A/UX Won't run on Centris 650

[boitoy1996]

Is there anyway to verify the CPU in software?  I can't lift that monitor on my own and my bf is asleep currently

 

[Juror22]

Techtool should show it (I don't have a way to verify this for sure).

http://main.system7today.com/software/techtoollite/techtoollite.html

It says this needs a PPC, but I don't think thats correct.  I found this that shows a C650 running TT 1.2

http://retromaccast.ning.com/photo/macintosh-centris-650-system?context=user

 

[jack]

Pretty sure that TattleTech can show which CPU you are using.
 

 

[boitoy1996]

yes, it is a FULL 040.  Im completely out of ideas.  

 

[beachycove]

The situation described is almost certainly a symptom of hardware incompatibility (though a bad cd is not to be ruled out, either, and there are also corrupt versions of A/UX out there). 

Are you running the monitor from a Nubus card or from logic board video?

 

[Gorgonops]

If I had to hazard a guess it would be that your CD is corrupt/slash/your CD-ROM drive doesn't like it. I had A/UX installed on a Quadra 650 ages ago and it was *mostly* straightforward to get going, but a significant problem I ran into was incompatibilities with modern CD-R media and the old CD-ROM drive. (Which was actually newer than the Q650; it was a pull from a dead Power Mac 7200.) I vaguely recall what finally worked was an oooold piece of 2x CD-RW media; I burned at least two other disks that failed partially through.

(This same issue crops up a lot with older computers of all sorts. I basically gave up on using the CD-ROM drives in older SUN boxes back when I used to install NetBSD on them and would netboot instead, and I ended up doing the same when I wanted to put Debian linux on a late 1997-vintage Dolch portable, although in that case the media issues might have been less severe than the BIOS problems.)

On the topic of monitor resolutions, I did also find I had some problems with A/UX when I had my monitor adapter set for "Multisync". It really preferred to have the sense pins set up for one of the standard Apple fixed frequency resolutions. I had one of those "dial-a-resolution" adapters so just spinning the wheel to the Apple 21" setting worked. Note that A/UX only supports 256 color depth (or less) on the Quadra/Centris 650, it may well get confused if you try to start/install it in the 16 bit color mode.

 

[boitoy1996]

Its onboard video.  and I dont have any old media to try.   I do remember that Azo CD-Rs were the best but they no makey non more

 

[beachycove]

Under those circumstances, I think I’d try burning a disk at the slowest possible setting, possibly from a different archive.

 

[boitoy1996]

Aah well I tried.  No Angela Bennet from The Net for me.  not a big deal.  She had a Quadra 840 AV anyways