Macintosh Portable Sad Mac and Repair Advice

[jsarchibald]

I have had 2 Macintosh Portables hanging around for a little while now, and haven't been able to get them to work. I came across a Portable power supply a little while ago (US plug unfortunately), but with two Portable threads stirring my interest (one on alternative power sources and another as a conquest), and the recent acquisition of a step down transformer (for the new Kitchenaid mixer I bought for my wife on a recent US holiday - $300 vs. $750), it hit me in the shower that I should try to get them working (where all great ideas start).

So, I plugged the PSU into the step down transformer, got the Portables out, installed fresh 9V batteries and cycled the toggles on the side, and got both to power on. Both screens were garbled, and one looks like the screen on the bottom right has issues, but I eventually got a Sad Mac screen on both machines. One has the following:

010000100

037CC7D6

The other has more issues and obviously both need recapping:

00000014

0000CD36

01000B1C

00001FF2

01000B2E

00001FF2

The last machine probably would have spat out code after code if I let it.

So, I am wondering how to fix these? I want to recap them but don't know how difficult these are to do, if the pads lift, etc. Does anyone have a component list? Basically, what do I need to do to get two working Portables? They both have RAM and HDDs, and showed graphics on the screen. Any help would be great!

 

[Byrd]

Definately pull any RAM card and the HD, first, before anything else. Also push the programmers switch/reset switch a few times down the left hand side of the unit.

I did replace the caps on my Portable - there weren't too many - and it helped make it start up more reliably, but do need to investigate getting the lead acid battery recelled, as it seems to want this working for a fully reliable Mac.

JB

 

[nvdeynde]

You can find the meaning of the Error codes here:

http://home.scarlet.be/yuc-luc.verhelst1/sad2.htm

 

[shred]

Agree with Bryd re pulling the hard drive cable and any RAM expansion or PDS cards. The "Keep It Simple" principle works well in these situations.

Are the Portables backlit, or the original model? I've recapped my backlit Portable and have a list of the caps floating around somewhere.

[edit: Hadn't read the previous post!]

 

[applefreak]

installed fresh 9V batteries

Main good battery in the unit ?

 

[CelGen]

All bets are off on trouleshooting until the recap is done.

I have seen macs say the SCSI was faulty when the caps went bad.

 

[jsarchibald]

Is it difficult to recap? I have read these are notorious and that they use Tantalum caps.

Does anyone know what will need to be replaced, and the parts needed for the repair? I can do some research into it, but no need to reinvent the wheel unless I need to.

 

[techknight]

best thing to do is tear into it, as in pulling the system board out. and looking at all the aluminum electrolytics for replacing.

Also, replace the through-hole caps. ive noticed on mine that a couple of the through-hole radial caps are leaking as well.

 

[Byrd]

No it uses the same standard caps found in SE/30s and the like, there were < 5 to do, if I recall. Quite a fun machine to take apart too, kind of like a big Lego/jigsaw puzzle (no screws!). Just take it easy popping out the keyboard, you might need to use a steel ruler or something to safely pry back the tabs, they're pretty tight.

JB

 

[mcdermd]

When I recapped my non-backlit Portable, there were around 15 to replace.

 

[techknight]

Well mine is backlit and it has radials as well.