LC Problems - A Powerful Solution?

[Scott Baret]

I am thinking more and more about the possible solutions for my LC problems. I swapped the power supply yet the video problems that returned last week persist.

I have three options at this point:

1. Wait about a week to see if they go away again.

2. Install that new logic board.

3. Install an LC475 logic board.

Part of me wants to do number three but another part of me wants to leave this an original LC. I would love to have power, of course, but it just would feel strange placing a different logic board in a computer I have owned since 1992. The other issue I'd have is compatibility--I'm not sure if some of my programs would work with the 040 or not.

If I did the swap I'd keep all the other components (hard drive, floppy, etc). Would I be able to swap the boards?

(The reason I ask this is because many have said an LC cannot become a higher-powered machine with its existing case bottom--yet the LC II board supposedly can use the same case as the original LC. Was this just part of Apple's plan to charge more, especially since a new LC475 was pretty cheap in 1993?)

I did put my IIe card in the LC, finally fulfilling a dream I've had since I was in kindergarten. The CC was just too flaky with its hard drive issues.

 

[LCGuy]

You're best off leaving it as an original LC...not only because it was your first computer, and you probably have a lot of great memories of the machine...thats one of the reasons as to why my LCIII (which I've had since I was 8) still runs its original logic board, despite me having a spare LC475 board in an ESD safe bag. Not to mention that yes, you will have to use a new case bottom if you put any other model logic board in there. The original LC used an integrated fan/speaker unit that mounted to the case in a different way to the seperate fan and speaker the later models had, and you must swap in a seperate fan and speaker from a later model when doing the upgrade.

 

[Scott Baret]

I actually went ahead and bit the bullet tonight. I swapped out the parts, used a different case bottom, and made myself a 475 out of my old LC.

Here's what I retained from the original:

-Power Supply

-Hard Drive

-Floppy Drive (though I did need to take a bracket from my LCIII to fit it properly)

-Keyboard, Mouse, Microphone, Monitor

-Case lid (it still looks like my old LC)

Here's what I had to swap:

-Case bottom

-Logic Board

-Fan

-Speaker

The problem I have now is the fan. The one in there sounds different than my original. I looked through my parts lot and found a Panaflo fan but it was soldered to another LC's fan/speaker mount. I'm currently in the process of fitting it to the connector used to attach fans to 475 boards (I hit a snag when I found out I don't have any solder). I'll be completing that process over the weekend so that I get the sound and everything of my childhood LC back.

I decided to go ahead and do it because of a childhood dream I had in 1995. I wanted to upgrade it to a 475 then. Unfortunately we didn't have the money at the time. I guess you can say it's wish fulfillment even if it does change an old friend around a bit.

I am impressed with the 475 speed.......and it runs all my programs fine and without the video problem! Now to try the Apple II stuff!!!

 

[LCGuy]

Good to hear! The only downside to the LC475 upgrade is that you won't be able to run System 6, if thats of any concern to you.

 

[Scott Baret]

Good to hear! The only downside to the LC475 upgrade is that you won't be able to run System 6, if thats of any concern to you.

Yeah, that was the biggest drawback to the process. Thankfully I don't have any System 6-specific programs. I do like 7.1 though but if those moments of true nostalgia hit I guess I'll have to swap out the parts again. (Not a big deal, really, as it gave me something to do on a free evening--we had a major snow/ice storm up here in Pennsylvania today so my college called off).

I did encounter one minor glitch at first, which was the speed--it was too fast! I had to get out my 7.1 install disks and grab the Cache Switch control panel--I never thought I'd say my LC was running too fast!

 

[Mike Richardson]

Did the capacitors leak on your LC board?

 

[porter]

I am impressed with the 475 speed.......

You've got a Quadra 605 there! Next step the full 68040.

 

[Scott Baret]

I'm actually thinking about the 040 mod.

I think the capacitors may be the problem. The odor on the LC board seems to be coming from a capacitor. I'm not skilled enough with a soldering gun to do this myself so perhaps I'll send it to one of those soldering services (I think some people on this board offer them) when I get some free time (which will be scarce for me this semester as I am busy with two teaching practicums and plenty of tutoring opportunities, not to mention several classes).

The now-overpowered LC has been my study buddy since preschool so it was important that I got it back on its feet, especially since I like to look at my old 256-color dependent software for lesson inspirations.

 

[Flash!]

It's probably not the problem in this particular case (and I can't remember how many VRAM slots an LC has anyway), but if you have two slots and one is fitted with a 256k VRAM and the other is 512k then you will get terrible video - specifically lots and lots of vertical lines.