iPad turns on after 3 years!

I bought an iPad in September 2015 and in November 2016 my son took the rubber off the plastic case and dropped it. It cracked the screen and would not turn on. I put it away thinking I would get it looked at someday, clearly I never did. Well over the weekend my son and I were going through the DVD cabinet and I found the iPad and for whatever reason I felt the need to plug it in. I was thinking to myself how silly it was to try and charge it as I had tried before and it just didn't come on. Well I left it on charge for a full day and yesterday I unplugged it and the damn thing came on!!! I couldn't believe my eyes. I laughed for quite a bit as this never worked before! I then spent an hour trying to get into it as I couldn't quite remember the code. It's been working just fine every since,

I have never had this happen lol Any tech people have any idea why it works now.. I literally tried the charging route before and it never worked. I'm so happy it works now though!!

Perhaps the battery was dead long enough to force a "hard reset"

a reply to: mblahnikluver

Unlike NiCADs or NIMH batteries, Lithium Polymer batteries do not lose their charge very quickly. I think it's like 2% per year.

originally posted by: eXia7
Perhaps the battery was dead long enough to force a "hard reset"

That's what I read and another friend said to me. I was so happy!

a reply to: mblahnikluver

Did you give it a coquettish look? Would have worked on me....

I have no idea what those batteries are. Is that what is in an iPad?

The iPad was working and my son had it in his hands and took off the rubber around the hard case and then dropped it.. It landed on a corner then it's face where the screen was cracked but not badly. I can't even notice when I'm on here. I tried to turn it on after he dropped it and it would not come on. I put it on the charger over night and it still wouldn't turn on so I assumed it was broken and put it away. I tried to charge a few times over the years but this time it actually worked. I was so surprised. I'm glad I never tossed it!

My guess would be that a component or wire was jarred a bit loose when dropped.

Over the years, in storage, whatever happened to get jostled loose resettled until a circuit could be completed again.

In such cases it might work for years more, or it might "die" again simply from holding it and moving it around enough to cause the loose thing to move around again.

If you're brave, open it and see if there are any visibly lose wires / parts and, if so, forcibly snug them back fully into place.

Did you put the rubber screen protector back on?

Possibly theres a connection thats just hanging on by a thread and at the time of the accident it went just enough out not to make contact but a few knocks might of just pushed it back in enough to make contact so it could possibly revert again at a moments notice.

Might be worth tearing it down and making sure everything is firmly seated and theres plenty of videos showing how to do it and it doesn't need a lot of tools just a clear area and no disturbance from anyone especially cats who will probably sit all over it the moment its half dismantled and your back is turned.

a reply to: Hefficide

So not brave lol

Yea something finally went in place and I'm glad it did.

I ordered a new case that will also hold the wireless Apple keyboard I use on my iMac. My son is 6 now and knows not to touch any device without permission. Lol

The ol' "Weekend at Bernie's" routine - definitely don't trust it.

a reply to: Maxatoria

Haha you must have cats! I have no cats but I will take it to the local shop I used for my iMac and have them check it out. I would never take it apart.

a reply to: mblahnikluver
Man, these things are so fragile! I did the same thing with my iPad, a short drop to the floor and the screen cracked--I mean really cracked. Still works, though. Glad yours came back to life.

You could claim that the ghost of Steve Jobs healed your iPad. Then we could have some fun in the paranormal forum. (Just kidding, mods!)

Hard reset was forced, by dead battery dormancy, followed by plugging into power source.

IPad batteries are lithium ion, as all electronics batteries are, these days.
(We have yet to commercially produce better... It's been Lithium Ion all around for over 2 decades... Battery tech is stagnant.)

Enjoy your iPad.

a reply to: elkabong57

Haha that's funny!

I had a PowerBook years ago that fell off a counter and landed open screen side down. A friend used it but put it on the table on top of the satin case so it slid off. I learned to never lend my apple devices out after that lol well the screen cracked from the inside so it looked like an ink stain line down the center of the screen. It worked just fine for another 3 years after that and then the screen finally went.

a reply to: mblahnikluver

It gave up waiting for you to take it into an apple store for a $1300 repair job to move a wire, and went "meh..." then when you turned it on, went "Ohhh no, I've been rumbled!!" and had to stay on, in shame.

Apple screens are generally easy to replace.