Mac IIci locks up solid
ceratophyllum
was going fine for about a week. Then the machine started freezing up
so bad you can't even move the mouse cursor.
I tried booting from floppy and I got the same lockup in about 2
hours.
Is A/UX supposed to have the startup chime? I've never heard the
machine chime. Also, it sometimes doesn't want to turn on. Unplugging
it for a few seconds and plugging it back in fixes this quirk.
Have I got a failing power supply?
I was logged in at the console one time when the lockup happened and
the screen filled with a message "no via interrupt handler......" just
before freezing.
Where does syslogd write its log files in A/UX? Maybe there will be
some clue in there?
Cameron Kaiser
>I've just put A/UX 3.1.1 on my Mac IIci with 16MB RAM and everything
>was going fine for about a week. Then the machine started freezing up
>so bad you can't even move the mouse cursor.
>I tried booting from floppy and I got the same lockup in about 2
>hours.
>Is A/UX supposed to have the startup chime? I've never heard the
>machine chime. Also, it sometimes doesn't want to turn on. Unplugging
>it for a few seconds and plugging it back in fixes this quirk.
>Have I got a failing power supply?
This sounds like hardware. A/UX shouldn't interfere with the ROM chime
since it still uses MacOS as the "bootloader." What you're describing
sounds like what my IIci was doing before the power supply failed. In
general, I find the ASTEC ones to be flaky -- I stocked up on the General
Electric power supply modules.
If fixing that doesn't work, stress test the RAM or check the logic board,
because some power-on issues are due to blown caps.
--
Cameron Kaiser * cka...@floodgap.com * posting with a Commodore 128
Computer Workshops: http://www.armory.com/%7Espectre/cwi/
Floodgap Systems: http://www.floodgap.com/
personal page: http://www.cameronkaiser.com/
ceratophyllum
was just thinking about getting a little more RAM for the IIci. Wow,
just the power supply is $50+ on eBay.
Is there an archive of A/UX software other than Penelope? Something
with some docs or howtos?
In trying out the stuff at penelope, I discovered that fvwm95, xrn,
and Mosaic pretty much just dump core at least under a fresh install
(X11R4 and A/UX 3.1.1). Installing X11R6 looks like it might be a
hassle, as the README files are pretty terse. Does it work ok?
Cameron Kaiser
>Sigh...., this retro computing hobby of mine is getting expensive. I
>was just thinking about getting a little more RAM for the IIci. Wow,
>just the power supply is $50+ on eBay.
I just buy IIcis themselves. People blow them out at swap meets. I don't
think I've paid more than $10 for one, and I just pick over the parts.
>In trying out the stuff at penelope, I discovered that fvwm95, xrn,
>and Mosaic pretty much just dump core at least under a fresh install
>(X11R4 and A/UX 3.1.1). Installing X11R6 looks like it might be a
>hassle, as the README files are pretty terse. Does it work ok?
Never used X11R6 under it. However, older versions of Mosaic at least should
be happy with X11R4. Tim probably could tell you if R6 is glitchy or no.
Timothy Larson
> Sigh...., this retro computing hobby of mine is getting expensive. I
> was just thinking about getting a little more RAM for the IIci. Wow,
> just the power supply is $50+ on eBay.
With patience and persistence, it can be done very cheaply. Even five years
ago, G1 PowerMacs were giveaway items. 68k Macs are getting more rare, but
ought to be nearly free. Comb craigslist, subscribe to a Freecycle, socialize
with some computer user groups and let your hobby be known. Sometimes the
stuff will find you!
> Is there an archive of A/UX software other than Penelope? Something
> with some docs or howtos?
Penelope is probably the biggest repository these days. That's not to say
there aren't other sites, because there are a few still around. For example,
I've got bash 2.x on my site. I'd been making good progress on porting
pkgsrc, until I lost access to A/UX. In theory, that would make a bunch more
software available. (In reality, much of the modern stuff won't build without
substantial work to port it.)
Check the FAQ; I _do_ try to keep it current, it's just that there aren't that
many changes in the A/UX world these days.
> In trying out the stuff at penelope, I discovered that fvwm95, xrn,
> and Mosaic pretty much just dump core at least under a fresh install
> (X11R4 and A/UX 3.1.1). Installing X11R6 looks like it might be a
> hassle, as the README files are pretty terse. Does it work ok?
I actually have no idea, since I haven't tried to upgrade X (and am currently
without an A/UX box at all). The few sources I've found seemed to indicate to
me that upgrading to R5 was reliable and done fairly often. The R6 port is
newer, and most people were probably falling away from A/UX by then.
Tim
ceratophyllum
>> and Mosaic pretty much just dump core at least under a fresh install
>> (X11R4 and A/UX 3.1.1). Installing X11R6 looks like it might be a
>> hassle, as the README files are pretty terse. Does it work ok?
>
> I actually have no idea, since I haven't tried to upgrade X (and am currently
> without an A/UX box at all). The few sources I've found seemed to indicate to
> me that upgrading to R5 was reliable and done fairly often. The R6 port is
> newer, and most people were probably falling away from A/UX by then.
Well, it looks like I'm getting a Quadra 650 33MHz 40MB RAM for A/UX
hacking. Still on the lookout for a new power supply for the
IIci.... Silly of me, but the IIci is just too cool looking to trade.
