Hello,

When I started work this morning, I noticed my PowerBook had completely locked up overnight. It was still on (the white light was on), but I couldn't spur it into life.

On resetting, a one-pixel wide white vertical line would appear on the screen. It wasn't there constantly - would flash on especially with disc accesses, and then disappear again. More recently, it has started pretty much constantly flashing on and off, almost exactly in the middle of the screen. Somewhat distracting as you can imagine. Now, the line is fixed. On a black background, it’s clearly yellow.

I’ve run the extended Apple Hardware Test CD which it passed without any reported issues.

I fear this is something terminal and progressive. What's worse - this MorphOS machine has a central place in my university revision (all of my revision notes are in AmigaGuide format!), with my exams just two weeks away!

Has anyone had a similar issue, and how did it work out?

Ps. It also does this under OS X.

[ Edited by Ginger1 07.05.2020 - 05:19 ]

You can always replace the screen, and that sounds like what it requires, as it doesn't have the diagnosis that it's the GFX chip, fortunately for you.

I've replaced these screens many times on G4 PowerBooks (A1013, A1085, A1046, A1106, A1138, A1139, etc.) it's not too difficult, and there are many videos online giving instructions on how to do it successfully.

PowerBook Medic in Alabama, USA have some great repair guides/videos that you might find useful, and there are lots more on YouTube, as you might expect.

The tricky part is usually getting the back lid off the surround (and clipping it back on without damaging any of the plastic hidden clips/trim, but using a few thin/flexible knives can be quite useful - it you feel up to the task.

Don’t mind a bit of DIY. Brilliant news if it is something replaceable like that. I just didn’t trust the hardware test and assumed it mustn’T be that good.

I don't think you said which model of PowerBook this problem exists on, but ensure you get the correct LCD for the device you own. Ideally unscrew/disconnect/remove the LCD screen assembly off the base and then remove the back, carefully, to see which model screen it is that you need, as the LCD details should be on there. Though I'll probably be able to work out which screen you need if you let me know the model you have - if that's easier for you.

If Apple-DiagnosticsCD passed, then LCD should be OK - otherwise he won't see any result of tests......
Can you enter Open Firmware? If, yes is there a normal display (without artefacts, etc.)?

What you can try else:
Remove battery and PSU. Press power-button for 5 sec. Insert battery and try to start.

I've also had a line (fortunately at the very right edge) for quite a while. That's the 3rd LCD of this PowerBook...

You may want to look for an FHD LCD is this is a 17'' btw.

If it was your GPU, you'd see corruption in the openfirmware prompt and the machine would probably crash the moment you went into a non-VESA screenmode. Another telling issue is (if your system supports it) that HDMI/DisplayPort sound would be missing or badly crackling.

I had a rather expensive Radeon R9 fail on me just that way. One day, computer just shutdown, and wouldn't boot into Windows or Linux, but would work on Windows safe mode. There was ASCII trash all over the bios.

Managed to get a cheap second hand replacement, but I almost had the same thing happen twice. Seems my optical drive was dirtying its power; giving it two molex straight from the PSU cured the problem and it hasn't come back. Probably some brownout or surge fried the VRAM.

But like I said, you'll probably know GPU or VRAM damage if that happens, as it makes ordinary use of the system impossible.

Such issues tend to happen quite a lot on newer Mac notebooks, at least if you believe Louis Rossman. Poorly designed track layout and cheap components sometimes allow bridging of high voltage into CPU and GPU lines, with predictable results. Steve Jobs was of the differing conviction that Apple hardware should never be shit, so the older PPC stuff is much better built.

But yeah, just sounds like one of the LCDs has gone in your display, that's all. All the pixels in series with it will be effected. There's no fix, but at least you only have to change the display.

One of the first things I would do with any laptop or desktop that is as old as our Apple hardware MorphOS systems, would be to thoroughly clean it inside, and disassemble to reapply the thermal paste under the CPU and GPU heat sinks. Replacing the fans is also a great idea, while you have it apart. Then if the problem still persists, move forward to replacing the LCD screen. One of the members here has upgraded a few PowerBook LCD screens to higher resolution models, so you might want to look into that possibility, if you are going to replace the LCD anyway.

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If you fear a suddem complete failure within the next two weeks, keep an external monitor as hot fix solution at your side. I think if the display fails, the external monitor should still get input (as it's probably an issue of the panel, not the gfx chip as others mentioned). That way you can keep learning and look forward to a bit tinkermg ofter passing the exams.
And good luck for the exams.

Will write back with specific responses, model number details later today. But thank you for all the really useful replies.

NewSense: It's a PowerBook model number A1107. I think it says PowerBook 5,7 on the boot-up screen.
Amigaharry2: Is Open Firmware what you get when you boot holding down Alt? If so, I still get the line with this.
Jacadcaps: Sounds like it's a common problem then. Did yours begin with a flashing line that stabilised to a fixed line? This is this started, for the first day or so.
KennyR: Thank you for this info. Things do seem stable now with the line.
Amigadave: Are those higher resolution screens the ones jacadcaps referred to?
Zylesea: Great idea. I've got one to spare which I should be able to link in to the weird monitor connector it has. And thank you for the luck!

@ Ginger1 - Then you should be able to fit a screen from any of these Powerbook models A1013, A1052, A1085, A1107, as it's the lower resolution screen, even though its a 17" screen.

It's sometimes cheaper to buy a defective PowerBook as the screen might still be working when the logicboard or DC-In-board (with the power/sound/ethernet/modem connectors on it) have failed - but be careful some sellers don't know or don't check the LCD carefully enough if it doesn't start-up, and even then they can look intact, but like yours be faulty with just one pixel line faulty.

The LG/Philips LCD screen part number (compatible with low res screen models) for PowerBook A1107 is LP171WP4

There arre a few on eBay currently at reasonable prices, and usually they are offered with some form of warranty/return.

Don't buy/fit the higher resolution screen for the A1139 as I believe they are not compatible.

Brilliant. Thank you Newsense.

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I beg to differ. If memory serves, last year I've switched the screen in A1107 with the one from A1139 and it worked just fine.