mac286 and problems

[newbmac2k12]

I recently got a ast mac286 card and wanted to install it in my IIci. The iici from what i can tell is shot. I won't chime or has any sound, as it didnt before. It was used from a thrift store, but did work until I put it up for a yr or so. Now it won't boot or anything, whats strange is the power light is a dim green whenever i pwr it up. If i'm not mistaken it used to be bright green when it would boot up into os 7.5. From what ive read and researched it could be a cap issue, i've checked and no leaked battery or anything so just as a precaution I did the wash the board thing. I used iso alcohol and a toothbrush and scrubbed the whole board both sides. None of the caps looked like they leaked but I did notice before all this since no sound ever from it, and some kind of clearish stuff in certain areas, could be possibly the caps? Since ive scrubbed it the board looks real clean and still same thing when i try to pwr it up only a dim green light, and nothing.

Plus i've even stripped the board of cards and everything just down to 4 pcs of good ram same size in bank a, new pram batt, and the powersupply. One other thing is if I connect the hd which ive checked spins up and is good, the hd never spins up or anything, like its not getting enough pwr from the board. So I even took a good pwr supply from a quadra/centris 650 put it in and same thing dim green light, and no pwr up for the sys and the hd? Is this iici board dead?

Next, since my original idea was to use this iici for the mac286 and its dead, could i possibly use this card in the quadra/centris 650 I have. I know that sys is good, as it boots to os 8. From what i've read this card was for mac ii's and even on this forum I think i saw where someone only went up to a iifx and got it to work. I have lots of experience with pcs but just learning about macs, but from what ive also read the nubus slots are all alike except for 90 version, but the II's and quadra/centris have the same nubus right? Plus I even found that last software for the mac286 card, so since my iici died, shouldnt i be able to try this card in my quadra/centris and not blow anything right? There shouldnt be some kind of check to make it only work in a mac II model right? Either that or I'm going to have to somehow repair that dead IIci.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Unknown_K]

Thge Mac286 might be stuck needing OS 7.x, it is a very old card but any 68K with dual Nubus slots should work (there are 2 boards one for the CPU and other for RAM + drive controller connected with dual ribbon cables). Your IIci might need new capacitors on the motherboard.

 

[newbmac2k12]

Thanks for the info, but if i'm not mistaken the quadra 650 had os 7.5 , and i just upgraded it to 8.1 to be exact. So I'll try it out, i just didnt want to accidentally mess that sys up as im not too familiar with mac expansion slots, @ least not yet. Finally, as for the capacitor deal, would blown/bad caps really make the board not powerup @ all, and just make it seem like the board isnt getting enough juice from the pwr supply such as the pwr light looking like its barely on and flickering?

Thanks

 

[CelGen]

Yes, the surface mount capacitors when they leak is enough to prevent the entire system from even turning on.

 

[newbmac2k12]

thanks for the help. As an update, yep u guys are right it needs something lower that mac os 8, so now i'm trying to figure out how to make sys 7.5.x disks for an install, as the cd rom on the quadra is acting up, or i may even move it to a 950 laying around but i definitely need to make install disks for that one, no os. Also on the mac 286 from what ive read and i have the site bookmarked somewhere, the max ram for the ast one is 1meg and it emulates cga only. My question is are there any hacks or has anyone even tried to go beyond the 1meg max, mb using 4 x1meg simms? Also i guess theres no way to change the video to something higher such as ega mode?

Thanks

 

[newbmac2k12]

I thought I'd revive my old post about this product. As per my previous postings I finally got around to installing it in a q950 I had laying around. Its the one that has the hd probs, so it has sys 7.1 and i dwl from mac driver museum the ast mac286 drivers, both the 2.x and 3.x ones. Unstuffed them on the 950 and when I use either one I keep getting an error of type 1 followed by type 2? I don't think the card is bad the chips seem to be getting warm and everything looks ok. So I booted w/no extensions same thing, from what I searched a type 1 error is either a memory address error, bus error, or more specifically a non 32 bit clean software error. Ok, first off since this q950 had a clean 7.1 install, I disabled the 32 bit addressing, turned off caches and no chg. Previously I did have 32 bit add on and the prg would just run and kick out, like is if i open and closed it real fast, non usable. When i turned off the 32 bit add, It runs but bombs out immediately on type 1 and 2 errors.