Do any other mac models share this same power supply? It's really
nifty in
that it plugs straight into the board (The connector is sticking out
of
the metal, not hanging on a wire.) and then another cable comes out
of the motherboad to power the drives.
Do you guys know if a SCSI-IDE bridge would work in macs of this era?
And then maybe connect a IDE40-CF bridge? The noise from old hard
drives
drives me crazy and I have had good results putting CF and microdrives
in
my old powerbook 2300c (OS 8.1)and Lombard (OS 9.2.2) using el cheapo
IDE44-CF adaptors; never tried anything like this in a SCSI machine,
though.
TeoZ
Years ago I connected a SCSI (50 pin) to IDE adapter onto a IDE DVD drive
and used it on a Quadra 950 for testing. I think it was ACARD brand?
Cameron Kaiser
>Do you guys know if a SCSI-IDE bridge would work in macs of this era?
Should work fine. I've heard of other people using it in Classic Macs
of that generation.
>And then maybe connect a IDE40-CF bridge?
Should also be okay, although I always worry about premature flash media
failure on devices used for virtual memory. Seems like a quick trip to
burning out write cycles to me.
Cameron Kaiser
>I think the IIci, IIcx, and 7100 all had the same power supply.
I know the IIci and IIcx do. I'll have to dig my 7100 out to check that, but
I do remember the connector being the same, at least.
TeoZ
"Cameron Kaiser" <cka...@floodgap.com> wrote in message
news:4aa85f82$0$41478$bb4e...@newscene.com...
> "TeoZ" <te...@neo.rr.com> writes:
>
>>I think the IIci, IIcx, and 7100 all had the same power supply.
>
> I know the IIci and IIcx do. I'll have to dig my 7100 out to check that,
> but
> I do remember the connector being the same, at least.
>
same PS as well.
ceratophyllum
>
> Should also be okay, although I always worry about premature flash media
> failure on devices used for virtual memory. Seems like a quick trip to
> burning out write cycles to me.
I use mostly use microdrives. I've tested out a NO NAME Chinese 16GB
CF card in my Lombard to see how much of a beating it can take: I put
Panther on the machine. (In the fine tradition of all unices, Panther
swaps even with no apps open and the maximum RAM installed.) Well, I
let my dad beat on this machine for a year and the CF card seems to
work fine. He got a newer machine and I put OS 9 on it a few weeks
ago. So far so good. (No longer pushing my luck, I have virtual
memory off and all browser caches in a RAM disk.)
Cameron Kaiser
>>Should also be okay, although I always worry about premature flash media
>>failure on devices used for virtual memory. Seems like a quick trip to
>>burning out write cycles to me.
>I use mostly use microdrives.
Oh, that's a slick idea. Cheap, too, since they seem to have fallen out of
favour. A shame since I rather liked the concept, and low-power. I might
do that myself.
>(In the fine tradition of all unices, Panther
>swaps even with no apps open and the maximum RAM installed.)
Here is one big point for the classic Mac OS -- you can just turn off
VM altogether. And tbh, except for my really memory impaired PowerBook
1400 (which uses RAM Doubler anyway), I don't think any of my classic
Macs have it enabled -- I just jam a crapload of RAM in them.
Admittedly the biggest bonus for this is how lousy Apple's PPC VM system
was, how much space it took up and how slowly it paged, but VM is still
a performance hit anywhere you have to employ it. I can't think off the
top of my head of any system where you can reasonably use it with VM off.
You might disable the swap on a Linux or NetBSD box, but boy will you
regret it. And my BeBox/133 (BeOS R5) won't let me turn it off at all!
>(No longer pushing my luck, I have virtual
>memory off and all browser caches in a RAM disk.)
On my PowerBooxen except for the 1400, I do that too. The blueberryBook
and PowerBook G4 are very sprightly this way. Of course, Classilla helps
a lot with the speed. :)
Timothy Larson
> Do you guys know if a SCSI-IDE bridge would work in macs of this era?
>
> And then maybe connect a IDE40-CF bridge? The noise from old hard
> drives
> drives me crazy and I have had good results putting CF and microdrives
> in
> my old powerbook 2300c (OS 8.1)and Lombard (OS 9.2.2) using el cheapo
> IDE44-CF adaptors; never tried anything like this in a SCSI machine,
> though.
Check the 68kmla.org site; I know people there do this. I think it's even
mentioned in the wiki.
Tim
Hauke Fath
> I've just put A/UX 3.1.1 on my Mac IIci with 16MB RAM and everything
> was going fine for about a week. Then the machine started freezing up
> so bad you can't even move the mouse cursor.
> I tried booting from floppy and I got the same lockup in about 2
> hours.
Leaky capacitors? Look closely at the board, and check for a dirty film
around the caps. Mid- to long term, the capacitors' electrolyte will eat
the copper lines on the printed board.
The issue is well known and documented for SE/30s (google "simasi mac").
A quick stop measure is to run the board through the dish washer - no
detergent, upper drawer, dry thoroughly for a few days before powering
on. Long term fix is to exchange the (electrolyte) capacitors.
Obviously, any IIci that you buy 2nd hand will have/get similar issues.
hauke
--
Eine Linux User Group, um soziale Blockaden gegen�ber Frauen
abzubauen? Da w�re ja ein Schwulengesangsverein noch produktiver.
{David Kastrup @ d.t.r}