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MacPlus Server?
- Thread starter Aoresteen
- Start date
The only one I know of seems to have disappeared (tragically replaced by an empty blog)
http://aurejac.dyndns.org/
That used to be the French site running off a Plus with 2 floppy drives.
http://aurejac.dyndns.org/
That used to be the French site running off a Plus with 2 floppy drives.
This one claims to be:
http://www.spacerogue.net/Camneerg/Camneerg.html
And this is the original thread on the subject:
http://68kmla.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=2183
http://www.spacerogue.net/Camneerg/Camneerg.html
And this is the original thread on the subject:
http://68kmla.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=2183
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yeah, a few years ago..there were a couple...I think part of the problem was many net providers, no longer supported those machines...
I'm sure there has got to be at least one PLUS somewhere on the planet, doing it's thing....I believe LOW END MAC, for a while, had a plus
doing server stuff, but probably has been retired.
I still read about souped up SE/30's and IIci's...doing the same.
Someone once made the comment..that the SE/30, was one of the best mac (compact) servers, ever....
yeah, a few years ago..there were a couple...I think part of the problem was many net providers, no longer supported those machines...
I'm sure there has got to be at least one PLUS somewhere on the planet, doing it's thing....I believe LOW END MAC, for a while, had a plus
doing server stuff, but probably has been retired.
I still read about souped up SE/30's and IIci's...doing the same.
Someone once made the comment..that the SE/30, was one of the best mac (compact) servers, ever....
I have been thinking about a Plus server for a while now but I'm concerned that having a Plus switched on constantly would bring it to a quick death. Since I only have one Plus (which was my first Mac) I really wouldn't want to risk it.
Currently I'm running an LC 475 web server that lives in a desk drawer - it is ideal because it is small, quiet and uses very little power.
Currently I'm running an LC 475 web server that lives in a desk drawer - it is ideal because it is small, quiet and uses very little power.
Your post reminds me of a thread a long time ago, in which Mac128 wondered if there were a simple way to disable unneeded analog board subcircuits to improve longevity. I'm still waiting to get a round tuit, but once I've acquired one, I'll try to devise a (reversible) method for turning off the video and sweep circuits. That would reduce the load on the power supply to such an extent that leaving the Plus switched on continuously should not be a problem.
http://macman.servebeer.com
It is running System 7 and MacHTTP. Basically the site loosely documents my Mac collection and has sections for my blogs from the last two RetroChallenges. It is going to be expanded soon as I have just installed a 4.5GB SCSI drive in the machine!
The Old Apple Web Server Directory is a good place to start when hunting for 68K servers.
Ok, equant, here's an interim method that might end up being the final method. It doesn't absolutely minimize power, but it provides a large reduction with almost no effort.
The idea is to disconnect L1 (it's the toroidal inductor located at the top edge of the analog board) from C2 (a 4700uF electrolytic; it's also on the top edge of the analog board). Use an SPST switch to restore that connection reversibly. When closed, the Mac works normally. When open, it shuts off power to the CRT filament, horizontal deflection, video and HV circuits. Those are significant power consumers, so disabling those sub-blocks will dramatically reduce the load on the power supply.
About the only unneeded block not disabled is the vertical deflection circuitry. The effort required to shut that off is probably more trouble than it's worth.
Finally, it's a good idea to add a diode across L1. Something like a 1N400X (where X can be any value). Connect it so that the cathode (marked with a band) is connected to the side of L1 that you didn't touch. The diode may not be necessary, but its presence will assure that no sparking will occur when you open the switch, prolonging the life of the latter.
I hope that this verbal description is clear enough to get you going.
IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: I have not actually tried this procedure, so I can't guarantee that there isn't a hidden gotcha. So proceed with that it mind.
