[geeks] Apple iBook issues...

[Mike F]

On Mar 9, 2008, at 1:18 PM, Joost van de Griek wrote:

> On Mar 9, 2008, at 17:46, Jonathan Katz wrote:
>
>> The wife has an iBook G4 that has faithfully served her for quite  
>> some time. Applecare has replaced the logic board and the DC-input/ 
>> DC-DC converter board.
>>
>> Now the screen occasionally has just rotated through different  
>> colors, blue, green, red, grey, etc. She was able to power-off the  
>> machine and have it boot back up.
>>
>> Not sure what the dealio is here. Anyone run into this?
>
> The iBooks are notorious for problems with the GPU detaching from  
> the logic board.
>
> That might be what is happening here. Unless you are apt with  
> soldering BGA parts, or are adventurous enough to experiment with  
> putting flaming cans of fuel onto your iBook motherboard, this one  
> is on its way out.
>
> ,xtG
> .tsooJ
>

Heh, I recently went through a similar scenario. My iBook G3/600 was  
experiencing display problems and booting problems, and I confirmed it  
was the video chip separating from the logic board by pressing on the  
area to the left of the trackpad and booting it up. Prior to this, it  
wouldn't boot at all, but with pressure it would boot and stay running  
for a while at least.

I don't have the links handy, but there are several webpages and forum  
threads describing either placing shims between the video chip and  
lower shield or applying heat to reflow the solder joints under the  
BGA video chip. The wife (it's really her iBook) decided she wants a  
new MacBook anyway, so I figured I'd give it a shot reflowing the chip.

I removed the lower shield, scraped off the gunky heat transfer/shim  
material, and shielded the rest of the logic board with several layers  
of aluminum foil cut to mask off the video chip. I placed a small  
piece of solder on top of the video chip and proceeded to heat the  
chip up with a common heat gun, starting far away and gradually moving  
closer. Eventually the piece of solder melted and balled up, and then  
I maintained the heat for another 20 seconds or so.

After letting everything cool down I put it back together, placing a  
folded-up piece of aluminum foil between the video chip and the lower  
shield, to replace the now-removed gunky heat transfer/shim material.  
It booted up the first time, and it's been running mostly perfectly  
for the better part of a week.

So if you're feeling adventurous, you might  give this method a try.

- Mike