Can a faulty logic board kill a hard drive?

Question

Could Apple's faulty Logic Board be the cause of my iBook's HD demise?
I have an iBook G3, Power PC 750 @ 800 MHz, running Mac OS X 10.2.1. A year or so ago I had to send it back to Apple to get the logic board replaced because the one they originally put in was faulty. Since getting it back, the iBook's not been the same -- frequent crashes, failed start ups, Desktop folders displaced upon start up, etc., ad nauseam. Disk Utility showed no problems when I'd run the repair procedure. The Hardware Test CD that shipped with the iBook showed no problems either.
Last week the iBook nose dived. Desktop folders were scattered, software programs weren't functioning correctly, and I couldn't move and/or trash folders. I ran Disk Utility again which now reported "Invalid Node Structure." It began rebuilding "B-Tree Catalog," subsequently reporting the disk was repaired.
Upon restart, the symptoms worsened, and within an hour my hard drive no longer mounted. Using the install CD at start up (holding the "C" key, of course), I'd get the flashing question mark, then the screen would flash, then I'd get the prohibatory sign, then after a little bit the CD would start.
Under Disk Utility my HD showed up as a generic Media, ATA, internal, Master something (whereas before it was a Sony something or other with one volume listed beneath). Nor could I re-install the OS X software because my HD didn't show as a destination disk.
I performed all the start up key commands offered as solutions in these forums and elsewhere (pram, nvram, power unit reset, safe mode, single user mode, verbose mode, open firmware ala mode). Open Firmware would not show my HD when using the command to list the directories. I even got creative but to no avail (BTW, "fix-this-expensive-piece-of-junk" is not a valid Open Firmware command). I even took out the additional RAM chip that shipped with the computer. The problem persisted.
Then I drove 2.5 hours and dropped $100 for DiskWarrior. Another 2.5 hours later DW was a "No go". Starting from the the DWarrior CD (holding the "C" key, of course), I didn't get beyond the "prohibatory sign." Alsoft's tech support Rep was very responsive, and offered various suggestions (thanks Marc!), and he finally concluded that there is an obvious hardware problem with my computer.
I have no other FireWire computer running Mac OS X to use as a host to target my iBook (I have an iMac maxed out running 9.2.2 -- had to resurrect it from the dead as well - whole 'nuther dilemna!). So, I bought an external FW drive, installed the 10.2.1 software that shipped with my iBook, and ran DiskWarrior from there to fix my internal HD. Nothing. The HD doesn't show as a repairable drive. Obviously it's toast - burned, baby, burned.
So I figured I could at least use the external drive to run the iBook. I then installed all the software from the "restore" CDs, rebooted, only to enjoy screens full of fine gray lines, and frozen screens, and screens of green and red and blue and purple and yellow lines. YUM!. This is the same junk that Apple supposedly fixed by replacing my logic board last year.
My iBook is again useless, and six months beyond Apple's Logic Board Replacement Program's "3-year from date-of-purchase" criteria. Frustrated beyond explanation, I'm beginning to regret my decision to "Think Different."
I apologize if this post comes across as a rant. That's not my intention. I'm very disappointed, and I wanted to detail my predicament thoroughly as to eliminate the "did you hold the 'xyz' key" responses. Trust me, I read and tried them all.
All this said, I iterate my question. Could Apple's obviously faulty Logic Board be the cause of my iBook's HD demise?
Also, is a Logic Board something I can purchase and replace myself?
Thanks for your time.

Answer 1

Hi, and welcome to Apple Discussions. I'm so sorry to hear of your troubles.
Truthfully, I would question whether the iBook with both a dead hard drive and another bad logic board is worth the cost of repair.
My hard drive acted up when my iBook G3 800 Mhz came back from its second logic board repair. I invested in DiskWarrior, and it brought it back a couple of times, but, ultimately, I had to do an Archive and Install to regain use of my computer. That was in July of 2004, and it's still working fine (knocking vigorously on wood).
It is my belief that sometimes the trip to and from the repair facility for the logic board repair involves too much jostling for the hard drive to tolerate it well.
If you really want to get it fixed instead of buying a newer portable, I would recommend that you check out DT & T Computer Services in Fremont, California. They do free diagnostics and will do the repair on the logic board for about the same amount you would have to pay to just buy one. They also do hard drive replacements/upgrades (scroll down on the page). I would ask for a little bit of a break on the installation fee for the hard drive if they have it open to repair the logic board, anyway. DT & T also gives a six-month warranty on the repairs.
Good luck!.