LC575, IIe Card and Comms slot Ethernet

[oz390gta]

I have finally gotten around to putting a IIe card into my LC575. The second I did this my LC575 refuses to switch to ethernet via the comms slot ethernet card. I get an error stating that due to an unknown error the machine is switching back to Localtalk. The AppleTalk control panel sees the card it just won't switch. I have tried many combinations of OS thinking it was an OS issue but it seems to be hardware related as I have swapped out 3 ethernet cards aand 2 IIe cards all with the same results. As soon as I take out the IIe card it will switch to ethernet.

I have had the same issue on my Mystic Colour Classic but in that case the OS woudl not even see the ethernet card but this appears to a common issue as the CC power supply can't handle it. Do this mean that my LC575 power supply is marginal or did the IIe card and comms slot ethernet combination never work on an LC575?

oz390gta

 

[coius]

Wasn't the old Comm Slot a PDS Card slot?

That may be the issue. Does the IIe card work with the Ethernet in it? or can you get an IP Address, either MacTCP or TCP/IP with the IIe card in it?

I know the CommSlot II on the PCI powermacs is essentially a re-wired/custom implementation of the PCI slot, but I was pretty sure the old CommSlot was an extension of the PDS bus

 

[coius]

EDIT: It seems when the CommSlot-I card is in, Not sure if ethernet, modem or both, it DOES disable the modem port. Is that essential to the Apple IIe card?

if so, that may be why...

 

[oz390gta]

I have read some IIe card documentation that suggests that AppleTalk will work from IIe mode over localtalk or ethernet and given that the only machine that is capable of actually having ethernet (comm-slot) and a IIe card (LC-PDS) is the LC575 then I have assumed it should work. The LC630 can't as the IIe card can only run in 24-bit mode.

oz390gta

 

[oz390gta]

I found this document with a little * that sort of answers my own question.

http://support.apple.com/kb/TA46886?viewlocale=en_US

"* The 68040 versions of the Macintosh LC 5xx and Performa 5xx series do not recognize the Apple IIe Card when there is a communication card occupying the Communication Slot."

In my case the IIe card works fine but the Communications Slot does not. At least I have my answer.

oz390gta

 

[Charlieman]

You didn't mention whether 24 or 32 bit memory addressing was configured. That is one reason why you cannot run both cards concurrently.

 

[oz390gta]

It needs to be 24-bit for the IIe card to work.