Powerbook 100

[Strimkind]

My Most recent conquest involves a nice Powerbook 100. It does not boot up but instead has a blank screen. It powers up fine without the death chime. I don't hear the HD seeking at all. I have not tried to boot from a floppy as of yet. It is missing the 3 lithium batteries in the back.

Will these 3 batteries fix the problem the powerbook is having?

 

[equill]

The lithium batteries form a backup battery, the notion behind which was common to older PowerBooks. In the PB100 (which was heavily based by Sony, with several improvements, on the Portable/Luggable), the backup battery maintains the contents of (pseudostatic) PSRAM during sleep and while the PB is off. This enables a user some latitude for safety of data when the main battery runs out, because time to reach a mains outlet is conferred by the backup battery, which therefore is much more than just a 'PRAM' battery.

Verify that the storage switch is in the ON position, and that contrast/brightness controls are not bottomed. Detach all peripheral devices. Make sure that at least System 7.0.1 is installed. If you have a known-good main battery ('system battery') measuring 7.5-7.9V, and an AC adapter, you can reset the Power Manager with the 4-fingered salute: simultaneously hold down Control, Command, Option, and Power On keys for 5-10 seconds after having the system battery and the AC adapter disconnected for at least 5min. This process may cause the loss of some of the parameters stored in PRAM (eg, time).

Now connect the AC adapter and try to restart the computer after a further 3-4 minutes. Install a charged main battery (>5.7V), and away you go. You will need to replace the backup batteries soon, for the reasons above.

 

[Strimkind]

Since it is not booting up to any OS, I have no idea what OS is on the Powerbook. Additionally I cannot assume that there is any life on the battery except enough to allow for the unit to start up. I will try and see if I can reset the power manager as you stated and see what happens.

 

[equill]

There are many ways to get information about/take care of a hard drive. Your all-PB line-up (as in your sig.) may add another difficulty, but your options could include: being told by the seller which System was in place; booting from the drive; booting from a floppy; using SCSI Disk mode from a desktop; or removing the drive to another machine. All, some or none of these may be available to you at the moment, but one of them is necessary for you to make progress. Your immediate problem is to be sure of the power-supply, of course, and then to work systematically through the requirements for a valid startup volume and so on. At some point an examination of the PB's insides will not go astray, if for no other reason than to know that nothing vital (such as the HDD, if you cannot hear its activity?) is missing. Best of fortune, anyway.

de

 

[Bunsen]

using SCSI Disk mode from a desktop

Why not use the 170? That has SCSI doesn't it? If the SCSI-Dock switch is at the PB 100 end of the cable, surely it will mount to the 170 as any other external drive would, no?

 

[equill]

I am not aware of any HDI-30/HDI-30 cables, and trying to kludge one from HDI-30/CN-50 cables at the same time as taking care of termination will tax chance, space and time all at once. I have a 2 x CN-50/DB-25 cable (such as is found at the input of Apple's external enclosures) from the eBay seller macmetex, but keep in mind that HDI-30 end connectors have to be the 30-pin rather than 29-pin kind to get the PB into zombie-mode.

I have a couple of HDI-30/DB-25 cables, which can even mate at their DB-25 ends, but not everyone has such in his back pocket. There is the possibility of finding two CN-50/HDI-30 switchable adapters to join with a standard CN-50/CN-50 cable, and givent that most, if not all, CN-50 cables are M/M, that could be a goer. So, on the face of it, I have to say that an older PB to older PB SCSI-connection is possible, but it will take a lot more work than a desktop to PB rig.

PS: PB170 = nix on SCSI Disk Mode. Likewise PB140, 145 and 150.

de

 

[Strimkind]

I was wondering about that. I am trying to find my old HDi-30/db25 adapter and cables to see if i can connect two powerbooks together.

 

[superpantoufle]

I am not aware of any HDI-30/HDI-30 cables, and trying to kludge one from HDI-30/CN-50 cables at the same time as taking care of termination will tax chance, space and time all at once. I have a 2 x CN-50/DB-25 cable (such as is found at the input of Apple's external enclosures) from the eBay seller macmetex, but keep in mind that HDI-30 end connectors have to be the 30-pin rather than 29-pin kind to get the PB into zombie-mode.

Sorry I don't know the correct denomination for those connectors. But I do have two of those "square PowerBook SCSI" to "normal Mac SCSI" adapters, one of which has a switch between "normal" and "zombie" modes. Hopefully you'll understand what I mean… 

Using those two adapters with a standard SCSI cable ("screw" connector at both ends) from a Iomega Zip drive, I have benn able to mount a zombie PowerBook on another PowerBook several times!

 

[equill]

Yes. The beauty of those switchable adapters is that they can be 29-pin or 30-pin according to the need of the moment. Even more importantly, for the PB1nn series of 'Books, a pass-through terminator can also be attached to the CN-50F side of the adapter, and then a conventional CN-50M/CN-50M cable can join the adapters.

But be in no doubt that for the PB1nn 'Books, SCSI termination must be included in the setup, for there is no termination in the PBs themselves. This is not the least reason why it is preferable to have a desktop as the 'host' Mac: to provide termination power through the cable to the passive pass-through terminator at the PB end. A second Powerbook that can provide termination power will do as well, but that won't be another PB1nn.

de

 

[superpantoufle]

No doubt you're right about the termination issue. I have to admit I have always been quite interpid about those…  :-/

 

[shred]

If the hard drive is not starting in your PowerBook 100, it may be because the main battery has gone bad. Like the Mac Portable it is based on, the PowerBook 100 relies on a bit of an extra "kick" from the lead acid battery to get the hard drive up and running - even when it's plugged in to a power point.

