3D printed programmers switches; Random SE/30 reboots

[Mk.558]

I'm getting random reboots on my SE/30.

The power supply has been fully recapped, the motherboard was recapped some time ago, the ROM SIMM has had the contacts reflowed yesterday so now it actually boots. Power supply voltages are fine. No visibly damaged traces or anything abnormal. Any suggestions?

It doesn't boot A/UX 3.0.1 because it just reboots when it's time to switch over into A/UX mode. A/UX 2.0.1 did kind of work but the disk image (BlueSCSI v2 external) probably got corrupted. A/UX 1.1.1 (if you have info on this problem that'd be amazing) is unable to boot on any of my systems.

Also looking for 3D printed programmers switches. I break them from time to time from forgetting to remove them from the case before popping off the cover for the 10th time in a week. Or stepping on them.

 

[cheesestraws]

Dodgy RAM? A/UX is much less tolerant of bad RAM than MacOS is.

 

[Mk.558]

Repeated RAM tests pass, no indication of bodgy RAM. ... It has been fussy about RAM disks before though, but in a weird way: if a RAM disk was open, Disk Copy 6.3.3 would bomb the system. The reboots are random, even while during start up sequence.

 

[Mk.558]

System now is stuck in a black screen, no boot, no bong. Hard drive spins up, does nothing afterwards.





The only case of the crusties I can see is Q3, which is near the ADB chip.



The only thing I can think of is ROM issues. I would highly prefer to maintain an original ROM version, rather than a modified one. The reason is originality. Sure hard drives, 32/24 bit switching and RAM tests are mildly annoying, but realistically when was the last time you saw a fairly original untainted Acura Integra? E30? Chevy square body? A mint condition restored to original packaging Golf Mark I has more value than an overly modified one.

 

[zigzagjoe]

System now is stuck in a black screen, no boot, no bong. Hard drive spins up, does nothing afterwards.

View attachment 75253View attachment 75254View attachment 75255View attachment 75256

View attachment 75257View attachment 75258View attachment 75259View attachment 75260

The only case of the crusties I can see is Q3, which is near the ADB chip.

View attachment 75261

The only thing I can think of is ROM issues. I would highly prefer to maintain an original ROM version, rather than a modified one. The reason is originality. Sure hard drives, 32/24 bit switching and RAM tests are mildly annoying, but realistically when was the last time you saw a fairly original untainted Acura Integra? E30? Chevy square body? A mint condition restored to original packaging Golf Mark I has more value than an overly modified one.

Try applying a bit of forward pressure to the ROM while it is in the slot and see if that allows it to boot. If so, you may only need to replace the ROM socket (or apply a band-aid like rubber bands or some 3D printed clips to apply some additional pressure). On one of my machines I found using a needle to push the front set of ROM slot contacts towards where the ROM was enough to make it reliable again, but replacing the slot is the proper fix.

 

[danny.gonzalez.0861@gmai]

I had a Simasimac SE/30 a few weeks back and I tried everything under the sun to try and get it to boot. In the end I swapped out the ROM for a Rom-inator II from my IIci and that fixed my issue. Granted it seems you are getting a bit of a different issue than my Simasimac but it is still worth a shot.

I asked in the Tinker Different site what they thought about the fix and was told it could be "bit rot" on the original ROM. I honestly cant negate that fact that that is a possibility since the proof is in the pudding as they say. I too wish I could have kept the SE/30 in stock form but unfortunately it was just not possible.

If you have a spare ROM laying around, even if it is not stock, give it a try and if it fixes your issue, keep an eye out for a stock ROM on eBay or something. They are asking quite outrageous prices for them but I completely understand when you want to keep things stock. I am like you in the regard. My SE/30 has the original 80MB HDD, I had to fix the head sticking to the stops but with some time I got it to run and boot like normal.

Keep us posted!

 

[Mk.558]

Tried again today, it boots, but has no sound. Like earlier, if I open up a RAM disk, any size even small, and then open DC 6.3.3, it bombs. Seemed really sluggish with a floppy boot under System 6 -- abnormally sluggish. Ohm'd out all the ROM connects from the ROM chips to the contacts, they all work. No bent or abnormal pins in the ROM slot. I don't have another ROM SIMM of any kind.

Bit rot is a legitimate thing. Even if I can't keep the stock ROM SIMM that's fine, I'd just rather have the stock ROM image not a modified one. Other suggestions?

