On 25/8/03 8:15 AM, "Bob Howells" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> > > My daughterÂ’s iBook, a white 500mhz dual USB model, the first of the > white iBooks, running OSX 10.2.6, will not operate without the AC > charger plugged in. When the computer is restarted with the AC charger > plugged in, time setting is retained. If the AC charger is accidentally > unplugged, the computer immediately shuts off and when restarted the > time setting is back to 1904 or something like that. > > Tried zapping PRAM, resetting Power Manager, taking battery out and > making sure it has clean terminals, ran Disk Warrior 3 and Norton > Utilities 6. > > Is there anything else I can try, or is it definitely in need of a new > battery? > > Bud > > > There are 2 things here: > > The fact that the time does not hold suggests that the PRAM internal > battery > needs replacing. According to my copy of Mactracker it should be a > Lithium ion. > Two years is not an unusual life time for these. > > Then there is the external battery that normally powers the iBook when > the > mains are disconnected. > > The following may help There is a good reason the PRAM battery is lithium ion - it is the main, external battery :-) Not one iBook model has had a PRAM battery, so keep that in mind when the battery goes bung. Has the iBook been predominantly run from mains in its life? If so, the battery has 'forgotten' where the rest of the cells are, so it only charges the top little bit that gets discharged when the power mains in disconnected. In a 'previous life', I had a number of 500Mhz vintage iBooks come in with the same problem. And 99% of them ran most of the time with the mains connected. Drop it in to a service centre and get it checked out. Most likely a battery, but there is always a chance that it is something else on the logic board. Tip for the day - especially with iBooks, make sure you run the battery up and down regularly (say once a week). They're desgined to run off a battery. It won't hurt your laptop ;-) Seeya Rod!
