Canadian Mac Forums at ehMac banner

iBook G4 keeps crashing

3K views 21 replies 7 participants last post by  Zoiks 
#1 ·
Hi everyone.

My 12" iBook G4 has suddenly started crashing. I get a message saying that I need to restart my computer. (I guess that is a kernal panic?) It's happened 4 times today, and I've only been on the computer for a few hours in total.

I have noticed that my fan is doesn't seem to be running anymore, and so my guess is that the computer is overheating. Does that make any sense? Seems like the fan was running near-constantly before. (I tend to work on my lap a lot of the time. 3 of my feet are missing, so when I'm at a desk, I use a book or something to get a little airflow under the laptop.)

My battery life is nearly nonexistent (15-20 minutes, tops) so I need to work plugged it almost all the time.

Any thoughts or anything I can do? I still have AppleCare on this machine for another month, and I intend to get a new machine anyway, but the less time I can be computer-less, the better.

EDIT: Make that 5 times today--it crashed in the middle of this post.
 
#4 ·
Any thoughts or anything I can do? I still have AppleCare on this machine for another month, and I intend to get a new machine anyway, but the less time I can be computer-less, the better.

EDIT: Make that 5 times today--it crashed in the middle of this post.

My money is on your airport card. This is a major problem for Apple that Apple refuses to acknowledge. I ran into this exact same problem a couple of years ago, and ended buying a new mac because of it.

See this post:G4 iBook & Airport & Kernel Panic

What you can do in the mean time, is:

1. shut down your machine
2. apply heavy pressure to the area of the wrist-rest to the left of the trackpad and HOLD
3. while applying pressure, turn on mac and wait for booting to finish.
4. Before relieving your dying mac of the pressure, go to your menu bar and turn off Airport.
5. Leave Airport off. This is probably what is causing your issue.
6. Plug ethernet cable into your mac because this baby isn't going to work reliably with airport on ever again.

This is well documented in the thread here:Where is my airport card?

As far as I'm concerned, with as many people affected by this problem using the G4 iBook, Apple still owes me a new laptop.

If you have Applecare, You are probably going to get a whole new machine, as I'll bet it will cost Apple lots of money to repair the iBook.

Good Luck!


Here is a funny showing where the issue lies. (funny pic, but you get the point)
 

Attachments

#5 ·
You may be right, Zoiks. Thanks,

Checked the stack trace on the kernal panic error, and it had last tried to use Airport, much like in the 2nd thread you referenced.

This is going to be a problem for me, since I need wireless at work, but I can plug in at home. I have Airport off now. Let's see if it panics again. If it's fine, it at least buys me time to back everything up tonight.

It's funny, but it's that area of the laptop that seems to run hottest. Had no idea it was Airport under there.
 
#6 ·
One more thing I noticed with my G4 iBook...

From now on, you may have to apply pressure to that area of your wrist rest every time you restart or boot your computer. When you boot it, Mac OS X will check the hardware (including airport) and when it does, it will crash. The pressure applied during iBook ensures a good connection between the logic board and the airport card.

Cheers
 
#8 ·
Don't let this temporary remedy lull you into a false sense of security, though. The problem isn't fixed, and there's quite a good possibility of a new machine waiting for you at your nearest AppleCare provider.

Use this time to make sure your backups are 100% A-1, borrow a laptop and take this thing in pronto.
 
#9 ·
^^^
If they replaced it with a "new" machine, it would be quite a downgrade, since the new machine would most likely be devoid of: a quality LCD, a real video card, a decent keyboard, and probably wouldn't have FireWire or fully powered USB ports. Hopefully Apple has a fix for this problem, because a lot of people rely on these workhorses...
 
#10 ·
Hopefully Apple has a fix for this problem, because a lot of people rely on these workhorses...

No Kidding - I kept my iBook in case Apple decides to do something about them. Right now it's my brothers computer while he's visiting (ethernet tether I call it).


The iBook (Airport aside) is a great little machine. I just wish Apple would admit that they made a critical error in design and offered us a free fix.

Though I must say that using my Uni is a lot more fun. (four finger gestures... love it!)

Cheers
 
#12 ·
The constant crashing, lack of fan, overheating, etc., will prompt the store to try to fix the machine, but they usually only replace if this has happened numerous times before and you've had it serviced for major problems all those times. They don't replace at first go.

They might offer to sell you a battery. The battery issue is moot, and probably would have provoked the same response 2.5 years ago as now: batteries get used up and die in consumer products.

If they do replace, it would only be a MacBook if they are completely out of iBooks (your exact model, also), and decide that the problems would keep repeating.

If the problem happens again, phone AppleCare rather than use the store, as they are more likely to replace after repeat fixes.

Finally, if the store fixes the computer, make sure you get something like a 90 day warranty on the repair. I think this is standard policy near the end of your AppleCare, but I'm not sure, and policies change. If it's unclear, ask for this in writing if not already provided by the store.
 
#15 ·
If Carbon is an AASP, then surely the customer MIGHT get a replacement from Apple via them? Our store used to do this all the time -- obviously you have to try and fix it first, but if that didn't work we would routinely talk to Apple, maybe send the machine in for them to verify our diagnosis, then Apple would approve a replacement and send it to us.

The process certainly wasn't as fast as walking into an Apple store where they can just hand you a replacement, but it worked and customers were always happy that we went to bat for them instead of them having to wrangle with Apple on the phone.
 
#19 ·
I have an iBook that has the same issues, and i can tell you it doesn't get any better, it gets worse. You are lucky to still have Apple Care on it, mine ran out and 4 months after it started acting up..... then you are stuck leaving posts oh ehmac like i did earlier this week iBook G4... worth fighting for? :D

BReligion
 
#20 ·
Well, I have heard back from Carbon, and they are ordering a new logic board and a new Airport card for my little iBook. Parts should be in within a couple of days.

So counting some previous repairs, I will have an iBook G4 with a new optical drive, a new logic board, new Airport card and new inverter cables--and 1 month of AppleCare to go.

I am seriously thinking of getting a new laptop this weekend anyway, since I was planning to buy one this month as it is. Not sure if I'll keep the old iBook around as a spare or sell it, but we shall see.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top