 

[jmacz]

I had an issue on mine where some of the address lines were broken where two of the chips lost access to an address line from the rest of the chips.

I know you said you recapped the motherboard but I would take a look In the area near the caps next to the main power connector. Those three did a number on my board and it wasn’t visible to the eye. I would beep out the address lines that run right next to those three caps.

The two chips on mine having issues were the scsi and sound, all due to one address line.

 

[dochilli]

You asked for a programmer´s switch:

Macintosh SE SE/30 programmer’s switch by avadondragon

Macintosh SE + SE/30 reset button/programmers switch. These things are often missing so here's a way to print yourself one!

www.thingiverse.com

 

[Mk.558]

Thanks for the programmer switch thing, I will have to see if someone near me can print a handful of those out. An off-Platinum color would help me notice it when it's time to pull the case off for the 3rd time that week

About 2 weeks ago I had some time to fiddle with it a bit. The boot loop problem, the most common one, is shown first. The general instability is shown next, it kind of works a very small percentage of the time. It could have been a bad floppy but even when booting from a HDD it was not a happy child and was very unstable with random freezes and reboots. Despite this, no Sad Macs: it's just black screen, boot loops or no bongs.

View attachment se30bootloop.mp4

If someone has access to a SIMM programmer, I'd be grateful if they could burn my GGLabs ROM SIMM over to a pure native SE/30 ROM, as I intend to use an accelerator on it. Once of course, it's actually working right.

 

[AndyMc1280]

If someone has access to a SIMM programmer, I'd be grateful if they could burn my GGLabs ROM SIMM over to a pure native SE/30 ROM, as I intend to use an accelerator on it. Once of course, it's actually working right.

I have a ROM SIMM Programmer I also have a 2mb Purple ROM SIMM spare. What size is your GG LAbs SIMM?
The nerfy thing might be location. I am in the UK.
I ALSO have a genuine Mac IIFX simm that my brother used to boot his 128MB SE30 - I know its not standard BUT...
Oh yeah and I have the SE30 to test.
If this is of any use, let me know ?

 

[Mk.558]

Mine's the 512KiB version.

Could get myself an EEPROM programmer, surely those can't be too much since they've been out for decades.

 

[finkmac]

xgecu tl866ii plus will sort out your programming needs

 

[cheesestraws]

Agree with @finkmac - whatever the current low-end xgecu one will probably sort you out. I've got a TL866 II (with a + in the model number somewhere) and it's burned all the EPROMs I've wanted it to (beware of trying to use it with PICs though, it has some quirks)

 

[AndyMc1280]

Mine's the 512KiB version.

Could get myself an EEPROM programmer, surely those can't be too much since they've been out for decades.

I can program that for you if you like. . Or I can program the simm I have spare. Up to you ? Where are you located ?

This is what I have

 

[Mk.558]

Found out yesterday EPROM programmers are a whole nother bag of worms I'd rather not go down to without some other reason to own one. Even ones with PLC32 adapters are expensive -- but I also noticed one chap just took a PLC32 socket and slapped it on a DIP32 breakout board, boom you're done...mostly.

I'm torn on the programmer. If I send out my SIMM, and there's a problem, which isn't likely, what happens next? How can I verify it? My machine is down.

Curious where all the SE/30 gurus have migrated to. I checked voltages with the machine on, pulled 11.94v on the 12V rail and 5.16v on the 5V rail, with no hard drive in. The PSU and analog board were recapped last year.

 

[AndyMc1280]

Found out yesterday EPROM programmers are a whole nother bag of worms I'd rather not go down to without some other reason to own one. Even ones with PLC32 adapters are expensive -- but I also noticed one chap just took a PLC32 socket and slapped it on a DIP32 breakout board, boom you're done...mostly.

I'm torn on the programmer. If I send out my SIMM, and there's a problem, which isn't likely, what happens next? How can I verify it? My machine is down.

Curious where all the SE/30 gurus have migrated to. I checked voltages with the machine on, pulled 11.94v on the 12V rail and 5.16v on the 5V rail, with no hard drive in. The PSU and analog board were recapped last year.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/226071362258 -SE30 Rom uk ebay. Not mine. Another thought. But you run the risk of "oldstuff not work". But then as I say they're pretty robust, I still have the IIfx rom my brother got donkeys years ago.