It’s been awhile since we’ve opened up the ol’ reader mailbag, but we were impressed by a recent email we received on fixing an ailing PowerBook 180. In an era of frequent product refreshes and disposable electronics, it’s a rarity to see such perseverance in keeping a machine running. We’re hoping that a veteran reader will know how to help fix his problem, which we’ve included here:

I know my question is about ancient hardware, but I have a PB180 on which the video display shrinks from the corners towards the center, blackening the screen as it goes. When I boot from a cold machine (not used in several hours) the display is normal. But when I leave the machine on for a while, the problem gradually get worse, and after several hours nearly half the screen is black. Can you tell me what the cause of the problem is or direct me to a source that can? Is it a repairable problem - i.e., by swapping out parts - or should I just junk the box and get another one? Thanks”

Unless there’s a cheap fix here, odds are that any repair will cost more than upgrading (to, say, a Duo), but this isn’t about economics, it’s about fixing the machine. If you have any solutions, please leave a comment, or email us at editor (at) pbzone.com. We’re also happy to try and help with other problems, so if you have a question you’d like answered in an upcoming reader mailbag, don’t hesitate to write.

Filed under: Troubleshooting