Mac SE/30 Won't Boot /w Vertical Line Patterns on Screen

[SemperFi94]

Hello I have an old Mac SE/30 that, like the title says, won't boot properly. The guy I got it from said it was working fine the week before I got it but he was freeing up space on the disk and thinks he deleted something important. However I'm not quite sure that that's the issue. The computer does not make the normal Apple sound on startup (or any sound for that matter) and it goes to a screen with vertical lines on it, the horizontal lines are from my camera,(please view pics). I have original Manuals, Keyboard, Mouse, and OS/ Startup Disks.

Thanks For the Help!

And Everyone Have a Merry Christmas!

http://yfrog.com/0jmacse30screenj

http://yfrog.com/1086797707j

 

[phreakout]

SemperFi94,

THAT is a classic symptom of what is called "Simasimac", or "Zebra-like pattern". I refer you to the following link below:

http://www.biwa.ne.jp/~shamada/fullmac/repairEng.html#SimasiMac

Basically, you can try the following before going even further:

Step 1.) Open up the SE/30 case and remove the logic board (circuit board on the very bottom).

Step 2.) Reseat the RAM and ROM SIMM (the tiny cards that stand vertically from the logic board). Also try cleaning the metal contacts on the bottom of the cards with a pencil eraser or rubbing alcohol.

Step 3.) Replace the lithium battery (purple and green or green and white colored 1/2-AA).

Step 4.) Reconnect the logic board, place it back inside the SE/30 and turn it on.

If the startup tone or video display doesn't clear up or work as normal, then try the following:

Replace capacitors C1, C3, C4, C5, C7, C8, C9, C10, C12, C13: (47µF 16V) and C6: (1µF 50V). You can also try "pulling" the sound chip UB10 and/or UB11, but if you do that, you will not be getting sound after doing so.

If you feel that replacing the caps is the way to go but not for the feint at heart, let me know. You can contact me by private message and we can arrange for you to send the logic board to me and I'll do the repair for you. Replacement caps can be purchased from 68kmla forum member Trag. So get in contact with him also about buying an SE/30 recap kit.

73s de Phreakout. :rambo:

 

[JDW]

I have experienced SimasiMac on multiple SE/30 logic boards. SimasiMac in its truest form is a set of HORIZONTAL bars that are very clean with no stray pixels here and there. The Shimada "Repair Macintosh SE/30" web page shows a tiny graphic that somewhat resembles the artifacts shown in SemperFi94's photo, but I've never experienced that myself "as a http://pre-symptom of SimasiMac." But I have experienced that same exact screen garbage (no variation at all from the photos posted by SemperFi94) AFTER recapping an SE/30 logic board. Interestingly, I can only see it at cold boot when I have a IIfx or SE/30 ROM in my motherboard along with 128MB of RAM. For whatever reason, that RAM/ROM combination causes that garbage to appear. Then after the cold boot RAM checks conclude (which take almost 2 minutes for 128MB RAM), the garbage goes away and the machine boots normally.

On a different logic board, which I also cleaned and professionally recapped, I get a different pattern of screen garbage at cold boot (with maxed out RAM and a IIsi ROM installed).

So you may need to recap the board (if it has not been already). And if the caps are good, then perhaps you are merely experiencing what I did due to RAM and/or a non-stock ROM being installed. Even so, if you are not getting sound, then you probably need a board recap. Remove the board, shoot us some crystal clear photos of it, then we can tell you for sure.

 

[SemperFi94]

Here are some pictures of the boards and the ram. Let me know what you think. The last two pics look like some of the caps are bad.

http://yfrog.com/izpc27011550j

http://yfrog.com/1rpc27011650j

http://yfrog.com/0dpc27011750j

http://yfrog.com/j6pc27011850j

http://yfrog.com/jmpc27011950j

http://yfrog.com/j6pc27012050j

http://yfrog.com/j8pc27012150j

http://yfrog.com/11pc27012550j

http://yfrog.com/2dpc27012650j

Thanks!

 

[JDW]

After examining your photos, it is clear that your analog board is in good shape. But it is also clear your motherboard is in bad shape, especially in the area of C9. You not only need to replace ALL the caps on your motherboard, but you will also need to use a Digital Multimeter with Continuity Check (make sure it has a beeping sound so you can hear it) in order to fix the tiny copper traces that have been broken due to leaked capacitor fluid eating right through them. Again, refer to your last two photos which reveal that damage quite clearly. Because of this damage to copper traces, merely replacing all the caps will not solve your problems. You have to use the DMM Continuity Check to fix all broken traces.

 

[phreakout]

I agree with JDW. Worst case, a new wire to replace the trace would be installed if the original pads and trace are deteriorated beyond salvaging. Are you going to perform the recap? If not, let me know via private message and we'll talk.

73s de Phreakout. :rambo: