Powerbook Screen Goes Black

[alroma]

I have exactly the same problem as below which got me to your site through Google - an amazing find!

I have found that I can overcome it by plugging in an external monitor which immediately wakes it up and keeps it live.

The model is a Titanium Powerbook G41MHz Superdrive running Tiger (never happened before Tiger by the way).

Recently had the screen replaced when I was in the USA. Sadly, the backlight behind the screen has started to burn unevenly with bright spots - what's that all about? Any connection with the problem above?

Alroma

Question - Mac G4 Powerbook Screen Goes BlackJul 28 2005, 6:17pm
Hi,
I have a G4 powerbook, now several years old. Recently, in the middle of a task, my screen will suddenly go entirely black. The F2 brighten key doesn't do anything. I can see the outlines of the documents I was working on very faintly - and the keys still work (I have saved documents), but I have to restart in order to get the screen working again.

Is it time for a new screen?

macosx.com provides Free Support For This & Other Mac Issues
Response/FollowupJul 29 2005, 12:55am
Chloe,

My name is Cheryl and I will be assisting you, but I need more information.
What OS version are you running?
Exactly what model G4 powerbook do you have?

Your powerbook came with Hardware Test CD. Use that just to make sure there is not a hardware problem. Let me know the results.

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Let me know if you need further assistance and thank you for using MacOSX.com !

Cheryl

 

[lolamax]

Hello. I am having the same problem, except I also have a 17" Apple monitor hooked up to my G4 Titanium laptop, and both screens will suddenly go black. This usually happens in the middle of doing something like launching an app or a web browser. I am unable to get them to come back up without switching off the main power strip I am plugged into. Once I do that, they both come up, right back where they were when they went black--like the computer wasn't really turned off. And nothing else turns off, like my printer, etc. (I know this may confuse you, but I have secondary powerstrip on my desk that the powerbook adapter is plugged into, then that power strip is plugged into the main one... the 17" monitor, my printer, etc are plugged directly into the main one).

I recently switched to Panther (10.3.9) and this problem didn't happen before that. I have run the hardware test and it found no problems. Could this be the main power strip I am using or the power adapter my mac came with? I am hoping its not the laptop--I cannot live without it for repair! Yikes!