Laptop dead - help!

[Jules]

I'm posting this from my PDA. Bloody laptop died.

Just white screen

Makes 'drive start up attempt' wheezing noises...

Tried starting with

T held
R + held
Mouse clicker held
CD eject held

ALL no joy, all produce Mac startup chime but only a white screen and NO Mac logo or boot up.

I tried a USB Palm back up started by pressing go on the hot sync cradle.. But no joy...( I daydreamed that it was only the screen that was broken but feel that proves it wasnt)

I don't think a CD is stuck in it and the grim thing is the whirring noise comes from the opposite (LH) side...

Hmmmmmm!

Needless to say I am depressed about it. But managed to chear myself somewhat up by backing my palm diart and contacts from this PDA to my studios mac.

Any tips? (bear in mind I can't get the CD drawer open)

Thanks

P.S. Al is it OK if I send it up to you to pass onto your Apple service Center chums on Monay if I can't get it working?

[MCal27]

Hi Jules,
Sure. send it up if we can't sort it out here and now...
Some things to try....
1) does it go into Firewire target mode when you hold down T on Boot up? (Blue screen with Firewire symbol)

2) Is there a CD in the drive? If so, try holding down the trackpad's button (the part of the pad you'd use like a mouse button) during bootup.. this should eject any media thats in the CD drive..

Can U try both of those and let me know?

Al.

[Jules]

Originally posted by MCal
Hi Jules,
Sure. send it up if we can't sort it out here and now...
GREAT! THANKS
1) does it go into Firewire target mode when you hold down T on Boot up? (Blue screen with Firewire symbol)

UNFORTUNATLY NOT!

2) Is there a CD in the drive?

DONT KNOW' Don't THINKSO

If so, try holding down the trackpad's button (the part of the pad you'd use like a mouse button) during bootup.. this should eject any media thats in the CD drive..

NOTHING HAPPENED

Still white screen.

I took the battery in and out too...

Thanks Al !!!

Al.

[Jules]

with the GREATEST of respect' so far all the remedies offered have been mentioned in my previous posts!

So I am up for some 'extra' ideas!

Kent I may try calling you Sunday. Or will call Jon for your number...

Oh miserable me!!!!

THANKS!!!!!!!

[Jules]

Sorry - I forgot to mantion......Its a white ibook 600 with combo CDRW - DVD drive. Single firewire. Tbase100 ethernet only. 2 x USB ports. Airport card.

My Mac guy was just setting my latest cable internet - Airport connection up at the studio. it worked fine. That eve back at home (also using an airport for wireless operation) it died while on line...

screen went hyroglific - mad then kaput....

Perhaps I should take out that Airport card and try a boot up???

Thanks a lot guys

Jules

[BevvyB]

definitely take airport card out and reboot

If that doesn't work, then try taking out any extra ram you have fitted and reboot (its under the airport card if you have)

You also forgot to mention that you're running 9 and not X

If your hard drive has had a terrible moment, then what Al said about target disk mode is true...but it may not work at all unless you have another computer attached - im not sure

If you have another computer, connect your ibook to it via firewire, then hold T on startup on the iBook - the drive should appear as an icon on the other computer, from where you can try and see what's wrong with the drive/ressurect it/whatever

I am not sure if this is how it works with OS9 though, but that's what any tech will be trying to do first if you handed it over

If you can get access to the drive from ANY computer then it may be salvaged/fixed

Of course, that's if the drive is at fault

I know this is a horrible question, but how often have you been running 'nice' programs such as norton disk doctor, and have you been defragging the drive much, if at all? Also, has the computer been absolutely fine up till now, or getting 'worse' in any way speed wise/disk access wise?

Another thing - your computer guy MAY have (big MAY) installed a firmware update to get your airport thing working which may also have done something to the inner workings of your computer - if that update is incompatible then you may need to install the older firmware back

Have you checked out the apple discussion forums?

