iFixit - Answers With Device "iBook G4"

iBook G4: My iBook screen is white.

Mon, 11 Aug 2025 10:55:01 -0700

Here's what happened. I was booting my iBook back up one time, and lines.

Now it's just a blank screen. I have tried everything, from removing the ram, to resetting the pram. Nothing worked. My iBook still gets in the os, so the screen may be it? Thank you for your help.

⟐ Commented August 11, 2025 at 10:55 MST

iBook G4: Will not turn on

Fri, 04 Jul 2025 09:04:06 -0700

Green light indicates power... I have tried all the key command tricks with no luck.

⟐ Commented July 04, 2025 at 9:04 MST

iBook G4 12" 1.33 GHz: Instaling Mac OS Sonoma

Sat, 23 Dec 2023 11:11:52 -0700

Hey do it is possible to install Mac OS sonoma on iBook G4

⟐ Answer accepted December 23, 2023 at 11:11 MST

iBook G4 14" 1.42 GHz: Why do small plastic balls fall off the bottom of my laptop?

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 22:43:25 -0700

I have these little white balls that are coming off from micro cracks in the outer finish of my laptop - but why is it happening? Does anyone else have this problem? I've tried to seal the bottom with a safe sealant, but that wears off. And just some packing tape that I can remove has slowed the shedding down - but it always finds a way to continue. No other iBook we've had has done this.

Any suggestions?

⟐ Answered October 09, 2023 at 22:43 MST

iBook G4 14" 1.42 GHz: Will switch on but is stuck on a screen with small icon!

Sat, 06 May 2023 09:54:24 -0700

I have an iBook G4 which hasn’t been used/switched on for years, plugged it in and switched it on. It switches on but all I get is a white screen with a tiny little file icon with a question mark in it which then flips to the 2 blue face icon repeatedly. Am I doomed or can it be fixed? Not bothered if I can’t use the iBook any more I just want what’s saved on my hard drive if possible. Thanks

⟐ Answered May 06, 2023 at 9:54 MST

iBook G4 14" 1.42 GHz: Can I fix the power button Connector?

Sun, 09 Apr 2023 15:44:49 -0700

Just replaced the fan and Optical Drive. When I pulled out the blue/white wire it looked like the connector was loose. I kind of pushed it back in, but of course the power button does not work. Can I fix it? Or is there another way to turn the computer on?

⟐ Answered April 09, 2023 at 15:44 MST

iBook G4 12" 1.33 GHz: problem with iBook G4

Fri, 10 Mar 2023 14:30:58 -0700

good morning.

Your page is great help.I have a iBook G4, which when turned on a few days ago I presented a line on the screen and I can not see clearly the picture, I attached some pictures of the images. It is a problem of video card? Could use with external monitor?

Thank you very much for your help.

Francisco Paez

⟐ Commented March 10, 2023 at 14:30 MST

iBook G4 12" 800 MHz-1.2 GHz: Backlight LCD display not working, how to fix it?

Mon, 19 Sep 2022 00:18:53 -0700

The backlight on my iBook g4 is not working.

Symptoms:

external screen works
iBook runs normal
Apple Hardware Test cannot find any problems
Screen brightness is at full
LCD screen works except the backlight. If I shine at the screen with a flashlight I can see all that all the pixels are working and showing the same image as the external screen.

I have tried the following:

changed inverter board
changed inverter cable, this cable was most likely the original problem. The insulation on a few wires was completely gone.
changed the LCD panel for one with a know working backlight.

Does anybody have some tips on how to repair my beloved iBook? Does anybody know where to look on the logic board?

Thanks for reading and all ideas are welcome.

Arjen

⟐ Answer deleted September 19, 2022 at 0:18 MST

iBook G4 12" 1.33 GHz: My desktop is duplicated on the screen, how do I restore it?

Thu, 30 Jun 2022 07:10:03 -0700

I have a 12" g4 iBook (PowerBook) Not sure if my daughter has got to it and pressed some shortcut buttons, but the desktop screen has been reduced in size (to about 9.5" and pushed to the top left of the screen) the desktop screen is then duplicated beneath it, on the right hand side of the page is just black.

Can anybody help me to restore it?

Cheers

Andrew

⟐ Answered June 30, 2022 at 7:10 MST

iBook G4: How to get Mac to boot from usb

Tue, 17 May 2022 14:00:42 -0700

iBook G4 does not recognize my usb drive even using firmware page control command option keys

⟐ Answer deleted May 17, 2022 at 14:00 MST

iBook G4 14" 1.42 GHz: No speakers working, but headphones do.

Thu, 05 May 2022 19:21:05 -0700

Looking to grab a ibook 1.42 used. Love the PPC machines. Owner says no working speakers but the headphones work. I think there is a switch in the headphone jack correct? but this jack is soldered to the logic board? Anyone any experience with this?