If this is a bus error, i'm assuming card issue, so Im currently taking it out and checking and cleaning contacts on the simms, it came with 4x256k, then I'll try again. Could it be a software app issue, such as i'm getting the wrong app pkg for it? When i unstuffed it the main prg ibm-pc 286 icon, if i choose get info both versions say copywrite orange micro either 1988, 1990. I know ast sold out to them but mb I have the wrong version, meant for the orange micro version, vs. the ast one? One last thing, when i use the get info on the 2.x version of the pc prg, not only does it show the cpywrite of orange micro, towards the bottom I can adjust the mem min/max such as default of 640k then 1024k max. If I try lets say 384k to start and max @ 640k, the prog doesnt even run it gives and error about min 384k or less so it wont run and bomb. Finally I don't think its an insufficient mem issue on the mac as it does have 8mb installed on the mainboard.

Thanks in advance.

Thanks in advance.

 

[uniserver]

please re-cap that.

if you need me to cap it i will.

25+10 for caps PM me.

 

[newbmac2k12]

no no its not the IIci anymore, i gave up on it for the moment and put that mac286 in a q950. As far as i know the 950 doesnt have those type of caps the iici has, it has those yellow tantalum, i think there called caps. I definitely need a recap on the iici but i want to tackle the 950 1st w/mac286 board, then ill get the iici done, but thx for offering.

 

[jruschme]

I thought I'd revive my old post about this product. As per my previous postings I finally got around to installing it in a q950 I had laying around. Its the one that has the hd probs, so it has sys 7.1 and i dwl from mac driver museum the ast mac286 drivers, both the 2.x and 3.x ones. Unstuffed them on the 950 and when I use either one I keep getting an error of type 1 followed by type 2? I don't think the card is bad the chips seem to be getting warm and everything looks ok. So I booted w/no extensions same thing, from what I searched a type 1 error is either a memory address error, bus error, or more specifically a non 32 bit clean software error. Ok, first off since this q950 had a clean 7.1 install, I disabled the 32 bit addressing, turned off caches and no chg. Previously I did have 32 bit add on and the prg would just run and kick out, like is if i open and closed it real fast, non usable. When i turned off the 32 bit add, It runs but bombs out immediately on type 1 and 2 errors.

I'm wracking my brain to remember if the Mac286 is 32-bit clean. I'm not sure if it's that or an '040 incompatibility. (I've only ever run one in an '030 Mac.)

If this is a bus error, i'm assuming card issue, so Im currently taking it out and checking and cleaning contacts on the simms, it came with 4x256k, then I'll try again. Could it be a software app issue, such as i'm getting the wrong app pkg for it? When i unstuffed it the main prg ibm-pc 286 icon, if i choose get info both versions say copywrite orange micro either 1988, 1990. I know ast sold out to them but mb I have the wrong version, meant for the orange micro version, vs. the ast one? One last thing, when i use the get info on the 2.x version of the pc prg, not only does it show the cpywrite of orange micro, towards the bottom I can adjust the mem min/max such as default of 640k then 1024k max. If I try lets say 384k to start and max @ 640k, the prog doesnt even run it gives and error about min 384k or less so it wont run and bomb. Finally I don't think its an insufficient mem issue on the mac as it does have 8mb installed on the mainboard.

Okay, so you've got the original AST version- two boards, 1mb max RAM. 640k is available to DOS, the rest as "extended" memory.

The OM software should work just fine. Have you tried the 3.x version? It's more likely to work with your Quadra.

(Gods, it's been to long since I ran one of these boards...)

 

[newbmac2k12]

@ jruschme, I have the 2 board ast version, the one with the cable connecting 2 cards. This thing is driving me mad, I want it working the q950. I originally tried the iici but due to cap issues had to give up on that. I think I did read a post here or somewhere, where someone did put it in a iivx or some mac II version, and granted it was a 68030 proc, they had port issues? Something about the speed of the port needing to be adjusted. I havent read here or otherwise anyone else using it in 040, but figured other than the cache of the 040, it should work if it did in a 030? Finally, yes i tried both versions the 2.x and the 3.x and both kept crashing, I had dwl'ed these from a link off of mac driver museum, so I'm @ a loss right now of what else to do to get it running, other than only use an 030 or lower machine.

Thanks.

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

I'd definitely try it in an '030 running in 24 bit mode if I were you. Once you've got that working, worry about the Quadra transplant.

 

[bbraun]

I have this card. It requires 24bit mode. It also may not like the q950's serial ports due to the IOPs sitting in front of the SCC.