iBook G4 Trackpad Problems?

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gabidgabid
Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited January 2014
I know a few others out there have the 12" iBook G4, so I'm just wondering if anyone is having the same problem I am.



Since last week my trackpad has started to spontaneously go all wonky on me from time to time. What do I mean? I'll try to use it and the cursor will just fly all over the screen. I know it's not due to moisture/hand lotion/or any other of the culprits Apple says to look out for it its Knowledge Base article; I've had other Mac laptops and am pretty sure I can recognise when these factors come into play. Here, while rubbing the trackpad for a bit or puting the machine to sleep will fix the problem for a while, it will crop up again. Plus, it doesn't just happen to me: it keeps happening to my girlfriend as well when she is using the machine.



It would seem that I'm not alone since there is an Apple Support thread all about this. But I'm wondering if anyone else has seen this problem and what, if anything, Apple has done to fix it.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 8
    cj3209cj3209 Posts: 158member
    I got a G4 ibook's HD upgraded and the tech accidentally dislodged my trackpad connector. He had a bit of a hard time getting it connected again and stated that the connector was very weak and could be a potential problem with every G4 ibook - not very confidence-stimulating...



    I would send your ibook in.



    cheers,

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  • Reply 2 of 8
    gabidgabid Posts: 477member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by cj3209

    I got a G4 ibook's HD upgraded and the tech accidentally dislodged my trackpad connector. He had a bit of a hard time getting it connected again and stated that the connector was very weak and could be a potential problem with every G4 ibook - not very confidence-stimulating...



    I would send your ibook in.



    cheers,





    Thanks for the info. I'm playing phone tag with a service centre (after a quite useless Apple tech refered me to them) so hopefully I'll know more tomorrow or Friday.
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  • Reply 3 of 8
    ichiban_jayichiban_jay Posts: 660member
    my 12" powerbook had wierd trackpad problems like that too... I got it replaced.
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  • Reply 4 of 8
    youngjohnyoungjohn Posts: 15member
    My iBook G4 800 had exactly the same erratic cursor problem.



    After a quick (40min) phone call to Apple Help, they suggested i get an Apple Centre to check it over.



    I took it down to them yesterday and they told me they need to relpace the entire top of the ibook (i believe the plamrests, trackpad/button etc are all one piece - only the keyboard is seperate).



    My iBook also had the sqeaky lefthand side, in fact if you applied a little pressure directly to the left of the trackpad itself you could activate the buttonclick!! Scary.



    I now wait in hope....
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  • Reply 5 of 8
    gabidgabid Posts: 477member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by youngjohn

    My iBook G4 800 had exactly the same erratic cursor problem.



    After a quick (40min) phone call to Apple Help, they suggested i get an Apple Centre to check it over.



    I took it down to them yesterday and they told me they need to relpace the entire top of the ibook (i believe the plamrests, trackpad/button etc are all one piece - only the keyboard is seperate).



    My iBook also had the sqeaky lefthand side, in fact if you applied a little pressure directly to the left of the trackpad itself you could activate the buttonclick!! Scary.



    I now wait in hope....



    My, that all sounds familiar! When I took my iBook into the service centre I was told that they had had another machine brought in with the exact same symptoms the days before mine so, so long as they could see the cursor acting strangly (which they did after a bit off playing around...usually pressing on the left side will make things go bad, but not 100% of the time) they would order the same parts for me. And what are those parts: a new case, just as you're getting.



    Now I just have to sit and wait. I got to keep my machine and only have to bring it in once the parts are there. I was told that, if Apple has them in stock, it should only take a few days.
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  • Reply 6 of 8
    albertoalberto Posts: 71member
    hi, I have the 12' G4 iBook and everything is working great! very cool laptop, I think is one of the best mac I ever had.... I don't have the trackpad problem (yet), neither any bad pixel
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  • Reply 7 of 8
    keilwerthrebornkeilwerthreborn Posts: 129member
    Yeah, it seems that this problem is cropping up a bit, but it doesn't seem to be as rampant (or as difficult to repair) as the iBook G3's logic board issues.



    But hey, I've got a perfect one too!
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  • Reply 8 of 8
    gabidgabid Posts: 477member
    So my new top case got to the dealer in a week and now everything seems to be looking fine. I just got my machine back, but now the trackpad feels far more accurate and the keyboard feels firmer. Oh, and the case movement in the bottom left-hand corner is gone.



    Now I just have to decide if it bugs me enough that my iBook came back with a bit of a scratch/dent on it. Right below the optical drive it looks like they may have tried to pry the case open there. But, if you look closely the bottom of the optical drive is all part of the lower case: the split between top and bottom is above the drive. Think this is worth mnaking a fuss about? I mentioned it is passing as I got my machine back by mumbled that it doesn't look like it will be a problem. Thing is, now it's bugging me. It's all Apple Care work so I can't ask for my service costs back. Hmmm....
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