Screen is Blank on the Apple iBook
The Apple iBook is an older Mac laptop that often runs Mac OS X 10.4, 10.5 or 10.6. If you're seeing a gray or "blank" screen when you start up the laptop, your problem may be a result of any number of issues that happen to aging computers. But before you give up and resolve to dump your old iBook there are a number of things you can check to try to fix the problem.
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Peripherals
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The first thing to check is to see if any of the peripherals -- or external devices -- are causing the issue. To check this, turn off your iBook by holding down the power button; then unplug any printers, external hard drives or other devices that are attached to the computer. Also disconnect any Ethernet cables that are attached; then restart the computer. If this resolves the blank screen issue, you may need to update your drivers for the hardware you have attached to the computer. First plug in each peripheral individually to test which one is causing the issue and then navigate to the website of the peripheral -- for example, the website of your printer, if it's the problem -- to check for newer firmware or driver updates that you can download to your computer.
Safe Boot
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According to Apple, simply booting your iBook in Safe Mode can sometimes resolve issues that you may be having. To try this, turn off your computer, wait a few seconds and then restart it by pressing the power button. Right after pressing the power button, hold down the "Shift" key. If the Safe Boot function does not work, you'll want to first reset the NVRAM/PRAM. To do this, turn the computer off and then back on and then press and hold four keys: "Command," "Option," "P" and "R." Hold the keys down until the computer restarts. If that doesn't work and you're still getting a gray screen, you'll need to use Disk Utility.
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Disk Utility
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If you've reset your computer's NVRAM/PRAM, the next step is to try to use Disk Utility to repair your iBook's hard disk. You'll need the Mac OS X installation disc that came with your computer. First insert the installation disc and then turn the computer off. Then turn the computer back on and hold down the "C" key. When the computer boots up, select "Disk Utility" from the "Utility" menu. From there, opt to repair the Mac OS X volume; if that doesn't find any issues, also opt to repair your permissions from the Disk Utility menu and then restart your computer. If this still doesn't fix your problem and you're not experienced at re-installing your operating system or fixing internal issues, it may be time to consult an Apple expert.
Logic Board
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According to Macintosh How To, the iBook is also susceptible to having a break in one of the pins on the logic board, which can be caused by overheating. To fix this, you'll first need to remove the casing on the bottom of the iBook and then locate the pin that is cracked. You can then solder the pin back onto the main part of the chip. Because this is an advanced fix, you should not attempt it unless you have expertise in locating the problem and soldering chips.
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