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Power Computing PowerBase & PowerCenter Boot issues

macinbot

Well-known member
I've got a few Power Computing machines I need help troubleshooting.

None of them seem to want to boot. I get no start up chime or video output from any of the machines.

I have two PowerBase 180 machines and a PowerCenter 120. The PowerCenter has booted without issue in the past, but has been sitting for a couple years unused (climate controlled). The PowerBase machines I acquired without knowing their boot status. This is first time I've tried to revive them.

They all power on. All do a cursory power-on poll of the CD-ROM. On power up, PowerCenter will poll the hard drive. The PowerBase machines don't seem to do that, but that may be an IDE thing?

Things I have tried:
  • Reseating all the cards including processor card, PCI riser, cache, and ram
  • Pulling all ram and using known working ram from PowerMac 5400 (is there a preferred single ram slot?)
  • New 3.6v battery installed
  • Reset CUDA switch
  • Used both Apple Performa Plus 640x480 DB-15 display and VGA monitors
  • Cursory examination doesn't show any obvious signs of capacitor failure
What next?
 

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MJ313

Well-known member
These machines can have cache modules that go bad for whatever reason. Try removing the cache and booting without it; it's a relatively easy thing to rule out.
 

macinbot

Well-known member
The PowerCenter and one of the PowerBase machines had a cache module, the other PowerBase did not. Pulling the cache on the two machines made no change in starting up. I also swapped the cache into the other PowerBase just to rule that out, and it also made no difference.
 

macinbot

Well-known member
Tried using an replacement ATX power supply to see if that made any difference. It did not.

Very open to suggestions.
 

macinbot

Well-known member
Well hmmmmmm. These machines are outside of my interest vs investment ratio. I think its time to move them on to someone who has more drive to restore them.

Appreciate the reply.
 

_AP

Member
I'm having the same problem. I've tried a power computing monitor, and older dell LCD.

I've tried:
VGA/DB15->VGA
New PRAM battery.
Re-seating/cleaning contacts of cards, cpu, memory.
CUDA resets.
Original CPU and newer tech upgrade.
Removing cache card and trying different memory configs.
PRAM reset with keyboard.

I have tried these same things on:
2 PowerCenter Pro minitowers
1 PowerCenter Pro desktop
1 PowerTower Pro
1 PowerBase 180

No visible problems with capacitors. No corrosion anywhere. None of them have hard drives in them, but when I picked them up and tested them beforehand, most of them had drives in them had same results.
 

Unbounded_Villain

Active member
I'm having the same problem. I've tried a power computing monitor, and older dell LCD.

I've tried:
VGA/DB15->VGA
New PRAM battery.
Re-seating/cleaning contacts of cards, cpu, memory.
CUDA resets.
Original CPU and newer tech upgrade.
Removing cache card and trying different memory configs.
PRAM reset with keyboard.

I have tried these same things on:
2 PowerCenter Pro minitowers
1 PowerCenter Pro desktop
1 PowerTower Pro
1 PowerBase 180

No visible problems with capacitors. No corrosion anywhere. None of them have hard drives in them, but when I picked them up and tested them beforehand, most of them had drives in them had same results.

I had a PowerBase 180 back in the day and the PCI riser is early unseated.
 
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