Nov 22, 2010 9:45 AM in response to Ed_Lee

I have checked the system discs and nothing happens also...

If you can't boot from a system disk, that bodes ill. They optical drive could be shot or the logic board is dead. The optical drive boot--or lack thereof--is a pretty good diagnostic.

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