Supermac Spectrum/24 PDQ+ issues

[Jagmn]

Hi Folks,

I managed to nab a Supermac Spectrum/24 PDQ+ from Buyee, ROM version 1.292. Unfortunately I'm not having much luck getting it running in my (otherwise seemingly functional) iici.

With the card in place the machine does not boot. The symptoms vary:

• iici hangs with the Happy Mac icon during boot
• iici does the ram check (64Mb on board) then gives the chimes of death
• iici boots to the Happy Mac then gives the chimes of death with a Sad Mac icon and the codes 0000000F / 00000033 (which I haven't yet found an obvious decode for)

Things I've tried:

• All of the NuBus slots. The slots work fine with an ethernet card and / or an E-Machines video card
• Upgrading the ROM from 1.292 to 3.1
• With/without accelerator card (Interware Booster CV40-40) and with/without the original apple cache card

The card itself looks in good condition. Any suggestions?
Thanks

 

[Jamieson]

What OS version are you running?
When connected to a monitor does the monitor sync up at all, even if the machine hangs?
Do you have the SuperMac software installed?

 

[Byrd]

Give the edge connector of the card a good clean with electronic solvent spray (and might as well do the whole card, check for damage); limit the OS to < 7.1 if you can

 

[Jagmn]

Thanks for the input.

OSes: 7.0.1 and 7.5.3, SuperMac control panel installed.
It doesn't look like there's a monitor sync signal coming from the card; the same VGA+ adapter setup works fine with the on board video and the E-Machines card but gets nothing from the Spectrum.

I'll give it another clean and see how it goes.

 

[Jamieson]

I bought a Supermac Spectrum/24 III on Buyee around the same time, might have even been from the same seller. It arrived with one of the small through hole tantalum caps cracked and broken. I removed it and soldered in a new surface mount tantalum cap in it's place before installing the card in my IIci. I also removed the EPROM, cleaned the pins, and reinstalled it. A good cleaning and inspection might uncover something on your card. Also if you have an oscilloscope, poke around those output connector pins. That will quickly show if the card is doing anything.