My 2001 iBook just refused to boot, and I'm glad it did

Last Sunday my old iBook G3 finally gave up after 22 years of faithful service. The hard drive clicked three times and then went silent, so I pulled it apart and found the ribbon cable had corroded right at the connector. I was about to toss it until I tried cleaning the contacts with rubbing alcohol and a pencil eraser, and now it boots like nothing happened. Honestly, I think forcing myself to fix something that ancient beats just buying a new laptop every few years. Has anyone else had luck reviving a machine with just a $3 can of contact cleaner? I'm curious if there's a limit to what you can bring back before it's truly dead.

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caseyw1229d ago

lmao I did the exact same thing with a 2004 PowerBook that wouldn't even chime on startup. Turned out the PRAM battery had leaked all over the logic board and corroded a couple of pins on the connector. I hit it with a toothbrush and some 91% isopropyl alcohol, then used a plastic spudger to scrape the crusty stuff off. It fired right up after that and ran for another two years until I finally retired it because the screen hinge gave out. The trick is to catch it before the corrosion eats through the traces, once that happens it's done. I've brought back like 4 old Macs that way, always the same story, just gunk and oxidation, not actual dead parts. People toss these things way too fast when a $3 bottle of cleaner and some patience fixes most of it.