Some people on here have reported that their PB100s start up ok without the battery. My PB100, like my Mac Portable, does not. I don't know of any source for replacement PB100 batteries and they don't lend themselves to easy repacking like the Mac Portable batteries.

My somewhat ugly solution to running up my PB100 has been to take a small 6v lead acid "gel cell" type battery and connect it to the PB100 battery terminals using fairly sturdy cables and insulated crocodile clips. You can hold the crocodile clips open and guide them in through the battery slot to the standard connectors using needle nosed pliers if you are patient and careful. Make sure you get the polarity right amd don't short them out to anything else (or to the conductive EMI shield coating on the inside of the plastic case)!

 

[Bunsen]

HDI-30/HDI-30 cables, and trying to kludge one/ termination/ There is the possibility of finding two CN-50/HDI-30 switchable adapters to join with a standard CN-50/CN-50 cable

I was not aware of the PB1xx termination issue. I have mounted a 180 as a SCSI Disk on a 1400 without issue.

Why would you need two switchable adapters? No, rephrase that: you don't need two switchable adapters, only one.

You can even find them built into cables (HDI-50 to normal SCSI 25 or 50). I have one - that, a gender changer/terminator, and an ordinary Powerbook SCSI adapter was all that was required. Three items - not quite the intimidating kludgemonster you imply. I used to take that and my 1400 with me to service friend's 'books.

PB170 = nix on SCSI Disk Mode

But you're not asking the 170 to go into SCSI Disk Mode - just to boot normally.

 

[equill]

I was not aware of the PB1xx termination issue. I have mounted a 180 as a SCSI Disk on a 1400 without issue.

But then, the 1400 is a NuBus, ATA and 603e machine, no? Quite possibly a great deal more accomplished than a PB1nn. Even as good as a desktop, in the context?

Why would you need two switchable adapters? No, rephrase that: you don't need two switchable adapters, only one.
You can even find them built into cables (HDI-50 to normal SCSI 25 or 50). I have one - that, a gender changer/terminator, and an ordinary Powerbook SCSI adapter was all that was required. Three items - not quite the intimidating kludgemonster you imply. I used to take that and my 1400 with me to service friend's 'books.

I also have HDI-30/CN-50 or DB-25 cables. I don't expect that everyone else must have them. What I wrote is a useful alternative, but like many SCSI parts these days, getting scarcer. And the kludgemonster, as you put it, allows the option of insertion of the termination that is not available in a made-up cable. Termination power (or the lack of it) is the real killer in a PB1nn to PB1nn setup.

But you're not asking the 170 to go into SCSI Disk Mode - just to boot normally.

Entirely true, but not a bad thing to be aware of. And it still lacks termination, so it's back to the adapter-terminator-cable scenario at the 170 end of a SCSI chain. CD-ROMs are often villainous critters in PB servicing for all of the reasons above.

de

 

[Bunsen]

I was not aware of the PB1xx termination issue. I have mounted a 180 as a SCSI Disk on a 1400 without issue.

But then, the 1400 is / a great deal more accomplished than a PB1nn

Quite. That wasn't meant to be argumentative and could probably have been better expressed thus:

I was not aware of the PB1xx termination issue. I have only mounted a 180 as a SCSI Disk on a 1400

Termination power (or the lack of it) is the real killer in a PB1nn to PB1nn setup.

Ahh, I see.

Your other points are as usual good.

 

[Strimkind]

I tried yesterday to boot the laptop without the battery. Nothing changed but I did hear the HD start up. It did not load the OS and nothing happened on the screen besides the backlight turning on. My best guess now is to get the lithium batteries installed and see if it will boot.

I just acquired a HDI30 to CN50 cable from ebay for 10$ including shipping. When this arrives I will see what else I can do.

 

[Bunsen]

Is it one that has the SCSIDock switch on the HDI end?

 

[equill]

The SCSI port used in PowerBook computers is called an HDI-30. It is a square connector with 30 pins. There are two different SCSI cables. In addition to one of these cables, you may need a terminator, model number M3503xx/A (in the US all model numbers are LL, thus the terminator would be M3503LL/A). Refer to article 24281: "PowerBook: SCSI Cables Used" for images of the various cables.

Apple Article TA21815 has line drawings of divers bits of SCSI gear for use with HDI-30 ports. Several things arise from the article. All of those drawings show CN-50 connectors in addition to the HDI-30 connector on the cable. Host computers (desktop) all have DB-25 connectors. Apple's HDI-30 connector is not switched. There are separate HDI-30 connectors on separate cables for 30-pin (SCSI Disk mode) and 29-pin operation (peripheral device connection). The 30-pin has a dark grey jacket on the cable. I have never seen one of these, and stopped looking for or caring about them when I found switchable third-party adapters. The 29-pin has a standard lighter grey jacket. I have two of the 29-pin, 590-0717-A, but they can be useful only for post-68K PowerBooks, because termination cannot be inserted at their HDI-30 ends. I also have third-party 29-pin HDI-30 cables with DB-25M and -25F connectors. Again, these are useful only for post-68K PowerBooks, although the -25M can be connected directly to desktop host Macs.

Switched adapters (for 30- or 29-pin use) are third-party devices, available with either CN-50F or DB-25F connectors in addition to the HDI-30. Apple's pass-through terminator can be attached only at the host Mac end of an Apple cable, since passthrough terminators are available only in CN-50M/CN-50F form, not DB-25, as far as I know or have seen. Even if these could be directly connected to a host Mac's DB-25 port, having the terminator remote from the PB is not as efffective as having it at the PB end of a cable, which is possible in conjunction with a third-party switched HDI-30M/CN-50F adapter.

de