Be careful. There is somehing on the board that goes on ibooks.

Be careful. There is somehing on the board that goes on ibooks.

$20 if it doesn't boot and you like to tinker on long term projects.

As Maconthemove hinted, these models have a congenital defect. The ball-grid array on the video/graphics chip tends to make poor contact with the motherboard. Instability, failure to boot, and a sensitivity to pressure on the left side of the unit are all common manifestations of this problem. The only true cure is to reflow the BGA joints. Some folks have managed a temporary workaround by jamming a number of business cards between the bottom case and the logic board, but it's definitely not a reliable fix. So, if this sounds like the problem with that iBook, I'd pass on it unless you are up for a fairly major project. Save your money for something more promising.

Okay, I think I'll save my money. Thanks!

The same fault is known to affect the white iBooks between 500 and 900MHz and as I understand it some of the early G4 iBooks.

I know a dude with a solder rework station that fixes those. He strips, fluxes and resolders the BGA parts using nice machinery and offers warranty.

Although $150 is a bit much to pay for a BGA reflow, you do get the warranty.

Just throwing it out there...

Not the 500MHz, it's the iBook's between 600MHz (16MB of VRAM) and early G4 iBooks.

Not the 500MHz, it's the iBook's between 600MHz (16MB of VRAM) and early G4 iBooks.

Click to expand...

The 500MHz iBooks certainly suffer from this problem, too (and it's not unheard of in other models, including early G4 Powerbooks). The first icebook I owned was a 500MHz model that was given to me because Apple (at that time) refused to fix it. With nothing to lose, I tried the "home workbench heat-gun desperation reflow" procedure, and it's been working great ever since.

Hmm, thats interesting because I have yet to get this issue and I have never heard this issue in the 500MHz models.

BTW can someone please help me find dual screening in OS X on my 500MHz? It is certainly possible with that video card.

I had this happen with a Pismo. The ATI Rage chip came loose causing the screen to get garbled. Applying pressure to the bottom would make it better. When I got the logic board out, I noticed even the little heat sink had popped off. I thought maybe the sink came off first, causing it to get hot and subsequently weaken the solder joints.

A mislabeled eBay auction and $14 dollars (shipped) later, I was back in business. This was in 2003!

I bought the Pismo in this condition and ended up with a complete setup (battery, power adapter, discs, DVD-ROM, etc) for $400, in 2003.