Well machine apart, speakers work fine.. in the OS the Headphone jack responds to SPEAKER being output and then HEADPHONES being output.. so its not the mechanical portion of the jack.. I have another one where the speakers dont work.. this must be a common issue?? logic board? the jack itself needing replacement???

⟐ Commented May 05, 2022 at 19:21 MST

iBook G4 14" 933 MHz-1.33 GHz: iBook G4 14" 933 MHz-1.33 GHz User Manual

Thu, 20 Jan 2022 05:39:17 -0700

I am looking forthe user manual for the iBook G4 14" 933 MHz-1.33 GHz

eBook is best for me

⟐ Answered January 20, 2022 at 5:39 MST

iBook G4 12" 800 MHz-1.2 GHz: Help with wireless networking

Mon, 22 Nov 2021 06:56:22 -0700

How would I delete my previous network settings? I have switched from verizon as ISP to Comcast and need to re-establish my wireless network through a belkin n router

⟐ Answered November 22, 2021 at 6:56 MST

iBook G4 14" 933 MHz-1.33 GHz: Will my old iBook run software MACOS 10.5.8

Mon, 22 Nov 2021 06:55:34 -0700

If I replace the battery (it is not charging, been off for 12 years. Will it still run the software or will it update?

⟐ Answer edited November 22, 2021 at 6:55 MST

iBook G4 12" 1.33 GHz: I can't remember my pasword. for my iBook g4

Sat, 16 Oct 2021 11:03:52 -0700

how can i retrieve the password fro a device i haven’t used in years

⟐ Answered October 16, 2021 at 11:03 MST

iBook G4 12" 1.33 GHz: Why my monitor is showing vertical lines and freezing after the boot?

Fri, 18 Jun 2021 16:00:31 -0700

Hi, hope someone can help me with this.

I was using my iBook G4 yesterday and suddenly it started showing vertical grayish lines. I restarted a couple times after that and one time it came back as it should (no vertical lines) for a couple minutes and then the vertical lines came back up.

I tried to restart it again, unplug it form the outlet, take the battery out and put it back in (just to make sure I tried almost everything) but nothing different happened.

I use an external monitor as well, but it shows the same problems that are showing on my ibook. Sometimes shows the vertical lines and sometimes it's just plain blue or black.

After that I rebooted the computer a few more times and noticed that I could see the mouse arrow (pixelated and with the vertical lines above it) and even move it around for a couple minutes, but after that the computer just froze. It didn't go to sleep nor reacted to any of the keyboard buttons/mouse pad interactions.

I was reading some of the questions here in the forum today, but i couldn't find anything more specifically related to my problem. Can anybody help me?

Thanks in advance. Eduardo.

p.s.: Some pics to illustrate my problem.

⟐ Commented June 18, 2021 at 16:00 MST

iBook G4 14" 1.42 GHz: How would I upgrade this machine-It's been asleep for 17 years_

Thu, 15 Apr 2021 07:35:47 -0700

I stopped using my G4 ibook in 2008 because I guess the processor (Power) was not supporting new software-is it possible to upgrade it so I can use it again?

⟐ Commented April 15, 2021 at 7:35 MST

iBook G4 14" 1.42 GHz: Completely reset from factory settings

Wed, 10 Feb 2021 12:16:09 -0700

PC USER GIVEN 1ST APPLE PRODUCT: LOST NEEDS HELP!!

I was given an Apple Ibook G4 model number A1134 as a gift recently although I have a little problem. Okay make that more like a medium sized, problem maybe even large. Issue is I dont have the password to the former owners user account.

Apple Ibook G4

Model Number: A1134

Operating system: Mac OS X

Is there a way to reset the laptop itself from factory settings?

Or bypass the password login?

Or anything at all i can do or was this gift pointless?

SOMEONE HELP A PC USER OUT!!! IVE NEVER HAD A MAC BEFORE, IM LOST!!

⟐ Commented February 10, 2021 at 12:16 MST

iBook G4 12" 1.33 GHz: See lock Icon when Option button is pressed at system start up

Mon, 16 Nov 2020 14:34:25 -0700

Having troubles trying to reload an iBook G4 12" (1.33 GHz 512MB, 40 GB HDD & DVD/CDRW).

When option button is pressed during the startup, a blue screen comes up with a lock icon, a progress bar, and a right arrow button.

Also during normal startup, instead of the normal apple logo, its a flashing square icon with a globe of the earth, then it goes to the regular folder icon and mac logo (the one that indicates there is no operating system) and pressing C at startup doesn't work either.

Anyone ever had this problem? Anyone know how to fix it?

⟐ Commented November 16, 2020 at 14:34 MST