Help! My eMachines NuBus Video Card (030-01493) has died.

[DistantStar001]

Just as the title says. I have a (couple of) Macintosh Iici(s) and an eMachines NuBus Video Card (model 030-01493) that stopped working last night.

Prior to its failure I did notice the following symptoms that (at the time) I hadn't connected to the card:
1) When I would attempt to close all windows and shut down the computer, the finder would reset itself to the state it was directly after/before I quit the last application, and all the windows I had closed would reopen.
2) If I closed all the windows and did a hard power off, the widows would be open again upon start up.
3) was when it stopped producing a picture.

Since then, I have tried the card in one of the other slots, as well as my second Iici with no luck. I also did a visual inspection of the card and discovered two pins that were bent (likely when I reseated/moved it) and that the single electrolytic capacitor had leaked. I've bent the pins back into shape and reflowed the solder on them. I also reflowed the solder on the video connector, and replaced the leaking capacitor. Unfortunately, none of this has made any difference, as the card is still not working.
I did try connecting a monitor to both the card and the on board video out. Typically, before the card failed, this would result in a dual monitor setup with the monitor connected to the card as the primary. However, not only does the card not produce a picture, but the connected monitor isn't even showing up in the Monitors control panel.

Any ideas on what went wrong, and how to fix it?

 

[shirsch]

Check carefully in the area where the leaking cap was. The electrolyte has a tendency to flow underneath neighboring parts and eat traces and vias.

 

[finkmac]

?? glue ??

 

[Phipli]

The capacitor next to the Nubus slot was backwards from factory on mine. That's the first thing I'd check.

Just replace it, hopefully that helps.

Edit : Looking at your photos it doesn't look backwards, so never mind.

 

[Phipli]

1) When I would attempt to close all windows and shut down the computer, the finder would reset itself to the state it was directly after/before I quit the last application, and all the windows I had closed would reopen.
2) If I closed all the windows and did a hard power off, the widows would be open again upon start up.

These have nothing to do with your video card, the second one probably just means you cut the power before the disk cache was written to disk.

 

[volvo242gt]

I would also look at the logic board on both machines, if other cards are not showing up either. The 74ALS240 that's next to C16 controls the Nubus slots. If that capacitor has leaked, it will corrode the pins on the chip, turning the computer into essentially a LC III that can run System 6, since only the cache slot will work. Sometimes, replacing the chip isn't enough, and you may need to run bodge wires to fix the rotted traces.

 

[DistantStar001]

Check carefully in the area where the leaking cap was. The electrolyte has a tendency to flow underneath neighboring parts and eat traces and vias.

The capacitor is at the very bottom of the card. There were no signs of corrosion it either.

?? glue ??

It's soldered, I just cut the legs short. The original capacitor was 10mf 16v. The replacement was the only thing I had on hand that was also the right capacitance. It's 50v, but that shouldn't make a difference.

The capacitor next to the Nubus slot was backwards from factory on mine. That's the first thing I'd check.

Just replace it, hopefully that helps.

Edit : Looking at your photos it doesn't look backwards, so never mind.

I saw this on another board and tried reversing it just to see, but it made no difference.

These have nothing to do with your video card, the second one probably just means you cut the power before the disk cache was written to disk.

Maybe. But the issue cleared up when I removed the card, so I listed it.

I would also look at the logic board on both machines, if other cards are not showing up either. The 74ALS240 that's next to C16 controls the Nubus slots. If that capacitor has leaked, it will corrode the pins on the chip, turning the computer into essentially a LC III that can run System 6, since only the cache slot will work. Sometimes, replacing the chip isn't enough, and you may need to run bodge wires to fix the rotted traces.

I actually tried a different video card (Macintosh II Video Card 820-0198-C) on both machines, and it works in both, and on multiple slots. The other card came out of my IIcx. To be sure I tried the eMachines card on the IIcx and was met with the same issue. Also, all three machines have been recapped, used, and tested. So I'm pretty sure that's not the issue.

When retesting the card, I tried feeling the ICs to see if any got hot. U610 (the one with the big "Bt" on it) got pretty worm. Not burn my fingers worm, but noticeably worm. None of the other ICs seemed to get worm at all.