I found my apple iBook G4 recently and I tired to turn it on and now the laptop won't turn on at all. I want to get this laptop back to working use any ideas on why this wouldn't be starting up? The charging cord does light up and the battery level lights on the battery also light up. I tried taking out the battery, plugging it in and holding the apple button and power button at the same time.
Mac OS X (10.4.4)
While there is no secondary battery inside the computer that would contain system settings in PRAM, there is a capacitor which, once failed, may affect startup of these G4 iBook computers.
Once the main rechargeable battery goes dead, it may no longer accept a charge; this is part of the nature of the Lithium Ion batteries most of these use. Usually after an iBook or PowerBook G4 has been sitting around awhile (as I have one, probably in a coma, but otherwise almost new) it should be charged for many hours before an attempt is made to make it start. It may take awhile of use afterward before the battery may be able to cycle through charge & discharge, then recharge.
But once the main battery is completely dead, it has to be replaced. With the main battery no longer supporting the capacitor which supports the function of the PRAM chip, that will no longer hold settings. So the clock and day/date/time will not be remembered between startups. Even with a new battery, once the Capacitor has failed, these items will not be correctly held to their settings after a restart.
Some of the means to check and reset power-related issues appear to depend on a working battery, power adapter and DC-in board; also for system settings held in PRAM, the capacitor has to work. A reset of the Power Management Unit, may or may not make much difference if the main battery is dead, but it may allow the power adapter to run the computer. (Some people remove the battery for extended AC power use, but have a UPS battery backup to help the computer's PRAM settings, boot capability, and capacitor function.) And a failed capacitor requires a service repair.
•Resetting PowerBook and iBook Power Management Unit (PMU)
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1431
Another small item, another reset that may or may not work with the battery dead, but with the computer on the AC power adapter, is a reset of the PRAM chip. The information stored on these can be corrupted, or with a dead battery & capacitor, who knows.
•About NVRAM and PRAM:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1379
If you know of someone with a known-good and working iBook G4 with functional battery and power adapter of a similar build, you could borrow them to see if they help; mostly for troubleshooting purposes. You may have to replace the main battery, with a unit such as those offered by OWC macsales, or others of quality make.
Without actually handling the iBook G4 and trying things, results are difficult to predict. Although the unit is considered obsolete, a few Apple Specialists and some Apple Store locations with a Genius bar may consider helping you troubleshoot an issue, the Genius bar if you set an appointment first. However with vintage and obsolete products, help is harder to get. For example, they may not have any accessories to swap or power your computer that are 'known-good' so you'd have to take your power adapter and (even if not charged) battery along.
I'd give the battery at least 8 hours to attempt to charge, then try the resets. Note the PMU reset for an 'mid-2005' iBook G4 is different than some of the others. Mid-2005 was the last model, in either a 12" or 14" version.
Oh, There is no Apple button involved in the reset.
Good luck & happy computing! 🙂
While there is no secondary battery inside the computer that would contain system settings in PRAM, there is a capacitor which, once failed, may affect startup of these G4 iBook computers.
Once the main rechargeable battery goes dead, it may no longer accept a charge; this is part of the nature of the Lithium Ion batteries most of these use. Usually after an iBook or PowerBook G4 has been sitting around awhile (as I have one, probably in a coma, but otherwise almost new) it should be charged for many hours before an attempt is made to make it start. It may take awhile of use afterward before the battery may be able to cycle through charge & discharge, then recharge.
But once the main battery is completely dead, it has to be replaced. With the main battery no longer supporting the capacitor which supports the function of the PRAM chip, that will no longer hold settings. So the clock and day/date/time will not be remembered between startups. Even with a new battery, once the Capacitor has failed, these items will not be correctly held to their settings after a restart.
Some of the means to check and reset power-related issues appear to depend on a working battery, power adapter and DC-in board; also for system settings held in PRAM, the capacitor has to work. A reset of the Power Management Unit, may or may not make much difference if the main battery is dead, but it may allow the power adapter to run the computer. (Some people remove the battery for extended AC power use, but have a UPS battery backup to help the computer's PRAM settings, boot capability, and capacitor function.) And a failed capacitor requires a service repair.
•Resetting PowerBook and iBook Power Management Unit (PMU)
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1431
Another small item, another reset that may or may not work with the battery dead, but with the computer on the AC power adapter, is a reset of the PRAM chip. The information stored on these can be corrupted, or with a dead battery & capacitor, who knows.
•About NVRAM and PRAM:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1379
If you know of someone with a known-good and working iBook G4 with functional battery and power adapter of a similar build, you could borrow them to see if they help; mostly for troubleshooting purposes. You may have to replace the main battery, with a unit such as those offered by OWC macsales, or others of quality make.
Without actually handling the iBook G4 and trying things, results are difficult to predict. Although the unit is considered obsolete, a few Apple Specialists and some Apple Store locations with a Genius bar may consider helping you troubleshoot an issue, the Genius bar if you set an appointment first. However with vintage and obsolete products, help is harder to get. For example, they may not have any accessories to swap or power your computer that are 'known-good' so you'd have to take your power adapter and (even if not charged) battery along.
I'd give the battery at least 8 hours to attempt to charge, then try the resets. Note the PMU reset for an 'mid-2005' iBook G4 is different than some of the others. Mid-2005 was the last model, in either a 12" or 14" version.
Oh, There is no Apple button involved in the reset.
Good luck & happy computing! 🙂
iBook G4 will not turn on