The idea is to disconnect L1 (it's the toroidal inductor located at the top edge of the analog board) from C2 (a 4700uF electrolytic; it's also on the top edge of the analog board). Use an SPST switch to restore that connection reversibly. When closed, the Mac works normally. When open, it shuts off power to the CRT filament, horizontal deflection, video and HV circuits. Those are significant power consumers, so disabling those sub-blocks will dramatically reduce the load on the power supply.
About the only unneeded block not disabled is the vertical deflection circuitry. The effort required to shut that off is probably more trouble than it's worth.
Finally, it's a good idea to add a diode across L1. Something like a 1N400X (where X can be any value). Connect it so that the cathode (marked with a band) is connected to the side of L1 that you didn't touch. The diode may not be necessary, but its presence will assure that no sparking will occur when you open the switch, prolonging the life of the latter.
I hope that this verbal description is clear enough to get you going.
IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: I have not actually tried this procedure, so I can't guarantee that there isn't a hidden gotcha. So proceed with that it mind.
Ok, I've got a plus I'm willing to use as a guinea pig, but I won't get around to it until after April 3rd most likely.
How will this impact heat? I was curious, what parts of the plus are generating the most heat? The CPU? CRT? Wouldn't that be another limiting factor for using a plus as a 24/7 server?
Thanks for the head-start Tom.
Nathan
How will this impact heat? I was curious, what parts of the plus are generating the most heat? The CPU? CRT? Wouldn't that be another limiting factor for using a plus as a 24/7 server?
Thanks for the head-start Tom.
Nathan
This procedure should cut the power consumed "a lot" (whatever that means). Shutting off all video-related power consumers (with the sole exception of vertical deflection) is significant. The horizontal and HV circuits run hot, so turning them off can only be a good thing. Shutting off the CRT not only reduces dissipation further, but greatly increases its lifetime (no filament burnout, no screen burn).
As a crude estimate, I'd guess that the power consumed might drop by 40%.
As a crude estimate, I'd guess that the power consumed might drop by 40%.
Since the MacHTTP project got restarted a lot of people are getting their old Macs back on the web.
http://sourceforge.net/projects/machttp
It was the inavailability(?) of the software and lack of support that kept a lot more people from getting their old Macs set up as servers. I couldn't find the old software anywhere for a while. The nearest I could get was Webstar and the current version is being sold as a commercial product and the old 68k machines haven't been supported for a long, long, time.
http://sourceforge.net/projects/machttp
It was the inavailability(?) of the software and lack of support that kept a lot more people from getting their old Macs set up as servers. I couldn't find the old software anywhere for a while. The nearest I could get was Webstar and the current version is being sold as a commercial product and the old 68k machines haven't been supported for a long, long, time.
I had been wondering about MacHTTP for some time now. I'm running it on my Quadra and it's version 2.6. They had been talking about 2.6.1 and even version 3 (which would drop 68K support I believe) years ago but nothing came of it. Even the site that was up before seemed abandoned and was getting spammed horrendously. The only sign of life that I've seen lately is that the page is now only listing the directory that holds the files.
I sure hope that they have actually revived the project. Otherwise, I might just have to move on to a *nix on the Quadra with a light webserver. I would much rather preserve the "Macintosh" part of my Quadra.
The update about it being in CVS is from 2004 but the files show a date of 11/16/2007. Not sure if that's just the date at which the files were put in there.
I sure hope that they have actually revived the project. Otherwise, I might just have to move on to a *nix on the Quadra with a light webserver. I would much rather preserve the "Macintosh" part of my Quadra.
The update about it being in CVS is from 2004 but the files show a date of 11/16/2007. Not sure if that's just the date at which the files were put in there.
Thank you so much! I can't wait to try this out.
It's too bad Apple didn't implement this themselves with the Plus in anticipation of the AppleShare software in order to run a headless system on a compact and conserve heat and power.
Frankly, I can't believe once Jobs was gone that Apple didn't add a fan to the Plus to mitigate the heat related repair costs, but then I guess that might have been admitting the earlier models were actually flawed?
