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General discussion

iBook G3 sometimes starts up, immediately shuts down

Oct 30, 2007 2:00PM PDT

So, I'm a sucker. I bought a G3 iBook on ebay that promised that video worked, turns out it has the dreaded failed solder balls. After I tried fire-reflowing it myself, the iBook wouldn't turn on. A day later it would turn on, but would shut down before the OS could load. Now I can wait a few hours, it'll chime and start, but shut down before the video can start.

No amount of PMU resetting has solved anything.

Thoughts?

TIA!

Discussion is locked

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Ahh...
Nov 1, 2007 1:27AM PDT

The pre-800MHz G3 iBooks were prone to problems like these, and I believe there was a recall due to more than 50% of logic boards being bust. And they say all that comes out of Cupertino is pure quality...

So. Could be overheating, logic board failure, video card failure, or a circuit short.

Or Gremlins.

Take it to your local Genius bar or if that is inconvenient, get Googling.

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...
Nov 1, 2007 2:03AM PDT

It is an 800MHz G3, I know the recall's over, that's probably why it was on eBay. Do you think I could convince Apple to replace it? It's not overheating, the thing stays on for less than a few seconds.

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I don't think so.
Nov 1, 2007 4:41AM PDT

Given the ultra-short (usually a year or less) life cycle of most Apple machines (time between release of current model and release of next model) they are all too happy to forget previous models once they release new ones.

Microsoft on the other hand, support their software for Yonks. MS-DOS was supported up until 2002 if I recall correctly.

You could take it into a genius bar, but I don't think they'd do much for you. I'm still positive it's the logic board or something critical like that.

I'm afraid you have a dead machine on your hands until you take further action. Disappointing it must be.

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I'd say that the new machines coming out of Cupertino
Nov 1, 2007 10:52AM PDT

last more for a year. My 2003 G4 is still running proudly under Leopard. I'm quite glad to have it. I mean we're talking an iBook G3. The G3 iBooks were prone to problems once their first year went by. I think this one has gone past that date by a large margin.

They may attempt to work on it at the Genius Bar, but considering that you were not the original owner and you do not know as much about its problems as the previous owner may have, they may not have an answer for you. My friend's old iBook got screwed sometime ago and the Apple techs couldn't do anything to fix it, so it's just collecting dust.

Even if it gets fixed, you're bound to run into more problems with it along the way. My suggestion? If you can, replace it with the recently refreshed MacBooks, with their new Santa Rosa architecture. That ought to work right for you. But most people just can't go out any day to buy a new Mac. Whatever is more convenient for you, though I doubt that messing with it a waste of time. The seller must have scammed you if it was this way.
Not much else can say I suppose.
-BMF

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Thanks
Nov 1, 2007 1:26PM PDT

Thanks, I'd figured. I thought about getting G4 from eBay, but if I'm gonna spend $500, I'd might as well just save up for a few months and get and new MacBook....


Thanks again!

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(NT) Glad to help.
Nov 1, 2007 1:44PM PDT
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What I meant was...
Nov 1, 2007 8:34PM PDT

Apple releases hardware so soon after the previous release that you are just about always hounded with decisions, just like how you bought your MacBook a month before something new to it came out. I can't quite remember what it was, but yeah.

Either the way I hope the OP gets something worth having in the end...

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(NT) I know what you meant. Happens with Apple more than others.
Nov 1, 2007 10:32PM PDT