iBook Repairs
Attention iBook Customers:
I recently sent in my iBook for repairs in full accordance with Apple's repair procedure. The box I received from Apple was addressed to 6419 Shelby View Drive in Memphis TN.
Due to the type of mechanical failure I was experiencing, the logic board was replaced. When the computer was returned, I noticed that video performance appeared to be lacking. Scrolling speed and Quartz alpha-blended shadow rendering were slightly more sluggish than I thought was normal. Of course, however, most aspects of performance are highly subjective. But then I also noticed that DVD display performance was also laggard
I consulted the Apple System Profile (which can be launched under the Apple Menu after selecting About this Mac and then More Information).
Under the "Devices and Volumes" tab I took a look at ATI Graphics information:
Card Type: ATY, DDParent
Card Name: ATY, FallParent
Card Model: ATY, RageM6
Vendor ID: 1002
Device ID: 4c59
Rom #: 113-XXXXX-125
Revision: 0
Card (Video) Memory: 8MB
?
According to the original specifications for this iBook -- the ATI Radeon (RageM6) card that came with the computer should have 16 megs of Video RAM. It is also interesting to note that -- to the best of my knowledge -- Apple never released a 700MHz iBook system with a Radeon chipset that had only 8MB of VRAM. After all, Jaguar's Quartz Extreme requires a minimum of 16megs of VRAM to be enabled.
After noticing this I immediately phoned Apple Care's support line to find out if I was misreading the settings. After consulting the repair log they suggested that "the wrong logic board appears to have been installed in your unit."
Apple has agreed to fix situation. However, I am concerned that other iBook users that may have had the logic board replaced on their laptops may not have realized this dubious flaw.
While I have NO ABILITY to tell from my end if the logic board put into my unit is simply defective in such a way that it incorrectly displays the amount of video ram installed on my system, I would suggest that other iBook users having had similar repairs to their units check to ensure that the repair center did not make a similar mistake.
I certainly hope that the use of an inferior graphics chipset to repair Apple's laptop units is neither systemic nor deliberate.
Joseph Marsico
I recently sent in my iBook for repairs in full accordance with Apple's repair procedure. The box I received from Apple was addressed to 6419 Shelby View Drive in Memphis TN.
Due to the type of mechanical failure I was experiencing, the logic board was replaced. When the computer was returned, I noticed that video performance appeared to be lacking. Scrolling speed and Quartz alpha-blended shadow rendering were slightly more sluggish than I thought was normal. Of course, however, most aspects of performance are highly subjective. But then I also noticed that DVD display performance was also laggard
I consulted the Apple System Profile (which can be launched under the Apple Menu after selecting About this Mac and then More Information).
Under the "Devices and Volumes" tab I took a look at ATI Graphics information:
Card Type: ATY, DDParent
Card Name: ATY, FallParent
Card Model: ATY, RageM6
Vendor ID: 1002
Device ID: 4c59
Rom #: 113-XXXXX-125
Revision: 0
Card (Video) Memory: 8MB
?
According to the original specifications for this iBook -- the ATI Radeon (RageM6) card that came with the computer should have 16 megs of Video RAM. It is also interesting to note that -- to the best of my knowledge -- Apple never released a 700MHz iBook system with a Radeon chipset that had only 8MB of VRAM. After all, Jaguar's Quartz Extreme requires a minimum of 16megs of VRAM to be enabled.
After noticing this I immediately phoned Apple Care's support line to find out if I was misreading the settings. After consulting the repair log they suggested that "the wrong logic board appears to have been installed in your unit."
Apple has agreed to fix situation. However, I am concerned that other iBook users that may have had the logic board replaced on their laptops may not have realized this dubious flaw.
While I have NO ABILITY to tell from my end if the logic board put into my unit is simply defective in such a way that it incorrectly displays the amount of video ram installed on my system, I would suggest that other iBook users having had similar repairs to their units check to ensure that the repair center did not make a similar mistake.
I certainly hope that the use of an inferior graphics chipset to repair Apple's laptop units is neither systemic nor deliberate.
Joseph Marsico
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