An SE/30 that has a socketed motherboard is on eBay

[Gary_W]

In case any of y'all are interested. The shipping is high though.

Edit: Can someone confirm if this is indeed a socketed CPU? Looks like it is.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=230326391268

Gary

 

[Dog Cow]

Is that quite rare, socketed?

 

[equill]

Let Search be your friend.

de

 

[JDW]

Yes, I see that it is a gold-capped CPU, but nowhere in the auction photo do I see evidence of a socket. Nowhere in the listing text does it state the CPU is socketed. You are assuming that all the gold-capped CPUs are socketed? Also note that the other socketed chips on the logic board, other than the CPU, are nothing unusual -- see my SE/30 motherboard photo.

Equill, do both your Rev.A & Rev.10 socketed SE/30 logic boards have gold-capped CPUs installed? Do you have any photos showing the socket from the side? (Top-down photos don't show the CPU socket.)

 

[Gary_W]

I made an assumption based on what my understanding of what the socketed CPU looks like from a pic that I saw once but cannot recall where now.

Please disregard my post as I am now not sure. I will do some searching and see if I can find the pic.

Gary

 

[synthcity]

I have an SE/30 with a socketed motherboard and it looks like the one in the auction. I also have an SE/30 that does not have a socketed CPU. Of course, if I were bidding, I would certainly confirm with the seller the exact specs of the item up for bid.

Related question for you all:

Can anyone tell me if I can just pull the existing stock XC68030RC16B and replace with a XC68030RC50B ? If so, what other macs, amigas, or other computers would have a compatible socketed 50 Mhz 68030 that I might scavenge? Anyone use a good online vendor for this CPU ?

TIA!

 

[Charlieman]

That looks socket mounted to me. Note the shadow on the front and left side of the 68030, and compare with the surface mount ceramic next to it. And when you go to the big photo, the shadow perspective is even clearer, with confirmation on the right hand front side.

The camera is at about 40 degrees to the logic board, focused on the middle (VLSI shouts out), so we can see shadow from various DIP chips on the row behind the 68030 and flash back on the back plate. We don't see much shadow on the surface mounts in front or around the 68030.

 

[Byrd]

I'm 90% sure, like others, that it's a socketed motherboard only because the CPU appears to be slightly higher than most - the CPU in most SE/30s is fairly flush on the motherboard.

In the ~ 10 or so SE/30s I've come across in my life, only two have had socketed CPUS (which I've held onto, but unlikely I'll ever put said functionality to use).

JB

 

[Charlieman]

Can anyone tell me if I can just pull the existing stock XC68030RC16B and replace with a XC68030RC50B ?

Yes and the new 50MHz processor will run at 16MHz, unless you change something else. Accelerators are electronically meaty, so they boost the clock speed, provide logic for everything hanging around the PDS slot and attempt to modify everything that uses a timing signal (sound, floppy drive, serial). Typically accelerators require a combination of hardware and a software INIT/CDEV.

 

[JDW]

Socketed or no, you will be hard pressed to find any accelerator board that will fit into the socket (which is really the only reason to obtain one of these boards). I've read about the Daystar accelerator that fits into the socket, but I've never ever seen one for sale anywhere, including EBAY, over the past 6 years. Indeed, I would say that type of accelerator is harder to find than a Micron Xceed card with grayscale!

 

[synthcity]

Thanks for the info so far everyone. What if I found the correct INIT/CDEV software on the web and tried that? Or do I still need some hardware mods?

BTW, there was an SE/30 on Ebay in the last year and it had a socketed mobo. Came with the original cpu, plus installed Daystar 68030 upgrade connected directly to the socketed motherboard. Don't recall the speed, think it was 33 Mhz. Sold I believe in the $200 US range.

 

[JDW]

But as I just said, there is not good reason to shell out even $100 on a socketed SE/30 logic board unless you have access to the Daystar accelerator that fits into the socket. Who is going to create their own version of Daystar's board and write the necessary software to drive it? Who? So these socketed motherboard auctions serve as little more than a money grab. They provide you with a warm feeling in your heart knowing you have a socketed CPU. That's it. Equill has 2 of these boards, and how has he made use of the sockets?!

 

[Flamingtoasters]

I believe my SE/30 has a socketed CPU similar to the one in the posting. I know the processor is gold capped and such. I might take a look to verify.

 

[equill]

... Equill has 2 of these boards, and how has he made use of the sockets?!

I could plead the multiplicity of Macs in my sig. to service (or serve), or blame tomlee59 for not finding and lending to me his round tuit, but the plain fact is ... nuffink. But, if a suitable DayStar PowerCache accelerator were to drop onto my doorstep in the small hours of some morning, and I were to have no socketted MLB, imagine my chagrin.

Truth to tell, I have been occupied for these many moons either with using them or rebuilding and upgrading G4/MDDs for my contracting and my wife's research. I haven't booted a Compact AIO in I don't know how long. Work is the curse of the fiddling classes ...

de

 

[Gary_W]

They provide you with a warm feeling in your heart knowing you have a socketed CPU. That's it.

But that's it! It's all about the warm fuzzy! Having part of the dream gives one the hope that someday the socketed processor will be found and the board will be ready for it!

I wouldn't pay the shipping for this one, but I posted this in case someone lived close and could pick it up locally and maybe get a good deal. Who knows, maybe one of the troops has the accelerator and is looking for a socketed CPU board!



Gary

Do any of you have a picture of the elusive Daystar accelerator for the SE/30 socket?

 

[equill]

... Can someone confirm if this is indeed a socketed CPU? ...

Confirm? Not at this distance. But assert that there is no doubt, no shadow of doubt, no possible doubt whatever (with apology to W.S. Gilbert). For one, as Charlieman noted, the shadow and height-above-board are giveaways. For two, there is the PGA packaging as an even-more-certain giveaway.

JDW has mentioned that he has a monochrome pic. of the socketted accelerator. That's all there is to keep us hoping. Otherwise, it's the landfills for us.

de

 

[JDW]

It's all about the warm fuzzy! Having part of the dream gives one the hope that someday the socketed processor will be found and the board will be ready for it!

I guess I am just odd then. I get warm and fuzzy when I can put classic Macs to good use. Having things and never putting them to use doesn't thrill me. Such would be the case for me if I bought a socketed SE/30 board and waited around until I could put that socket to proper use.

If I seriously thought there would be a chance of my ever getting a socket Daystar SE/30 card, I would snap up a socketed SE/30 board in a heartbeat. Most of you out there know what an SE/30 nut I am. But again, there would be more of a chance of my obtaining a reasonably priced Micron Xceed with grayscale than that socketed accelerator. And you know, I've had the chance to buy the Micron video card WITHOUT the grayscale adapter, but I passed. It was uninteresting to me because I couldn't get the complete set.

But, you never know. People do win millions in the lottery. Those people aren't me, but maybe they are you. You never know with statistics. But for me, I will wait to purchase the socketed SE/30 motherboard AFTER I've received a Daystar socketed accelerator on my doorstep. And with my luck, it will probably be AFTER Equill has one on his doorstep! :I

 

[Gary_W]

lol. Hey JDW, do you have a picture of the socketed accelerator? It's my new Holy Grail. lol

Gary

 

[Mac128]

Just what is the history of the socketed CPU? Was this OEM Apple equipment in limited run, or custom modification that voided ones warranty?