No one seems to have mentioned the obvious, holding shift down on startup just to disable extensions. It seems odd to me that you're getting a startup chime and then nothing. When I've had nothing in the past i've had REAL nothing.

[Jules]

SOME progress! the CD drawer decided to pop out... Then I got a tiny mac logo... then hyroglific screen garbage.. then............... back to white screen.

Tried all the above again (except the T boot but I DID give that a go hooked up via FW to my studios G4 yesterday.- no joy.)

Anyhow it suddenly STOPPED 'chiming'

but then I t ried Bev's shift key boot up... and it chimed.....

now it chimes again...

More fun and games...

I will open it up next.....

[MCal27]

Jules,
Can u describe the 'garbage' you get on screen? it may hold a clue....

Al.

[Jules]

SOME progress! the CD drawer decided to pop out... Then I got a tiny mac logo... then hyroglific screen garbage.. then............... back to white screen.

Tried all the above again (except the T boot but I DID give that a go hooked up via FW to my studios G4 yesterday.- no joy.)

Anyhow it suddenly STOPPED 'chiming'

but then I t ried Bev's shift key boot up... and it chimed.....

now it chimes again...

More fun and games...

I will open it up next.....

No - tried that.. appart from cracking the plastic case or thowing it against the wall....

I had to abort that mission....

Harumph!!!!!

[Jules]

Been about a week now.. no laptop - with no email, only chance is an internet cafe, now my mailbox is too full of junk to even open.

If anyone is trying to contact me.. Sorry!

[C.Lambrechts]

only about 2 months away from X-mass Jules ... maybe Santa can help.

[Zarf]

Jules, your original post said you'd done "r + held" - did you zap the PRAM with "P,R,(alt/option), and (Command/Apple)"? It's not obvious. Otherwise I would reset the power manager for your iBook (Apple support article here http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=14449). If that doesn't work, pop the keyboard, the way you'd do it if you installed RAM or an AirPort card. Check to see if all the cables are properly seated. Check the shield to make sure it's not damaged or touching something it shouldn't.

Does it boot with the Hardware Test CD?
Good luck!

[MCal27]

I checked the iBook for Jules Guys.. Dead as a Dodo :-(
According to the repair tech it should be on the operating table right now...

Al.

[tommyd]

Jules,
I know you're a Mac guy, but I've got an older Winbook (PC) sitting around that you can have if you want it. Not the state of the art, but at least you could get your e-mail.
Tommy

[Jules]

Thanks!

Jeeeze!

Nearly TWO BLOODY WEEKS WITHOUT INTERNET ACESS!!!





Please excuse all my poor spelling over the last 2 weeks!

[tommyd]

Web withdrawals, sheesh! Anyway, the offer still stands. Let me know if you want it, and where you want it. I'll need to dig the thing out and load up some Windoze and apps. ( Last time I used it I was running Sun Solaris on it. I know, computer geek dweeb I am) Let me know and I'll set you up.
Tommy

[studiojimi]

have you pulled out all fire wire drives....

to get puter going stand alond

reset the firmware

THIS FIXED PROBLEM ON 933 WHEN INTERNAL ATA DRIVE BECAME INVISIBLE
apple reset open firmware
hold down apple option f and o after and during restart
a gray progammer's screen will appear with some typing in a small font
you are not in the bowels of your puter

type in the following
reset-nvram (lowercase) return button
reset-all then return

this may work

god bless.
why don't you have apple care?

[Paul Turpin]

sound like hardware to me - but :
if you have any os X on the machine you should try some of the stuff on this page :

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106214

some of the symptoms seem similar.
If you have no OS X on the ibook - maybe this page can help others.
Sorry this response was soo late.

[Jules]

Very dead as diagnosed by our Moderator here Al, an Apple service agent & Apple tech themselves.

Dead logic board
Faulty CD drawer

£500 + to repair

That's just £300 short of getting a new one...

But I like this one, especially "my life" which is on it's hard drive (confirmed as undamaged)

So I am having it brought back from the dead....



I get it back any day now....