[SubFusion]

I'm having trouble with my friends MacBook G4, he says it boots up fine, sometimes the screen is immediately fuzzy and pixelated, sometimes it boots up fine and runs anywhere from 5 - 20mins and then becomes fuzzy and pixelated. Everything can still be used normally, but its extremely hard to see anything at all. I had a similar problem with an old iBook G3 a sibling owned, it was a problem with the back light inverter, however i don't believe these are the same issues. My other thought was a corrupt OS, its running Leopard. I was told this could be the issue by the Apple Store when i went to go repair it, they told me the repair would cost more than i paid for the laptop, since then i don't take any advice from apple seriously, so im not positive about it being a corrupt OS. (The longer i spend time working on macs the more brain cells i loose) so i appreciate any help i can get.

[SubFusion]

Alright i know.. i hate macs as well but if there is anyone out there that has the answer to this problem, hatred for macs or not, it will help immensely thanks.

[bmxfreakrider]

sounds like a video card issue, its artifacting (typical characteristic of a dead gpu)

I AM NOT A MAC GUY! so therefore my synapses on the problem is probably not correct, I do not know much about the architecture of a MAC for all I know, the gpu could reside within the CPU...

[SubFusion]

yea its integrated, not a discrete graphics card. my thought was a backlight inverter only cause the video cable connecting the mobo to the screen runs right through it and seeing it is a common problem in macs ill just have to open it up and replace it. gotta love mac specific hardware... $29.99 for a new module, BS its an $8 part for any PC laptop.

[bmxfreakrider]

Yeah, MAC"s are ridiculous for repairs... Props for not taking it to an apple store, thats a big save of money right there, extra $75 just for labor I presume...

[up-smash]

you should probably check the actual hardware to see if everything is connected properly before assuming anything else.

[bmxfreakrider]

Yeah my moto razr has a heck of a problem with that one. The connector for my keypad is messed up (internally, manufactuer defect) so the phone locks up and artifacts, yet when I squeeze the phone really hard right where the connector is inside, the phone works perfectly...

But up-smash, its a macbook G4 (unibody anyone?) and they are a b1tch to take apart (as in you pop the keyboard tray off and the whole laptop dissassembles from where the keyboard tray is, all 50 or so screws included) its not fun...

[Alvin.C]

Hello,

Which PowerBook G4 does your friend have? The Titanium PowerBook G4 or the Aluminium PowerBook G4? If it's the Aluminium PowerBook G4, is it the 12", 15" or 17" variant?

Unfortunately, PowerBook G4s were [and are] notorious for having display problems (artifacting, vertical lines etc...).